Introduction/History
Tyler, The Creator, born Tyler Gregory Okonma, is a rapper, songwriter, and producer. Tyler, The Creator was born in Hawthrone, CA on March 6, 1991, then later moved to Ladera Heights in his teen years. He is the son of a Nigerian father, whom he never met, and a bi-racial mother.
At the age of 7, Tyler would take out the cover of a CD case and draw imaginary album covers for himself. At the age of 14, he taught himself how to play the piano. Tyler always knew that music would be his destiny.
Career
He was the co-founder of a group called Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All (OFWGKTA), or simply known as Odd Future. Odd Future released their debut Album, The Odd Future Mixtape, in 2007. This group included popular artists such as Frank Ocean and Syd. With some of the members of Odd Future, Tyler created a show called Loiter Squad that premiered on Adult Swim in March 2012 and ended in 2015. Tyler decided to pursue a solo career in 2009, with his debut mixtape Bastard. He released his widely known album Goblin in 2011, which wasn’t accepted by many because of his gritty, homophobic, and misogynistic lyrics. As a newly solo artist, this wasn’t the best start to his career. Tyler took notes and in 2013, he released another album titled Wolf, where he moved towards alternative hip hop. In the next few years, Tyler went on to release 4 more albums: Cherry Bomb (2015), Flower Boy (2017), Igor (2019), and Call Me If You Get Lost (2021). Flower Boy, Igor, and Call Me If You Get Lost were some of his most popular albums, which produced some of his most famous songs. See You Again (Flower Boy), Earfquake ft. Charlie Wilson (Igor), and Lemonhead ft. 42 Dugg (CMIYGL) landed him on the Billboard charts. Throughout these albums, The Creator experienced with Jazz rap and R&B. He is often called “weird” for the way he takes pictures, his logic, his hilariously phrases, and his performance style. These things are pillars of his artistic expression.
Accolades
Tyler, The Creator’s growth as an artist helped his career tremendously. Flower Boy was nominated for Best Rap Album at the 60th Grammys against Kendrick Lamar, Migos, and Jay-Z. Igor and Call Me If You Get Lost both won for Best Rap Album at the 62nd and 64th Grammys. Call Me If You Get Lost also debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart. Although Tyler, the Creator may not be a fan favorite, his artistic ability cannot be denied.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Tyler, The Creator has made a huge impact on the music industry. Artists like Billie Eilish and Juice Wrld have cited him has an influence. Even though Tyler, The Creator has been in the middle of controversy, his performances, album sales, and awards have spoken for him musically. He will continue to express himself freely in his upcoming albums.
References
https://pitchfork.com/artists/29179-tyler-the-creator/
– https://live365.com/blog/top-10-tyler-the-creator-songs/
– https://www.stltoday.com/entertainment/music/kevin-johnson/resisting-hip-hop-tropes-tyler-the-creator-stays-true-to-himself-at-chaifetz-arena/article_9a72934e-1015-5cc5-b7b4-81f6860fff71.html
– https://pitchfork.com/news/tyler-the-creator-scores-virgil-ablohs-louis-vuitton-fashion-show-watch/
– https://www.allmusic.com/artist/tyler-the-creator-mn0002591087
– https://www.complex.com/tag/tyler-the-creator
