Talking to Tyler, the Creator early in the morning was perhaps not the best idea. The type of energy needed to execute a solid interview with the 24-year-old founder of Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All (OFWKTA) is more than most people have at 9:30 a.m. Nonetheless, it was a pleasure talking to the mastermind behind Cherry Bomb, the Golf Media app and Odd Future clothing designs. It's hard to believe he's so young, but then you watch one of his Vine videos and realize he's still just a kid having fun. And why shouldn’t he? The world is at his fingertips these days and clearly he's going to ride this wave as long as he can. Born in Los Angeles, Tyler Okonma dropped his first solo album, Bastard, in 2009 and he's been going at lightning speed ever since. Performances at Coachella, stints on Jimmy Kimmel Live and countless shows have amassed a legion of fans for Tyler, the Creator. The seemingly unstoppable rapper took some time to talk to RAPstation from Kentucky as he continues on his current tour in support of Cherry Bomb.
RAPstation (Kyle Eustice): One thing I've noticed about you is your awesome sense of humor. How important is that to your craft?
Tyler, the Creator: You gotta keep things fun. Laughing is really important to your health believe it or not so I guess I just always try to have fun and keep the energy alive.
I've watched a lot of videos and interviews about you recently and the underlying theme seems to be that you're happy. What has changed in the last few years to get you to such a good place?
I don't know [laughs]. A lot of good things have happened and I guess when a lot of tight things happen, you just start enjoying things more.
What are some of those tight things that have happened?
Making money is one of them. I'm not going to lie. That shit is tight. Just so much awesome stuff has happened. No one is dying. It's all good.
Are you happy with how Cherry Bomb has been received?
It's out. I loved it. My fans loved it. That's all that mattered.
I just watched the video for "Fucking Young." Just when I thought it was going to end, it kept going into another song. Do you come up with the video concepts?
It goes go into a completely different song. I do come up with all of that stuff.
You've been like that since the beginning. You've done a lot of the graphic design and produced most of the songs, right?
Yeah.
So where did you learn how to do all of this stuff?
You don't really have to learn anything to create stuff. It's not a thing you learn. There's not a set concept or rules you have to follow to learn. You can learn a recipe [laughs], but ideas are not something you learn.
What are you working on now or are you just focused on the tour?
I'm just touring now. It's hard to get anything done on tour. It's really difficult. I can't do much until I get home and that's not for awhile. Awhiiiiiile.
How did you connect with Heathcliff at Life or Death PR?
I don't even remember meeting him, to be honest. I've known that n***a for a minute. He's sick.
I watched an interview you did where you were talking about an Action Bronson concert you went to, where all of these kids were on their phones and not watching the show. You said that pissed you off.
We're all addicted to our phones. It's kind of sickening.
Sorry. I can barely hear you. There's a legit yoga class going on in my backyard right now.
[Laughs] I would probably join it. Probably.
Have you seen the compilation video of your Vines on YouTube?
No, I haven't. Wait, do you want me to watch it? I don't know. I kind of know what goes on in those videos. I think I'm the guy in them [laughs].
Come on, you're giving me a hard time. I just woke up. I'm in Colorado. It's not even 10 a.m.
I'm in Kentucky right now so we might be in the same time zone.
No, you're EST and I'm MST, meaning you're afternoon and I'm morning.
I don't know where the fuck I am [laughs].
I woke up 15 minutes ago so give me a break [laughs]. Let's talk about your childhood.
I grew up in Los Angeles. It was me, my sister and my mom. I grew up in Los Angeles [laughs]. I'm bad at these type of things.
When did you fall in love with music?
I was younger just listening to the radio a lot. I mean really young. I was probably 4 or 5-years-old. I always listened to the radio and loved the sounds that would come out of the speakers. I've always had a great love for music. It's always been good to me. I've always loved all types of music. It's really tight.
What have you been listening to lately?
A lot of Stevie [Wonder] recently. Just a lot of Stevie and other random stuff like that.
Are your mother and sister proud?
They think I'm cool. They're really nice. I don't think they wouldn't be happy unless they were weird.
Have you ever taken your mom on the road to show her what it's like?
Uh, no. That will never happen.
I imagine there would be a lot of debauchery.
It would just be weird.
I want to ask you a serious question. You've been accused of being misogynistic because of a lot of your lyrics, especially early on in your career. How do you react to that type of criticism?
People believe whatever they want to believe, man. It's however they take things.
Well, you don't hate women, right?
I don't hate women at all. Just me telling them that won't change their opinion on things. I'm at a point where it's like why even bother talking about this anymore. If you're smart enough, you'll figure it out, if not, whatever.
Have you always liked writing?
It's just real life. It's not that deep. I'm just telling you about something that's going on in my life at the moment. I guess the more details, the deeper will call you or say you're a great writer.
There are people out there that can't construct a sentence. Don't sell yourself short, Tyler.
Yeah, I won't.
You're only 24. Do you ever sit back and think, 'Wow, I did this?' You're killing it.
I'm doing some cool shit, but I'm not killing shit. I could really be killing it. I can't buy an Enzo yet so I'm not killing it at all.
So when you can buy an Enzo, then you'll be killing it.
Yeah, when I can by a Ferrari Enzo for 3-million dollars and like break the windows and flatten the tires like it's nothing, then I'll be killing it. Until then, I'm alright. I'm decent, but I want it now.
Keep doing what you're doing and you'll be there soon.
I'll try.
I will be at the Fort Collins show in 10 days. I'll introduce myself like, 'Hi, I'm the girl you did the really awkward interview with.' Sorry, I'm tired. Normally, I kill this shit [laughs].
It's ok. Phone interviews are hard sometimes. Come say hi.
Tyler, The Creator: The RAPstation Interview
Talking to Tyler, the Creator early in the morning was perhaps not the best idea. The type of energy needed to execute a solid interview with the 24-year-old founder of Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All (OFWKTA) is more than most people have at 9:30 a.m. Nonetheless, it was a pleasure talking to the mastermind behind Cherry Bomb, the Golf Media app and Odd Future clothing designs. It's hard to believe he's so young, but then you watch one of his Vine videos and realize he's still just a kid having fun. And why shouldn’t he? The world is at his fingertips these days and clearly he's going to ride this wave as long as he can. Born in Los Angeles, Tyler Okonma dropped his first solo album, Bastard, in 2009 and he's been going at lightning speed ever since. Performances at Coachella, stints on Jimmy Kimmel Live and countless shows have amassed a legion of fans for Tyler, the Creator. The seemingly unstoppable rapper took some time to talk to RAPstation from Kentucky as he continues on his current tour in support of Cherry Bomb.
RAPstation (Kyle Eustice): One thing I've noticed about you is your awesome sense of humor. How important is that to your craft?
Tyler, the Creator: You gotta keep things fun. Laughing is really important to your health believe it or not so I guess I just always try to have fun and keep the energy alive.
I've watched a lot of videos and interviews about you recently and the underlying theme seems to be that you're happy. What has changed in the last few years to get you to such a good place?
I don't know [laughs]. A lot of good things have happened and I guess when a lot of tight things happen, you just start enjoying things more.
What are some of those tight things that have happened?
Making money is one of them. I'm not going to lie. That shit is tight. Just so much awesome stuff has happened. No one is dying. It's all good.
Are you happy with how Cherry Bomb has been received?
It's out. I loved it. My fans loved it. That's all that mattered.
I just watched the video for "Fucking Young." Just when I thought it was going to end, it kept going into another song. Do you come up with the video concepts?
It goes go into a completely different song. I do come up with all of that stuff.
You've been like that since the beginning. You've done a lot of the graphic design and produced most of the songs, right?
Yeah.
So where did you learn how to do all of this stuff?
You don't really have to learn anything to create stuff. It's not a thing you learn. There's not a set concept or rules you have to follow to learn. You can learn a recipe [laughs], but ideas are not something you learn.
What are you working on now or are you just focused on the tour?
I'm just touring now. It's hard to get anything done on tour. It's really difficult. I can't do much until I get home and that's not for awhile. Awhiiiiiile.
How did you connect with Heathcliff at Life or Death PR?
I don't even remember meeting him, to be honest. I've known that n***a for a minute. He's sick.
I watched an interview you did where you were talking about an Action Bronson concert you went to, where all of these kids were on their phones and not watching the show. You said that pissed you off.
We're all addicted to our phones. It's kind of sickening.
Sorry. I can barely hear you. There's a legit yoga class going on in my backyard right now.
[Laughs] I would probably join it. Probably.
Have you seen the compilation video of your Vines on YouTube?
No, I haven't. Wait, do you want me to watch it? I don't know. I kind of know what goes on in those videos. I think I'm the guy in them [laughs].
Come on, you're giving me a hard time. I just woke up. I'm in Colorado. It's not even 10 a.m.
I'm in Kentucky right now so we might be in the same time zone.
No, you're EST and I'm MST, meaning you're afternoon and I'm morning.
I don't know where the fuck I am [laughs].
I woke up 15 minutes ago so give me a break [laughs]. Let's talk about your childhood.
I grew up in Los Angeles. It was me, my sister and my mom. I grew up in Los Angeles [laughs]. I'm bad at these type of things.
When did you fall in love with music?
I was younger just listening to the radio a lot. I mean really young. I was probably 4 or 5-years-old. I always listened to the radio and loved the sounds that would come out of the speakers. I've always had a great love for music. It's always been good to me. I've always loved all types of music. It's really tight.
What have you been listening to lately?
A lot of Stevie [Wonder] recently. Just a lot of Stevie and other random stuff like that.
Are your mother and sister proud?
They think I'm cool. They're really nice. I don't think they wouldn't be happy unless they were weird.
Have you ever taken your mom on the road to show her what it's like?
Uh, no. That will never happen.
I imagine there would be a lot of debauchery.
It would just be weird.
I want to ask you a serious question. You've been accused of being misogynistic because of a lot of your lyrics, especially early on in your career. How do you react to that type of criticism?
People believe whatever they want to believe, man. It's however they take things.
Well, you don't hate women, right?
I don't hate women at all. Just me telling them that won't change their opinion on things. I'm at a point where it's like why even bother talking about this anymore. If you're smart enough, you'll figure it out, if not, whatever.
Have you always liked writing?
It's just real life. It's not that deep. I'm just telling you about something that's going on in my life at the moment. I guess the more details, the deeper will call you or say you're a great writer.
There are people out there that can't construct a sentence. Don't sell yourself short, Tyler.
Yeah, I won't.
You're only 24. Do you ever sit back and think, 'Wow, I did this?' You're killing it.
I'm doing some cool shit, but I'm not killing shit. I could really be killing it. I can't buy an Enzo yet so I'm not killing it at all.
So when you can buy an Enzo, then you'll be killing it.
Yeah, when I can by a Ferrari Enzo for 3-million dollars and like break the windows and flatten the tires like it's nothing, then I'll be killing it. Until then, I'm alright. I'm decent, but I want it now.
Keep doing what you're doing and you'll be there soon.
I'll try.
I will be at the Fort Collins show in 10 days. I'll introduce myself like, 'Hi, I'm the girl you did the really awkward interview with.' Sorry, I'm tired. Normally, I kill this shit [laughs].
It's ok. Phone interviews are hard sometimes. Come say hi.
