History of Tyler, the Creator in Timeline

Tyler, the Creator, born Tyler Gregory Okonma, is an influential American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. Rising to prominence in the late 2000s, he became known as the leader and co-founder of the alternative hip-hop collective Odd Future. He contributed to the group as a rapper, producer, director, and actor, producing albums for its members and appearing in their sketch comedy show, Loiter Squad.

Sections (5)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals

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.

Others born on this day/year

2002: Started Skateboarding

Since 2002, Tyler, the Creator has been an avid skateboarder and he also collects BMX bicycles.

2004: Kissing White Boys

Tyler, the Creator referenced kissing white boys since 2004 in the Flower Boy lyric in a 2018 interview.

2007: Co-founding of Odd Future

In 2007, Tyler, the Creator co-founded the alternative hip hop collective Odd Future alongside Hodgy, Left Brain, and Casey Veggies.

November 2008: Release of The Odd Future Tape

In November 2008, Odd Future self-released their debut mixtape, "The Odd Future Tape".

December 25, 2009: Release of "Bastard"

On December 25, 2009, Tyler, the Creator self-released his first album, "Bastard".

2009: Grounds for UK Ban

In 2009, Tyler, the Creator released his album 'Bastard'. Lyrics from this album were cited as the reason for a ban from the UK by then-Home Secretary Theresa May.

2009: Influence of Bastard Album

In 2009, Tyler, the Creator's album 'Bastard' was released. The horrorcore-based aesthetics and transgressive lyrical content were influenced by Eminem, especially his album 'Relapse'.

2009: Lyrics from Bastard cited for UK ban

In August 2015, Tyler, the Creator's manager mentioned the lyrics from the 2009 album Bastard was cited by then-Home Secretary Theresa May as the reason for the ban.

2010: Comments Directed Towards Selena Gomez

From 2010, Tyler, the Creator made a series of sexually explicit comments directed towards Selena Gomez over Twitter.

2010: Tyler Mr. Hot Sauce Haley Wolf Credited

In 2010 Tyler, the Creator, was credited as Tyler Mr. Hot Sauce Haley Wolf.

2010: "Bastard" ranked 32nd on Pitchfork Media's list

In 2010, Tyler, the Creator's album "Bastard" was ranked 32nd on Pitchfork Media's list of the Top Albums.

February 11, 2011: Release of "Yonkers" Music Video

On February 11, 2011, Tyler, the Creator released the music video for his song "Yonkers", which gained attention from online media outlets and was later made available on iTunes with an extended version.

February 16, 2011: Television Debut on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon

On February 16, 2011, Tyler, the Creator and Hodgy Beats made their television debut on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, performing "Sandwitches".

April 2011: Signing Deal 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, it was confirmed that Odd Future would have their own TV show called Loiter Squad, a 15-minute live-action show composed of various sketches, man on the street segments, pranks, and music made by Odd Future.

December 22, 2011: Arrest for Vandalism at The Roxy

On December 22, 2011, Tyler, the Creator was arrested on suspicion of vandalism after allegedly destroying equipment during a show at The Roxy Theatre in West Hollywood. A video depicted him throwing a microphone at a sound engineer and he subsequently paid $8,000 in damages.

2011: Comments Directed Towards Selena Gomez

In 2011, Tyler, the Creator made a series of sexually explicit comments directed towards Selena Gomez over Twitter.

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. However, Kanye West posted the video on his Twitter account, calling it "the video of 2011".

March 25, 2012: Premiere of Loiter Squad on Adult Swim

On March 25, 2012, Odd Future's television show, Loiter Squad, premiered on Adult Swim.

May 2012: Planned Release of Wolf

In early 2011, Tyler, the Creator announced that his third album, Wolf, was scheduled to be released in May 2012.

February 14, 2013: Announcement of Wolf release date

On February 14, 2013, Odd Future uploaded a video to their YouTube account announcing that Wolf would be released on April 2, 2013. Tyler, the Creator also revealed the three album covers via his Instagram account.

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: Scheduled Release of Wolf

On April 2, 2013, Wolf album release date was announced.

April 2013: North America and Europe Tour

Throughout March and April 2013, Tyler, the Creator toured North America and Europe in promotion of Wolf.

2013: Contribution to Album of the Year Nominee Channel Orange

In 2013, Tyler, the Creator contributed to Channel Orange, which was nominated for Album of the Year.

2013: Feud With Selena Gomez

In 2013, Tyler, the Creator stated that he and Selena Gomez were not on good terms, explaining that she didn't like him because he was friends with Justin Bieber.

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

On March 15, 2014, Tyler, the Creator was arrested in Austin, Texas, for inciting a riot at his South by Southwest performance after allegedly telling fans to push past security guards. The charges were later dropped.

2014: Tyler criticized Shady XV.

In 2014, Tyler, the Creator, was critical of Eminem's 'Shady XV' album which led to Eminem dissing him on his 2018 single "Fall".

April 9, 2015: Release of "Fucking Young" Music Video and Cherry Bomb Announcement

On April 9, 2015, Tyler, the Creator released the music video for the song "Fucking Young" and announced that his upcoming album, "Cherry Bomb", would be released on April 13, 2015.

April 11, 2015: Cherry Bomb World Tour began at Coachella

On April 11, 2015, Tyler, the Creator's Cherry Bomb World Tour began at Coachella Festival.

April 13, 2015: Scheduled Release of Cherry Bomb

On April 13, 2015, Tyler, the Creator announced the songs will be featured on his upcoming album "Cherry Bomb".

April 28, 2015: Physical Release of Cherry Bomb

On April 28, 2015, physical copies of Tyler, the Creator's album, Cherry Bomb, featuring five different album covers, were set to be released.

August 26, 2015: Tyler, the Creator 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 supporting the Cherry Bomb album.

September 2015: End of Cherry Bomb World Tour in Tokyo

In September 2015, Tyler, the Creator's Cherry Bomb World Tour ended in Tokyo, Japan.

2015: Loiter Squad is no more

In 2015, Tyler, the Creator stated that Loiter Squad "is no more".

2015: Rolling Stone Interview on Sexuality

In a 2015 Rolling Stone interview, Tyler, the Creator described himself as "gay as fuck", stating that his friends are used to him being gay.

April 8, 2017: Featured on Frank Ocean's "Biking"

On April 8, 2017, Tyler, the Creator, was featured on Frank Ocean's song "Biking" along with Jay-Z, which was released on Ocean's Beats 1 radio station "Blonded Radio".

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 on a new YouTube channel. Later that night, he released the song on streaming services alongside a new song titled "911 / Mr. Lonely" featuring Steve Lacy, Frank Ocean, and Anna of the North.

July 6, 2017: Announcement of Flower Boy album details

On July 6, 2017, Tyler, the Creator announced the title, tracklist, and release date of his fifth album, Flower Boy, which was to be released on July 21, 2017.

July 21, 2017: Release of Flower Boy

On July 21, 2017, Tyler, the Creator released his fifth album, Flower Boy, via iTunes, Spotify, and other major music services.

August 3, 2017: Premiere of Tyler, the Creator's TV show Nuts + Bolts

On August 3, 2017, Tyler, the Creator's TV show "Nuts + Bolts" premiered on Viceland. The show focuses on things Tyler finds interesting and explains how they are created.

September 14, 2017: Announcement of The Jellies! TV show

On September 14, 2017, Tyler, the Creator announced his third TV show to date, The Jellies!, which was set to premiere on October 22, 2017.

October 22, 2017: Premiere of The Jellies!

On October 22, 2017, Tyler, the Creator's TV show, The Jellies!, premiered.

2017: Noisey Interview on Relationship at 15

In 2017, during an interview with Noisey, Tyler, the Creator said that by age 15 he already had a boyfriend.

March 29, 2018: Release of "Okra"

On March 29, 2018, Tyler, the Creator released "Okra" as a "throwaway song", not intended for any upcoming album.

May 22, 2018: Release of "435"

On May 22, 2018, Tyler, the Creator released the song "435", continuing a string of single releases.

July 23, 2018: Announcement of WANG$AP and Release of "Potato Salad"

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" on "AWGE DVD (Vol. 3)".

2018: Eminem's Diss in "Fall"

In 2018, Eminem's single "Fall" referred to Tyler, the Creator with a derogatory term and criticized him for exploring sexuality in his music for attention. Eminem also attacked Tyler for being critical of his single "Walk On Water" and album Shady XV released in 2014.

2018: Fantastic Man Interview

In a 2018 interview with Fantastic Man, Tyler, the Creator discussed the public response to the 'Flower Boy' lyric about kissing white boys since 2004, noting it remained a grey area for people, which he was fine with despite being considered loud and out there.

February 2019: UK Ban Lifted

In February 2019, it is believed that Tyler, the Creator's ban from visiting the United Kingdom was lifted, concurring with a scheduled performance in London to promote Igor. However, the show was cancelled due to safety concerns.

May 6, 2019: Teasing New Music with Short Video Clips

On May 6, 2019, Tyler, the Creator, released two short video clips on his online profiles featuring new music, previewing his upcoming album. The videos depicted him dancing while wearing a blonde wig, multicolored suit, black sunglasses, and a grill, a style he would also use for the album's promotional content.

June 2019: DJ Khaled Criticizes Igor

In June 2019, after Tyler, the Creator's album Igor, debuted at number 1 on the Billboard 200, surpassing DJ Khaled's album Father of Asahd, DJ Khaled posted a video on Instagram criticizing Tyler's music. He emphasized the importance of albums that are widely played and heard, contrasting it with "mysterious shit you never hear the songs". DJ Khaled later deleted the video.

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'. However, he expressed mixed feelings about the categorization of his music as rap, viewing it as a "backhanded compliment" due to genre-bending elements.

2020: Brit Awards Speech and Theresa May

In 2020, after winning International Male Solo Artist at the Brit Awards, Tyler, the Creator referenced his ban from the UK and thanked Theresa May, the former Home Secretary who had banned him, stating he knew she was at home pissed off.

August 6, 2021: Tyler, the Creator Addresses DJ Khaled Controversy

On August 6, 2021, Tyler, the Creator discussed the DJ Khaled controversy on Hot 97. He stated he enjoyed "just watching a man die inside because the weirdo is winning", and claimed that DJ Khaled had to deal with the fact that his "whole identity is being number one".

2021: Public Apology

In 2021, Tyler, the Creator made a public apology in his song "Manifesto" in his album Call Me If You Get Lost.

2021: Call Me If You Get Lost Album

In 2021, Tyler, the Creator released Call Me If You Get Lost, a concept album about the persona of "Tyler Baudelaire", described as a well-traveled gentleman. It helped establish Tyler as one of the most acclaimed artists of his generation. He also established himself in the fashion industry with Golf Le Fleur, a high-end luxury line reflecting the mise en scène of the album.

January 5, 2022: Forecastle Festival Headliner Announcement

On January 5, 2022, it was announced that Tyler, the Creator would be a headliner at Louisville's Forecastle Festival, scheduled for May 27–29, 2022.

March 25, 2022: Appearance on Nigo's Album and Grammy Win

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". A music video for "Come On, Let's Go" showcased Tyler's Golf le Fleur* clothing line. Also, his album 'Call Me If You Get Lost' won Best Rap Album at the 64th Grammy Awards.

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2022: Grammy Win and "Mysterious Music" Reference

In 2022, after winning Best Rap Album at the Grammy Awards for Call Me If You Get Lost, Tyler, the Creator made multiple references to "mysterious music" on Twitter, writing "MYSTERIOUS MUSIC! HA!", seemingly in reference to DJ Khaled's earlier criticism.

March 27, 2023: Announcement of Call Me If You Get Lost: The Estate Sale

On March 27, 2023, Tyler, the Creator announced the release of 'Call Me If You Get Lost: The Estate Sale', a collection of songs recorded for 'Call Me If You Get Lost' that didn't make the final cut. The single "Dogtooth" was released on the same day, accompanied by a music video.

March 29, 2023: Release of "Sorry Not Sorry"

On March 29, 2023, Tyler, the Creator released the single "Sorry Not Sorry", accompanied by a music video. The song is part of the album 'Call Me If You Get Lost: The Estate Sale'.

March 31, 2023: Release of The Estate Sale

On March 31, 2023, Tyler, the Creator released 'The Estate Sale', along with a music video for the song "Wharf Talk".

November 7, 2023: DJ Khaled Expresses Interest in Collaborating with Tyler, the Creator

On November 7, 2023, Rolling Stone reported that DJ Khaled expressed interest in collaborating with Tyler, the Creator, asserting that they now have a good rapport.

April 13, 2024: Headlining Coachella Performance

On April 13, 2024, Tyler, the Creator headlined at Coachella, closing Saturday night with a performance featuring guest appearances from Childish Gambino, ASAP Rocky, Kali Uchis, and Charlie Wilson. He performed tracks from his discography, starting the set by bursting through a fake trailer wall. The performance was praised as an "exhilarating, high-stakes spectacle".