Tyler, The Creator shares his views on the current landscape of rap
It’s not a secret that Tyler, The Creator is an outspoken rapper, often unafraid to voice his feelings on social media or through his music.
Recently, he’s made some comments about the current state of rap music on a podcast. Talking to Maverick Carter on Mavericks, the rapper, real name Tyler Okonma, revealed that he is disillusioned with many rappers in the game at the moment.
“There are so many n****s out right now who aren’t musicians, that are getting treated like musicians because they make meme records,” Okonma said. While he didn’t give any examples of the rappers he doesn’t consider real musicians, fans can probably take their own guesses.
He added, “[They] publicly will be like, ‘I don’t give a fuck about music, I just do this shit for money.’” It’s likely that the rapper will have a lot more to say about the matter – and will spark lively online debate – once the full podcast episode is released today (August 14th).
Okonma rose to prominence in the late 2000s as a member of the collective Odd Future, which has also included artists such as Earl Sweatshirt and Frank Ocean. He released his first solo project, Bastard, in 2009, establishing himself as an artist away from the collaborative Odd Future.
Since then, he has become one of the most popular rappers of his generation, amassing a wide range of fans due to his alternative leanings. He’s known for his distinctive personality and for wearing bright colours – even founding fashion brands which have helped to establish his place in popular culture even further.
He has released six studio albums, including the highly acclaimed Flower Boy and IGOR. His most recent record, Call Me If You Get Lost, was released in 2021, winning him his second Grammy Award.
The artistry of Tyler, The Creator’s music has long been praised, even if his dedication to his art has sometimes caused controversy. For example, his album Goblin, which contained the song ‘Yonkers’, was criticised by some for its violent and shocking lyrical content.