Day for Night Artist Spotlight: Tyler, the Creator

Felicia the Goat.

In every form of art, there exists a wide spectrum, spanning from complete experimentation (think Death Grips) to carbon-copy industry plants that mimic current trends (lol no shade, but think Wiz Khalifa). Within the context of music, both extremities can be pretty unpopular, yet are integral to the inevitable change that will define the genre in later trends. Where does Tyler, the Creator sit on this spectrum? He sits on another completely unrelated spectrum, in another room, in another building, across the street, browsing Reddit for the latest news on Elon Musk and Leonardo DiCaprio while eating tamales and drinking Mountain Dew.

From wolves to goats; from B.O.B. to Bruno Mars; from satanist rumors to Tesla worship; and finally from Goblin to Hippy; when anyone hears the name Tyler, the Creator, a plethora of images, thoughts, music, videos, slurs, praises etc. all pop up into one’s head. Tyler is now, and always will be, known as a renaissance man.

Starting his music career as a horror-core/Lofi/skater trash rapper and producer during his high school career, Tyler always stood out in everything he did. When he dropped his first tape “Bastard” he made serious waves; with his tape being placed 32nd on Pitchfork’s “Top Albums of 2010,” Tyler quickly spurred some serious cult-like attention with his music. Tyler’s beats were dirty and amateurish, his sound selection was stocky, his flow was scattered and amateurish, his style was offensive and childish, his image was colorful and awkward, his lyricism edgy and macabre, his crew was odd, yet all these shortcomings were overshadowed with his refreshing raw originality.

Since his first tape, we have seen the exponential growth of Tyler as an artist through his albums, with each piece of work outshining the last and casting a new light on Tyler, regardless of how well we think we know him. Flower Boy, Tyler’s latest work, is the culmination of all the names Tyler has been called over the years: angsty, edgy, a fad, and serves as a cast off/track by track list of proof; proof that Tyler hears everything, knows how he is represented and knows what he’s doing. It may have been easy to write Tyler off as a fad when his first waves of music and clothing dropped, yet to dismiss him now is only ignorant of just how important Tyler has been to the revitalization of the youth in hip-hop.

Okay, I know saying that someone “revitalized hip-hop” is quite a statement, and it’s true this is said about many artists too readily. I also know a claim like this needs a source. However, before I start rattling off a list of his impressive accomplishments, first think of his crew, OFWGKTA, in its heyday. Their merch fitted across every fourth pre-teen to mid-teenager, and their shows were notoriously packed out and rowdy. If you looked up any hip-hop related news, OFWGKTA would be mentioned, guaranteed. Oldheads vilified them, the youth loved them, and the critics praised them. As Tyler’s group all grew into their own, the inevitable hiatus of OFWGKTA is no surprise and leaves a lot of older fans feeling a bit discouraged. However, without those formative years under the leadership of Tyler, we can be assured we would not know some of the big names to come out of OFWGKTA in the way we know them today, notably: Tyler, Earl Sweatshirt, Frank Ocean, The Internet, Vince Staples, Domo Genesis, Casey Veggies, and much more.

Tyler’s latest projects include a TV show on adult swim (check it here), his critically applauded album “Flower Boy” and now his international tour. Do not miss the opportunity to see Tyler at the upcoming Day for Night Festival, as his performances are among some of the top performances by current artists; with crazy stage design, extreme crowd involvement, and typical Tyler-esque hijinks and shenanigans, every performance is more of an experience than a show. Don’t miss out!

Buy tickets, check up on news, and view the entire list of performances for “Day for Night Fest” here.

And as always, if you enjoy any pictures or graphics in the article, be sure to click them and check out their sources. Maybe click a few of their ads. I know they’d appreciate it.