Tyler, The Creature: A Case for Tyler, The Creator
Unfortunately, too many people are still sleep on Tyler, The Creator - including a few of my friends - which is unacceptable. So I decided to take matters into my own hands and create a mix of some of my favorite tracks, as well as a few fan favorites. And honestly, it turned out so fire I had to share it with anyone else who is willing to hear this case, because the man has a lot to say!
Back in the early days of Odd Future my sister would talk about Tyler, The Creator, but his sound was so different from anything else I was listening to at the time, I couldn’t get past that. Until one random day Colossus came on my SZA radio station (good ol’ Pandora days) …and I was sold.
It was the masterful storytelling, clever lines, and audacity to be so vulnerable on a track, while somehow still creating space to be humorous - which is always something I appreciate, because life is a tragic comedy, and Tyler illustrates this gloriously.
His sound is distinct and unmistakably his own. Even on his collaborations, he always brings a fresh perspective. And while his music sounds amazing, it’s not really something you hear [initially], it’s something you feel.
I’ve been listening to his music for at least 8 years, but it wasn’t until I was curating this playlist that I realized I connect with his artistry so much because…for lack of better words…he’s a sad baddie.
Courtesy of Tyler, The Creator.
We’re all such complex creatures, yet the world insists we put ourselves in boxes - but those boxes can’t contain all that we are, and eventually end up suppressing who we were truly meant to be. Tyler’s refusal to put himself in a box has allowed him to flourish as an artist and is proof that when you’re being yourself, it’s okay - and even cool - to be different.