By Cassie Jiron
It seems like many rap songs in this time do not contain much significance or a story to them. There are a selective amount of rappers that keep this ethic alive, one being Tyler the Creator. A great amount of rappers prefer to rap about subjects such as money or materialistic items and etc..
Tyler the Creator, also known as Tyler Okonma, is an American rapper, record producer, and music video director. He is most known for his leadership and co-founding of a hip-hop collective named ‘Odd Future’. He has had a successful amount of albums and has created an impressive brand for himself and the others under that collective.
Okonma’s parents are of Nigerian, African-American, and European-Canadian descent. He grew up without his father around in his life, in fact, he states that he has never even had the chance to meet him.
His early life was spent in California, where he would take covers out of albums and create his own artwork for imaginary albums of his own.
In Tyler’s recent album, Flower Boy, released in July of 2017, he brings light to a spread of social issues and has an overall message of self confidence.
Alex, a San Jose State University student, feels a strong connection to Flower Boy. “A lot of the problems he raps about, I have faced personally, as well. It makes me feel like I am more normal.”
Specifically, in Tyler’s song titled ‘Where This Flower Blooms’, he expresses a variety of different topics. The title of the song is meant to represent the progression a person faces as they grow, that it is similar to a flower blooming. He hints at this in one of his albums from 2015, a lyric stating, ‘find your wings’, declaring to find a talent and a purpose. Blooming is flourishing that talent and purpose more.
Many lyrics from this track are symbolic and powerful. ‘Water your garden and stunt’. Tyler encourages to build up confidence and self-love and to be proud of what is achieved. ‘Tell these black kids they could be who they are’. He desires for young black kids to not conform to expectations previously created for them, pointedly hypermasculinity. Directly after, he pronounces for them to dye their hair blue, as he will, too, implying that they are not alone and he will be there with them to support them.
‘Went from statistic to millionaire’. Tyler mentions the statistic, referring to the statistic that poor black men are only destined to crime and to live in poor areas. He escaped this fate by working hard on his passion and exhibiting his enthusiasm. He wants the listeners to have belief in their own interests, as he did.
‘CNN doubted ‘cause my skin is dark’. In an incident years back, he was banned from performing his music on a show. It was said that he was not allowed to perform due to the behavior of his fans, but many speculated it was related to the color of his skin and the fact that he is black. Due to his circumstances, Tyler has dealt with a lot of controversy, but is not afraid to speak his mind and does not believe in staying silent rather than speaking up. ‘But they forget when I get in my car’. Many tend to look at Tyler in a derogatory way because of his race, yet they see his expensive vehicles and wealthy materialistic items, and treat him with more respect solely because of his money.
‘Rooted from the bottom, bloomed into a tree’. One of his ending lines of the song, meant to leave an impact on the importance of never giving up. Tyler claims he started from the bottom, a seed, and bloomed into something bigger and heartening, a metaphorical tree. He openly admits that his life has not been easy, but has not let that hold him back from what he wants to obtain and acquire.
He conveys his issues range from poverty, racism, his own sexuality, family life, and more. Yet, Tyler continues to encourage young minds and be a human representation that things are possible.
Tyler the Creator, also known as Tyler Okonma, is an American rapper, record producer, and music video director. He is most known for his leadership and co-founding of a hip-hop collective named ‘Odd Future’. He has had a successful amount of albums and has created an impressive brand for himself and the others under that collective.
Okonma’s parents are of Nigerian, African-American, and European-Canadian descent. He grew up without his father around in his life, in fact, he states that he has never even had the chance to meet him.
His early life was spent in California, where he would take covers out of albums and create his own artwork for imaginary albums of his own.
In Tyler’s recent album, Flower Boy, released in July of 2017, he brings light to a spread of social issues and has an overall message of self confidence.
Alex, a San Jose State University student, feels a strong connection to Flower Boy. “A lot of the problems he raps about, I have faced personally, as well. It makes me feel like I am more normal.”
Specifically, in Tyler’s song titled ‘Where This Flower Blooms’, he expresses a variety of different topics. The title of the song is meant to represent the progression a person faces as they grow, that it is similar to a flower blooming. He hints at this in one of his albums from 2015, a lyric stating, ‘find your wings’, declaring to find a talent and a purpose. Blooming is flourishing that talent and purpose more.
Many lyrics from this track are symbolic and powerful. ‘Water your garden and stunt’. Tyler encourages to build up confidence and self-love and to be proud of what is achieved. ‘Tell these black kids they could be who they are’. He desires for young black kids to not conform to expectations previously created for them, pointedly hypermasculinity. Directly after, he pronounces for them to dye their hair blue, as he will, too, implying that they are not alone and he will be there with them to support them.
‘Went from statistic to millionaire’. Tyler mentions the statistic, referring to the statistic that poor black men are only destined to crime and to live in poor areas. He escaped this fate by working hard on his passion and exhibiting his enthusiasm. He wants the listeners to have belief in their own interests, as he did.
‘CNN doubted ‘cause my skin is dark’. In an incident years back, he was banned from performing his music on a show. It was said that he was not allowed to perform due to the behavior of his fans, but many speculated it was related to the color of his skin and the fact that he is black. Due to his circumstances, Tyler has dealt with a lot of controversy, but is not afraid to speak his mind and does not believe in staying silent rather than speaking up. ‘But they forget when I get in my car’. Many tend to look at Tyler in a derogatory way because of his race, yet they see his expensive vehicles and wealthy materialistic items, and treat him with more respect solely because of his money.
‘Rooted from the bottom, bloomed into a tree’. One of his ending lines of the song, meant to leave an impact on the importance of never giving up. Tyler claims he started from the bottom, a seed, and bloomed into something bigger and heartening, a metaphorical tree. He openly admits that his life has not been easy, but has not let that hold him back from what he wants to obtain and acquire.
He conveys his issues range from poverty, racism, his own sexuality, family life, and more. Yet, Tyler continues to encourage young minds and be a human representation that things are possible.