Happy Birthday, Tyler, the Creator: 9 of His Most Iconic Moments
The eccentric rapper turns 29 today.
Today, March 6, 2020, Tyler Okonma—best known as Tyler, the Creator—turns 29 years old.
The polymathic rapper first rose to prominence as a founding member of the alternative hip-hop collective, Odd Future, whose debut album was released in 2012. And although multiple members of the now-inactive group have experienced fruitful solo careers—Frank Ocean and Earl Sweatshirt among them—Tyler, the Creator's has arguably left the most recognizable influence. With five studio albums, a clothing line, a music festival, and much more on his resume, Tyler has been cited as a major inspiration to Gen Z icons like Billie Eilish and BROCKHAMPTON's Kevin Abstract.
Occasionally controversial but always a brilliant artist, Tyler has made himself known as not only a masterful musician, but a filterless class clown of the real world. Below, here are nine of Tyler, the Creator's most iconic moments.
A Walking Paradox
With just a cockroach, a noose, and a perspective control lens, Tyler introduced his solo rap career with one of the most unforgettable music videos of the decade (self-directed under his alter ego, Wolf Haley).
▲The South by Southwest Riot
It's not unusual for Tyler's performances to get rowdy, but this one takes the cake. In 2014, Tyler was arrested at one of his South by Southwest performances, facing a misdemeanor riot charge. Though his show at Austin's Scoot Inn had reached maximum capacity, he encouraged fans waiting outside to push through security guards and stampede into the small venue. His bail was set at $3,500.
▲The Real Housewives of Odd Future
Before Tyler reached Grammys-level stardom, he was making an Adult Swim sketch comedy series called "Loiter Squad" with the fellow members of Odd Future. In one particularly memorable scene, the group took their own spin on reality TV drama. Tyler—dressed as a stereotypical "Real Housewife"—has a birthday gone off the rails, resulting in an exclamation that'll be quoted on birthdays for years to come: "So you're just gonna bring me a birthday gift on my birthday to my birthday party on my birthday with a birthday gift?"
▲Tyler, the Golfer
There's your white baby boomer uncle who loves to golf, and then there's Thurnis Haley. One of many "Loiter Squad" highlights is a bit that centers around this character,, who loves to hit the course but doesn't always keep his composure.
▲An Anticlimactic Coming Out
Early in his career, Tyler was heavily scrutinized for using homophobic slurs in his music. Then in 2015, in a plot twist that some nosy fans saw coming, he tweeted: "I TRIED TO COME OUT THE DAMN CLOSET LIKE FOUR DAYS AGO AND NO ONE CARED HAHAHHAHAHA." In an interview about a year earlier, Larry King asked Tyler if he thought we'd have a gay rapper someday. He responded, "Maybe one day...but why does that s--t matter? Like, if he wanna f--k dudes or whatever, why does that matter? Why do we care?"
▲Mawrk the Chef
Lest we never forget when Tyler guested on a parody cooking show, divulged his delectable cinnamon waffle recipe, probably had to buy someone a new toaster, and spawned an evergreen phrase: "Suck my d--k, white America."
▲“Doot doo!”
It's pretty difficult to out-weird Nardwuar, but Tyler might've succeeded his third time around with the all-knowing interviewer. The rapper tends to act pretty mindless in most interviews, and though he's definitely still silly in this one, it feels as though he's built a bond with Nardwuar that makes this interview feel special.
▲A Perfect Introduction
Billie Eilish idolizes Tyler so much that fans have made compilations just of her rambling about her hero. Of course, there was no better choice than the man himself to introduce her performance at the 2019 American Music Awards. "Earlier this year, my album Igor was the number one album in the country," Tyler told the audience. "And then this 17-year-old girl who dressed like a quarterback decided to change that." Was this a little sexist and reductive? Probably. But considering Eilish might not be making music today if it weren't for Tyler, it's pretty mind-boggling to think about her dethroning him on the charts.
▲Momma’s Boy
Nobody was more excited for Igor to win the Grammy for Best Rap Album than Tyler's mother. In tears, she joined her son on stage for his acceptance speech. "You did a great job raising this guy," Tyler assured her.
Tyler's entire appearance at the 2020 Grammys was especially notable. He arrived in a pink Wes Anderson-esque bellhop outfit before taking the stage, joined by Charlie Wilson and Boyz II Men for an epic performance of "EARFQUAKE" and "NEW MAGIC WAND." That night, he also spoke on the racism he saw in Grammys categories: "It sucks that whenever we, and I mean guys that look like me, do anything that's genre-bending, that's anything, they always put it in a rap or urban category," he explained. "And I don't like that urban word—it's just a politically correct way to say the N-word to me."▲