History of Tyler, the Creator in Timeline
Tyler, the Creator, born Tyler Gregory Okonma, is an influential American rapper, singer-songwriter, and producer recognized as a key figure in alternative hip-hop during the 2010s. He gained prominence in the late 2000s as the leader and co-founder of the Odd Future collective. Within Odd Future, he contributed as a rapper, producer, director, and actor, producing studio albums for the group's members. He also appeared in the sketch comedy show Loiter Squad.
March 6, 1991: Tyler, the Creator is born
On March 6, 1991, Tyler Gregory Okonma, known professionally as Tyler, the Creator, was born. He is an American rapper, singer-songwriter, and record producer.
2002: Avid Skateboarder
Since 2002, Tyler, the Creator has been an avid skateboarder and a collector of BMX bicycles.
2004: Kissing White Boys Since 2004
Tyler, the Creator mentions the line "I been kissing white boys since 2004" in his song on Flower Boy which caused a public response to it
2007: Odd Future Co-Founded
In 2007, Tyler, the Creator co-founded the alternative hip hop collective Odd Future.
February 28, 2008: First YouTube Video
On February 28, 2008, Tyler, the Creator released his first YouTube video on his channel named "Bloxhead".
November 2008: The Odd Future Tape Released
In November 2008, Odd Future self-released their debut mixtape, The Odd Future Tape.
October 2009: YouTube Activity Ceases
In October 2009, Tyler, the Creator stopped uploading videos to his YouTube channel to focus on his debut album, Bastard.
December 25, 2009: Release of Bastard
On December 25, 2009, Tyler, the Creator self-released his first album, Bastard.
2009: Influence of Eminem's Relapse
In 2009, Eminem's album Relapse influenced the horrorcore aesthetics and transgressive lyrical content of Tyler, the Creator's early work, specifically his debut album, Bastard, and his second album, Goblin.
2009: Release of Bastard
In 2009, Tyler, the Creator released his debut studio album, Bastard, earning him recognition in the online music press.
2009: Bastard Album
In 2009, Tyler, the Creator was banned from UK because of lyrics dating back from that year, from his album Bastard.
2010: Sexually Explicit Comments Towards Selena Gomez
From 2010 to 2011 Tyler made sexually explicit comments towards Selena Gomez over Twitter.
2010: Bastard Ranked on Pitchfork
In 2010, Bastard was ranked 32nd on Pitchfork Media's list of the Top Albums.
2010: Credited as Tyler Mr. Hot Sauce Haley Wolf
In 2010, Tyler, the Creator was credited as Tyler Mr. Hot Sauce Haley Wolf.
February 11, 2011: Release of Yonkers Music Video
On February 11, 2011, Tyler, the Creator released the music video for "Yonkers".
February 16, 2011: Television Debut
On February 16, 2011, Tyler, the Creator and Hodgy Beats made their television debut on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, performing "Sandwitches".
April 2011: Odd Future Signs with Red Distribution/Sony
In April 2011, Tyler, the Creator and the rest of Odd Future signed a deal with Red Distribution/Sony.
May 10, 2011: Release of Goblin
On May 10, 2011, Tyler, the Creator's second studio album, Goblin, was released.
September 8, 2011: Loiter Squad Confirmed
On September 8, 2011, Odd Future's TV show Loiter Squad was confirmed as a 15-minute live-action show.
December 22, 2011: Arrest for Vandalism at The Roxy
On December 22, 2011, Tyler, the Creator was arrested on suspicion of vandalism for allegedly destroying equipment during a show at The Roxy Theatre in West Hollywood after throwing a microphone at a sound engineer. He subsequently paid $8,000 in damages.
2011: Sexually Explicit Comments Towards Selena Gomez
From 2010 to 2011 Tyler made sexually explicit comments towards Selena Gomez over Twitter.
2011: Release of Goblin
In 2011, Tyler, the Creator released his second studio album, Goblin, which brought him mainstream media exposure due to the popularity of the single "Yonkers".
2011: "Yonkers" Music Video Controversy
In 2011, the music video for Tyler, the Creator's song "Yonkers," which featured him eating a cockroach and committing suicide, attracted controversy in the media.
March 25, 2012: Loiter Squad Premieres
On March 25, 2012, Odd Future's television show Loiter Squad premiered on Adult Swim.
May 2012: Original Release Date of Wolf
In early 2011, Tyler, the Creator stated that his third album, Wolf, was originally scheduled to be released in May 2012.
2012: Camp Flog Gnaw Carnival Founded
In 2012, Tyler, the Creator founded the Camp Flog Gnaw Carnival music festival.
2012: Loiter Squad Debut
In 2012, Tyler, the Creator performed on the group Odd Future's sketch comedy show, Loiter Squad.
February 14, 2013: Wolf Release Date Revealed
On February 14, 2013, Odd Future uploaded a video confirming that Wolf would be released on April 2, 2013.
February 26, 2013: Performance on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
On February 26, 2013, Tyler, the Creator performed the songs "Domo23" and "Treehome95" on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.
April 2, 2013: Wolf Album Release Date
On April 2, 2013, the album, Wolf was to be released.
April 2013: North America and Europe Tour
Throughout March and April 2013, Tyler, the Creator toured North America and Europe.
2013: Channel Orange Nomination
In 2013, Tyler, the Creator contributed to Channel Orange album, which received a Grammy nomination, giving Okonma his second Grammy nomination.
2013: Release of Wolf
In 2013, Tyler, the Creator released his third studio album, Wolf, and began to shift away from horrorcore sounds.
2013: Fallout with Selena Gomez
In a 2013 interview Tyler, the Creator stated that he and Selena Gomez were not on good terms.
January 31, 2014: Recording with Mac DeMarco
On January 31, 2014, Tyler, the Creator was reported to be recording with Mac DeMarco.
March 15, 2014: Arrest for Inciting a Riot at SXSW
On March 15, 2014, Tyler, the Creator was arrested in Austin, Texas, for inciting a riot at his South by Southwest (SXSW) performance after telling fans to push past security. The charges were later dropped.
2014: Tyler criticizes Eminem's Shady XV
In 2014, Tyler, the Creator criticized Eminem's single "Walk On Water" and Shady XV which resulted in a diss from Eminem years later.
2014: Loiter Squad Ended
In 2014, Tyler, the Creator's show, Loiter Squad ended.
April 9, 2015: Fucking Young Music Video Released
On April 9, 2015, Tyler, the Creator released the music video for the song "Fucking Young" and announced his upcoming album Cherry Bomb.
April 11, 2015: Cherry Bomb World Tour Began
On April 11, 2015, Tyler, the Creator's world tour through North America, Europe and Asia, beginning at Coachella Festival.
April 13, 2015: Cherry Bomb Digital Release
On April 13, 2015, Tyler, the Creator's album Cherry Bomb was released digitally.
April 28, 2015: Cherry Bomb Physical Release
On April 28, 2015, physical copies of Tyler, the Creator's album Cherry Bomb, featuring five different album covers, were released.
August 26, 2015: Banned from UK
On August 26, 2015, Tyler, the Creator revealed that he had been banned from visiting the United Kingdom for three to five years, forcing him to cancel tour dates.
August 26, 2015: UK Visiting Ban
On August 26, 2015, Tyler, the Creator revealed that he had been banned from visiting the United Kingdom for three to five years, which forced him to cancel tour dates supporting the Cherry Bomb album. The ban was cited due to lyrics from the 2009 album Bastard.
2015: Release of Cherry Bomb
In 2015, Tyler, the Creator released his fourth studio album, Cherry Bomb, featuring guest appearances from artists such as Lil Wayne and Kanye West.
2015: Loiter Squad Ended
In 2015, Tyler, the Creator stated that the show Loiter Squad "is no more".
2015: Rolling Stone Interview: "Gay as Fuck"
In a 2015 Rolling Stone interview, Tyler, the Creator described himself as "gay as fuck," stating his friends were used to it and didn't care.
April 8, 2017: Featured on Frank Ocean's "Biking"
On April 8, 2017, Tyler, the Creator was featured on Frank Ocean's song "Biking" alongside Jay-Z.
June 29, 2017: Release of "Who Dat Boy" and "911 / Mr. Lonely"
On June 29, 2017, Tyler, the Creator released the song "Who Dat Boy" featuring ASAP Rocky, and "911 / Mr. Lonely" featuring Steve Lacy, Frank Ocean, and Anna of the North.
July 6, 2017: Flower Boy Album Announcement
On July 6, 2017, Tyler, the Creator announced the title, tracklist, and release date of his fifth album, Flower Boy.
July 21, 2017: Release of Flower Boy
On July 21, 2017, Tyler, the Creator released his fifth album, Flower Boy.
August 3, 2017: Nuts + Bolts Premieres
On August 3, 2017, Tyler, the Creator's TV show Nuts + Bolts premiered on Viceland.
September 14, 2017: The Jellies! Announced
On September 14, 2017, Tyler, the Creator announced his third TV show, The Jellies!.
October 22, 2017: The Jellies! Premiered
On October 22, 2017, Tyler, the Creator's TV show, The Jellies! premiered.
2017: Release of Flower Boy
In 2017, Tyler, the Creator released Flower Boy, which earned him widespread critical acclaim and commercial success.
2017: Boyfriend at 15
In a 2017 interview with Noisey, Tyler, the Creator stated that he already had a boyfriend by age 15.
March 29, 2018: Release of "Okra"
On March 29, 2018, Tyler, the Creator released the song "Okra" as a throwaway track.
May 22, 2018: Release of "435"
On May 22, 2018, Tyler, the Creator released the song "435" as a single.
July 23, 2018: WANG$AP Announced
On July 23, 2018, Tyler, the Creator and ASAP Rocky announced a collaborative project, WANG$AP, by releasing a music video for a remix of Monica's "Knock Knock" called "Potato Salad".
2018: Eminem's "Fall" Diss
In 2018, Eminem's single "Fall" referred to Tyler, the Creator with a homophobic slur and accused him of exploring sexuality for attention. This was following Tyler's criticism of Eminem's previous work, leading to backlash and Eminem's later apology for the offensive lyric.
2018: Fantastic Man Interview: Sexuality Grey Area
In a 2018 interview with Fantastic Man, Tyler, the Creator discussed the public's response to his lyric "I been kissing white boys since 2004," noting that his sexuality was "still such a grey area with people".
February 2019: UK Ban Lifted (Speculated)
In February 2019, it was believed the ban from the UK was lifted for Tyler, the Creator, concurring with a scheduled performance in London. The show was forcibly cancelled by police.
May 6, 2019: Igor Album Teaser
On May 6, 2019, Tyler, the Creator released two short video clips on his online profiles which featured new music, teasing his sixth studio album, Igor.
June 2019: DJ Khaled Controversy
In June 2019, after Tyler, the Creator's album Igor debuted at number 1 on the Billboard 200, surpassing DJ Khaled's album, DJ Khaled criticized Tyler's music.
December 23, 2019: Release of "Best Interest" and "Group B"
On December 23, 2019, Tyler, the Creator released two songs, "Best Interest" and "Group B".
2019: Release of IGOR
In 2019, Tyler, the Creator released IGOR, which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200.
2019: Music Innovator of the Year
In 2019, Tyler, the Creator was named "Music Innovator of the Year" by The Wall Street Journal.
January 26, 2020: Grammy Win for Igor
On January 26, 2020, Tyler, the Creator, won his first Grammy Award for Best Rap Album for "Igor" at the 62nd Grammy Awards. He expressed gratitude but critiqued the categorization of his music as rap, viewing it as a "backhanded compliment" and disliking the term "urban".
2020: Grammy Award for IGOR
In 2020, IGOR won Best Rap Album at the Grammy Awards.
2020: Brit Awards Shout Out to Theresa May
In 2020, after winning International Male Solo Artist at the Brit Awards, Tyler, the Creator thanked Theresa May for banning him from the UK five years prior.
August 6, 2021: Tyler comments on DJ Khaled controversy
On August 6, 2021, Tyler, the Creator commented on the DJ Khaled controversy stating that he enjoyed "just watching a man die inside because the weirdo is winning".
2021: Establishment in the Fashion Industry with Golf Le Fleur
In 2021, Tyler, the Creator expanded into the fashion industry with Golf Le Fleur, a luxury line influenced by his album "Call Me If You Get Lost".
2021: Public Apology in Manifesto
In 2021, Tyler, the Creator made a public apology in his song "Manifesto" in his studio album Call Me If You Get Lost for past behavior.
2021: Release of Call Me If You Get Lost
In 2021, Tyler, the Creator released Call Me If You Get Lost, which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200.
January 5, 2022: Forecastle Festival Headliner
On January 5, 2022, Tyler, the Creator, was announced as a headliner for Louisville's Forecastle Festival, scheduled for May 27–29, 2022.
March 25, 2022: Featured on Nigo's Album
On March 25, 2022, Tyler, the Creator, appeared on two tracks from Nigo's album "I Know Nigo!": "Lost and Found Freestyle 2019" with A$AP Rocky, and "Come On, Let's Go," accompanied by a music video promoting Tyler's Golf le Fleur* clothing line.
2022: Grammy Award for Call Me If You Get Lost
In 2022, Call Me If You Get Lost won Best Rap Album at the Grammy Awards.
2022: Mysterious Music Grammy Win
In 2022, Tyler, the Creator made references to "mysterious music" on Twitter after winning Best Rap Album at the Grammy Awards for Call Me If You Get Lost.
2022: Scoring Louis Vuitton Show
In 2022, Tyler, the Creator, scored Louis Vuitton's Men's Fall-Winter fashion show in Paris, one of the last shows by Virgil Abloh. Arthur Verocai arranged the score, and Gustavo Dudamel conducted the Chineke! Orchestra's live performance.
March 27, 2023: Call Me If You Get Lost: The Estate Sale Announcement and Dogtooth Release
On March 27, 2023, Tyler, the Creator announced "Call Me If You Get Lost: The Estate Sale", featuring unreleased tracks from the original album. The single "Dogtooth" and its music video were also released on this day.
March 29, 2023: Sorry Not Sorry Single Release
On March 29, 2023, Tyler, the Creator released another single, "Sorry Not Sorry," accompanied by a music video, as part of "Call Me If You Get Lost: The Estate Sale."
March 31, 2023: The Estate Sale Album and Wharf Talk Release
On March 31, 2023, Tyler, the Creator released "Call Me If You Get Lost: The Estate Sale" along with a music video for the song "Wharf Talk".
November 7, 2023: DJ Khaled expressed interest in collaborating with Tyler, the Creator
On November 7, 2023, Rolling Stone reported that DJ Khaled had expressed interest in collaborating with Tyler, the Creator, and that they now have a good rapport.
April 13, 2024: Coachella Headliner Performance
On April 13, 2024, Tyler, the Creator headlined Coachella, featuring guest appearances from Childish Gambino, ASAP Rocky, and Kali Uchis, and a duet with Charlie Wilson. His performance was praised as an "exhilarating, high-stakes spectacle".
October 16, 2024: Chromakopia Album Announcement
On October 16, 2024, Tyler, the Creator revealed the name of his upcoming album as "Chromakopia" in a teaser video titled "St. Chroma".
2024: Release of Chromakopia
In 2024, Tyler, the Creator released his eighth studio album, Chromakopia, which debuted at number one with the highest first-week sales of his career.
2024: L.A. Influential Recognition
In 2024, the Los Angeles Times featured Tyler, the Creator in its "L.A. Influential" series.
