This progression has come to a crescendo with his latest album, the dreamily melancholic Flower Boy, the title of which potentially acts as a clue to what might be his most controversial statement yet.Ĭould the rapper who used the word faggot, or other anti-gay variations, 213 times on his debut album actually be gay or bisexual himself? Since his latest release leaked two weeks early, rumors have been circulating online, similar to those that emanated from pre-release listening parties of Frank Ocean’s Channel Orange five years prior. I’ve followed his career and noticed a maturity develop, a softening of sorts, the decision to opt for woozy stoner romance over grim and graphic bile. It’s based on things I made when I was super young, when no one was listening.” “I’m bummed out because it’s like, dude, I’m not homophobic. ”I’m getting treated like a terrorist,” he told the Guardian in 2015. They’ve even propelled him into legal troubles after he was prevented from performing in both the UK and Australia, labelled as a threat. I’ve found this especially problematic with the music of Tyler, the Creator, the 26-year-old provocateur whose lyrics have often aimed to shock and repulse, whether addressing violence against women (“Punch a bitch in her mouth just for talkin’ shit”) or his apparent disgust at gay men (“Come take a stab at it, faggot, I pre-ordered your casket”).
