By Valeria Garcia
Without a doubt, Tyler, the Creator is one of the most famous rappers ever. His unique way of making music makes so many people relate to him, he is a very versatile artist, in the sense that he can produce, rap, and write, you can see the transformation of who he is as a person change over time through his albums.
On March 6, 1991, the legendary Tyler Gregory Okonma, known as “Tyler, the Creator” was born in Los Angeles, California.
When Okonma was only seven years old he became interested in music. When his mom found out, she was amazed by his interest, and at 14, she decided to buy him a keyboard. Since then Okonma started to learn how to play the keyboard all by himself.
At such a young age, Okonma knew he had a lot of talent, so when he was in eighth grade he chose to join his school drama class. Still, eventually, he got kicked out of the class because he was too “hyper for it.” He was upset by this, and with his musical instinct, he tried one more time, but this time he decided to join the band class, which he couldn’t even get into, due to the fact that he was unable to read music.
Okonma never gave up, so in 2007, at 16 years old, he founded a group named “OFGWKTA” (Odd Future Wolf Wang Kill Them All), most known as “Odd Future” with some friends, like Casey Veggies, Hodgy, Left Brain, Matt Martians, Jasper Dolphin, Earl Sweatshirt, Travis "Taco" Bennett, and Syd, but later on, new members joined, such as brandUn, DeShay, Pyramid Vritra, Domo Genesis, Mike G, Frank Ocean, and Na-Kel Smith.
After some time Odd Future became less popular, but that didn't stop Okonma. In 2009 he released his first solo album named "Bastard," which talks about his father and growing up without him, failed relationships, and more controversial topics.
Eventually, Okonma officially started his solo career in 2011 by debuting with “Yonkers,” the second song from his album Goblin which was nominated for “ Video of the Year” at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards. He won the “Best New Artist” award because of this video.
With the popularity of “Goblin,” later Okonma got into very serious scandals, such as being banned from the United Kingdom in 2014 because of his very explicit, and misogynistic lyrics. In response, Okonma tweeted, “Based on lyrics from 2009, I am not allowed in the UK for 3-5 years (although I was there 8 weeks ago). That is why the shows were canceled.”
Okonma kept making music and it became more and more popular among teenagers who felt related to his music. He released "Wolf" his third album in 2013. This album talks about Wolf Hayley his alter ego, about his failed relationship, and his most popular song from the album, “Answer” which talks about his father and his missing presence in his life, he expresses those feelings when he says, “Mom was only twenty when you ain't have any ***** to spare, You Nigerian ****, now I'm stuck with this ******facial hair, Also stuck with a beautiful home with a case stairs.” He talks to his dad, and how he left his mom at only 20 years old.
After the success of "Wolf," Okonma launched his clothing brand named “Golf Wang.” The name was created in 2011 from the “Odd FutureWolf Wang Kill Them All” name. The brand in 2013 changed when the color and visual aesthetic of the clothing started to attract people to purchase it, and more brands like Converse and Lacoste collaborated with this brand.
Okonma started to become more and more popular with each album he released. When he released "Cherry Bomb" in 2015 he started to collaborate with bigger artists such as Kanye West and Lil Wayne in “SMUCKERS” and Kali Uchis with whom he will collaborate again in his upcoming album.
Oknoma's life changed when he dropped one of his most popular albums, "Flower Boy" which was released in 2017, by Columbia Records, written by Tyler, and produced by Tyler himself. It was No. 2 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. His most popular song from this album was, “See You Again,” featuring Kali Uchis who will become one of Okonma's close friends.
With all of the popularity Okonma was receiving he launched his most successful album of all time "IGOR," his sixth album was released in 2019, and this album became popular because of its first song, “EARTHQUAKE.” This song hit number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100, and even got him a Grammy in 2020, nominated for “Best Rap Album,” and it became platinum certified by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). This album made him one of the most influential artists in the rap industry.
In 2021, Okonma released his latest album "Call Me If You Get Lost" which also gave him a Grammy for “Best Rap Album.” Eventually, Okonma dropped unreleased songs for "Call Me If You Get Lost" in March of 2023.
What made Okonma so popular and so trendy was his unique of making music, while also being versatile in creating different types of music that appeal to many different audiences. This helped him grow his career, and also how his outstanding lyrics are relatable to his audience.
And even though Okonma had so many scandals because of his lyrics describing his past trauma, it’s very wild and provocative. Okonma has always made sure to keep in touch with his fans and make them feel special, that is one of the reasons why he is so loved and respected among his fans. And his unique charisma and humor, Okonma captivates millions with his amazing music. His evolution as an artist makes his music timeless. Everyone can relate to his music in one way or another.
His music videos are also very iconic and unique, and the visuals always add to the experience of listening to his music,
With his innovative production style and original lyrics, he has created a distinct sound that has influenced a whole generation of rappers and producers. His self-awareness and sense of humor have also made him well-liked among his fans
I got into Tyler when flower boy was relaesed but my favorite album of his is "call me if you get lost" His style development is somthing I truly adored seeing. HIs personality is just as impactful as his music, I hope to see it live one day.
This article was well written. I really like how this article included when Tyler got invested into his music, how Tyler's music was viewed by others, and the variation in his music. Tyler has been one of my favorite artists for the longest time and this article lets readers appreciate his music even more.
I have always loved Tyler. This article showed me new things I didn't even know about him before, very informational and perfectly worded. I enjoy how this article not only discusses his fame, but also his life before that and how he came to be. It was very insightful, his music will always last.
I like Tyler's music and this article brought up facts that I didn't know about him. I had no idea he learned keyboard skills on his own at such a young age. It's so inspiring how he continued to make music even with all the obstacles thrown his way.
I really like how this article goes back to Tyler's before the fame and talks about what made him so popular and why he stands out from the rest.