When did Tyler, The Creator debut as a musician? Details explored

Tyler Okonma, aka Tyler, The Creator, is a multi-hyphenate entertainer. The California-born rapper, singer, producer, songwriter, fashion designer, and video director has earned multiple awards for his music and video creation talent.

Tyler, The Creator debuted as a musician in 2007 as leader of the Odd Future collective where he showcased his eccentricity and bold approach to art.

His efforts in the music industry have earned him credit as a pioneer in alternative hip-hop during the 2010s. He was named Music Innovator of the Year by the Wall Street Journal and was featured in the Los Angeles Times series as a “creator who is leaving their mark” in Los Angeles.

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Tyler, The Creator career highlights and more explored

Tyler, alongside other members of the Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All, released their debut project, The Odd Future Tape in November 2008 which launched them to stardom and spearheaded their popular clothing brand.

Odd Future is credited with the success of members Tyler, The Creator, Frank Ocean, Syd, and Earl Sweatshirt, amongst others.

Tyler embarked on a solo career with the release of Bastard in 2009 which was ranked 32nd on Pitchfork Media’s Top Albums of 2010 list. The rapper released his second solo project, the Goblin album in May 2011 which debuted at number 5 on the US Billboard 200.

The album birthed Yonkers whose music video earned Tyler an award for Best New Artist at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards. His third studio project, Wolf, was released in April 2013 and was met with positive reviews.

The album sold 90,000 copies in its first week and debuted at number 3 on the Billboard 200. Cherry Bomb, his fourth studio album, released in April 2015, featured popular hip-hop acts like Kanye West, Lil Wayne, and Schoolboy Q.

The album debuted at number 4 on the US Billboard 200 and sold 51,000 copies in the first week. Flower Boy, his fifth album was released in July 2017 and was received positively. The album was nominated for Best Rap Album at the 2018 Grammy Awards but lost to Kendrick Lamar’s DAMN.

Igor, arguably Tyler’s most popular album to date, was released in May 2019 to widespread critical acclaim. Igor debuted at number 1 on the Billboard 200, becoming his first-ever number one on the chart, and won him his first Best Rap Album at the 2020 Grammy Awards ceremony.

Tyler’s seventh studio album, Call Me If You Get Lost, released in June 2021, also debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart and won the Best Rap Album award at the 2022 Grammy Awards ceremony.

Tyler, The Creator performed a headliner show at the Coachella Festival in April 2024 and closed out the night with guest appearances from Childish Gambino, A$AP ROCKY, and Kali Uchis amongst others.

The genre-bending artist’s most recent project, CHROMAKOPIA, was released on October 28, 2024. The album features guest appearances from Lil Wayne, Doechii, GloRilla, LaToiya Williams, and Sexxy Red, amongst others.

The critically acclaimed album debuted atop the UK Albums, UK R&B Albums, and US Billboard charts, amongst others.

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Tyler, The Creator put on a mini-concert for Halloween 2024 in Boston Massachusetts wearing his costume for the promotion of CHROMAKOPIA. According to a report by American Songwriter on November 3, 2024, Tyler told the crowd:

“Got Swifties all mad at me with their racist a**.”

The statement reportedly referenced the fact that CHROMAKOPIA knocked Taylor Swift’s Tortured Poet Department off the Spotify Top Artist chart. This led to online comments from Swifties. According to Tyler, Swifties were digging up old lyrics to “cancel him.”

The CHROMAKOPIA World Tour to promote the album of the same name will begin in February 2025.