Tyler, The Creator is an artist and a talented provocateur who is better seen once than told about him a hundred times. It is impossible to describe it in one word and it is difficult to decompose it into separate meanings. An unlike anyone else, almost a cartoon character, and not a living person, Tyler is one of the prime examples of an artist who fits perfectly into the modern structure of the entertainment industry. Taking music as a basis, he built a sect around the OFWGKTA (Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All) brand, becoming something of a multimedia artist / entrepreneur. A phenomenon that has not yet accumulated enough prototypes in pop culture to describe it. Tyler is one of those people who was able to build a business by breaking the rules. He is, in a sense, a genius who fits perfectly into the context of the existence of new media, where provocation and humor are valued more than anything else.
From the outside, it seems that Tyler makes money by ingeniously having fun in public, but what's left behind the scenes? How did Tyler get it? Where does the idea come from, and how do they translate into reality? How does one motivate oneself to work simultaneously in several directions? How are music albums, clothing release and comedy show related? Who is on his team?
These and other questions were answered by HYPEBEAST by interviewing Tyler Gregory Okonma. We have a translation.
Is it possible to say that everything you do is rooted in music, and activity in other areas: in the fashion industry, on television, in business record - the accompanying elements of success in music? Or did you initially have a more complex understanding of what you want to do?
Yes, I think I have a broader perception. Since childhood, as long as I can remember, my brain works in such a way that one idea always becomes part of something else. My shirt reflects the message of the song, and the lyrics can be born out of a joke - everything is interconnected. But music is the most important thing.
Can you name a person who helped you all this time to move forward and develop in different directions?
I myself. I remember myself at the age of 14, drawing on printer paper and then scanning and thermal printing on basic Pro Club T-shirts. Just to see what happens. I thought it made sense, I was busy and kept out of trouble. I have always been a curious child, I asked a lot of questions and I wanted to try everything for myself. It helped me to sort out a little bit of everything and to improve my strength in what I was seriously fond of. I grew up on Adult Swim and Comedy Central, so naturally I dreamed of my show on my favorite channels. Everyone I idolized was people from different worlds. From early childhood I was inspired by completely different things. In eighth grade, I wrote beats, read rap, played in a drama club, designed T-shirts, learned to play drums, and at the same time remained the main clown in the class. As I got older, I learned to prioritize correctly and concentrate on one thing until something worked out.
Can you highlight the people who have played a key role in your business? Tell us about them. What are they doing?
My whole team, I can't single out someone. Most importantly, they believe in the idea, they quickly get into everything and do it. From the very beginning, friends helped to translate my ideas into reality. They have always supported me. My friend Arsi knows how awful the first experiences with fashion design were at 15-16 years old ... but at that time we loved it! And it's cool that I can trace the influence of the first ideas on what ultimately happened with the Golf. Sid, Hoxha, the whole gang believed in me from the very beginning, man. When I said to Earl something like, "Yo, let's make a stupid video about a beat made up of synchronous sounds," he supported me. These dudes were the only people who didn't judge me and just let me be who I am.
What are the most challenging and interesting challenges you faced while developing your business?
I think the most difficult thing was the struggle with other people's indifference. Sometimes it seems like I'm doing so many things that it might just get lost or miss the radar. But, apparently, people are not waning their interest in my work, for which I am very grateful.
What are the similarities between being creative with the Golf apparel line and working on music releases?
And there, and there I do what I like! Right now I am working on pairing magenta with light cyan. I will work on this more in the coming months, but right now I love the way it looks, so there will be a lot of that in the new season. For me it is like a "time capsule" - and the story is the same with the album. My early albums were "time capsules" of the state in which I was at that moment, and made in the style that I liked then. And this is the answer to the question why each album is so different. I can say the same about the Golf. I know people who will not like the new collection and vice versa. You just do the things that you truly love now, and in the future it's cool to look back and say, "whoa, why did we do this?" or "why don't we do something like that again?" I'm just happy to be in the shoes of a dude who can do cool things he likes to wear and be surrounded by people who share his tastes. Nowadays it’s not fashionable to wear striped T-shirts in bright colors, no one thinks it’s cool, but I don’t give a shit. But if you like it, I'm glad. And this is my approach to everything. Everything I do, I do for my own pleasure and in accordance with my personal taste.
How do friends say about your endeavors? Do they say anything other than words of encouragement?
I do not know. I don’t stand next to me when I’m being reviled behind my back.
Do you want to inspire your friends with your example? Why?
I'm counting on it! The whole last album is about this. Be the best, follow your dreams and send everyone who doesn't believe in you. It sounds trite, but until you start living this way, I think it will be difficult for you to understand why I say “find your wings” (“find what inspires you” is a rough translation). I surround myself with people who dream and strive for something more. They inspire me to pull myself together and work harder. For example, Clancy (manager of Odd Future) is not a twenty-year-old dude, but a forty-year-old father. He is unlikely to wear clothes with a repeating print and stripes. For people like him, I made a simple basic outfit with a small logo on the left side of the chest. Even if someone is not so deep in the subject of Golf Wang, they can still find something to their liking, simple clothes. People who care about what I do inspire me to move on. I love it when older women wear scarves, so I decided to release a scarf this season just to see how it would look on a mature black lady. Ideas suddenly pop into my head, next time I might create, for example, a women's clothing line with Goyard glasses, handbags and suitcases with our cat logo. But everything has its time.
Speaking of Golf, how can you describe how you felt when the first collection hit the stores?
The first T-shirts I sold on the site, there were very few of them. Then I started making sweatshirts and button-down shirts, I just wanted to see how it worked out. Now the items of that collection are very rare and are in great demand. Most looking for a shirt with clouds and a hoodie with a face
They told them about this lines in one of the songs
What nonsense, you ask? The main argument in favor of this theory, listeners consider the lines from the song “I Ain’t Got Time!”, Where he reads: “ Next line will have ’em like’ Whoa ’/ I been kissing white boys since 2004". And in the song "Garden Shed" with Estelle, Tyler talks about forbidden love and how hard it is to keep it a secret.
In 2017, this turned out to be enough, and especially zealous individuals began to call everyone who refused to take these lines seriously as homophobes. Indeed, Tyler has always been famous for his eccentric antics and provocative lines that had nothing to do with reality. So, it may well be either another joke, or the words of a lyric hero.
However, one cannot exclude the possibility that all this is really true.
What do you think?
Album "Flower Boy" is due next Friday and features A $ AP Rocky, Frank Ocean, Lil Wayne, Estelle, Jaden Smith and others.
- Hi excellent! Let's talk first about your last album, Cherry Bomb. The sound here is calmer and more relaxed when compared to previous works. Are there any reasons for this?
- Do you think it turned out relaxed? Cool. But I don’t think so at all, so I don’t even know how to answer.
- Okay, but Cherry Bomb is different from Wolf and Goblin. How would you describe this evolution?
- Uh-uh ... Like the last record is more intense and louder.
- On the track "Deathcamp" you read that "In Search of" (Farrell Williams' band NERD album - Ed.) Did more for you than "Illmatic" (the rapper Nas album, one of the key rap albums of the nineties. - Note . ed.). Why Farrell?
- The norm is simple - lift up the "Illmatic" vinyl and yell: "My favorite album!" And right away you are cool and everything about you is clear - in hip-hop you squeal, then. But I want to let everyone understand that I have different guidelines and therefore the whole system of musical values is somewhat different from that which most modern hip-hoppers have. Well, I'm really a huge fan of The Neptunes, N.E.R.D. and Farrell's approach to making music.
- So you don't like where rap music is heading now?
- I don’t know, man, I don’t listen exclusively to rap. If you ask me what my favorite rap album is this year, I'll tell you - mine, of course. Wait, though, Action Bronson still has a great one - “Mr. Wonderful ”, the only rap release I ever listened to in 2015.
Photo: Julian Berman
- So you probably listened to both Earl and the Internet albums. Do you like it?
- Yes, the Internet has an awesome album. This is soul music, which has been close to me since childhood.
- What's going on with Frank Ocean's album? Is there some kind of sophisticated campaign, if I'm not mistaken, preparing for a new release?
- I have not heard anything, I will not say anything.
- In general, it is clear that you are now all unique creative units, nothing holds you back. I remember that before you were often accused of using the word fagot (an offensive way to call a homosexual. - Ed.) In songs, and you made excuses that it was only swearing. And now you have the most important statement - the recent rainbow collection and the slogan "Golf Pride World Wide".
- Any hatred for someone who doesn't look like you in any way sucks. But people are so made, they love to hate. I hope they will change, but I am not going to decide for others. We at OFWGKTA have always loved gays or other social groups. Fortunately, it somehow happened that my music brings together a wide variety of listeners.
- You recently tweeted that you intend to fund the teaching of music and contemporary art in schools. Why do you think this is so important?
- These are the only subjects that teach you to think freely. But it seems to me that few people want to teach children to think outside the box. It's easier to plant a traditional system, proven ideas and knowledge. Take these idiotic history lessons. There, teachers do not give any opportunity to figure it out for themselves, do not offer an array that would create an overall picture. They give separate historical events taken out of time and context! Madness.
- It is so arranged in our country that if you really want to know history, go to the university to the history department, they will tell everything there. Or do you think that you can add art to schools and universities will not be needed?
- Well, I didn't need this garbage, because I immediately knew what I wanted to do. Another four years of hermetic training outside of reality would be a waste of time. If a person knows what he wants, he should immediately strive for it. It seems to me that sometimes higher education is just an excuse: "Well, then I'll figure it out." Do you know what you want? Follow your goal.
- It seems to everyone that musicians owe us something simply because their life is public. What we need to know about them is everything that matters. This is so strange. … [To hell] social media. I curse the day I registered there. (Laughs.)
- Frank Ocean played with us two years ago. Did he tell you anything about Russia?
- No, I didn't, but a great idea, I'll call him and ask him what to expect. I am incredibly attracted to your country, and Russian fans have been asking for a concert for the past four years. You are insane, so it will be cool.
- You recently paid a fan $ 30 at your concert to eat someone else's vomit. Should Russian fans expect something similar?
- Yes, you and so all ... [crazy]. So I'm afraid to assume anything.
- Have you heard anything crazy about Russia?
- Well, like your schoolchildren run across busy highways on a bet, having played enough in GTA. I was not mistaken, is it you?
- Yeah.
Russian concerts Tyler, The Creator will be held on August 18 in Moscow at Yotaspace and on August 19 in St. Petersburg at the Glavklub.
