Tyler, The Creator and the Fanbase He Built That He Can’t Escape by NWO Sparrow

Tyler, The Creator’s Evolution and the Reckoning of His Early Shock Value by NWO Sparrow

When I saw people criticizing Tyler, The Creator again, I understood why some folks felt frustrated. A conversation started online about whether he built an anti-Black fanbase, and things got heated fast. The backlash came after some of his fans disrespected Tyler’s tribute to the late soul legend D’Angelo. That moment said a lot about how his early shock-driven era still lingers in people’s minds. But I think there’s more to the story and more to Tyler.

As someone who’s followed his career from the very beginning, I’ve watched the evolution up close. When Tyler first came up with Odd Future, he was just nineteen years old. A wild, unpredictable creative trying to make noise in a music world that rarely gave young Black artists space to be weird or experimental. He made people laugh, made people mad, and sometimes made people uncomfortable. He dropped shocking videos, used controversial imagery, and wore a T-shirt that featured what looked like blackface. In one video, he even used Ku Klux Klan symbolism as part of the chaos.

At the time, a lot of us brushed it off as youthful rebellion. He wasn’t promoting hate. He was being sarcastic, trying to hold up a mirror to racism by making it absurd. But when you’re that young, your message doesn’t always land how you think it will. Instead of starting a conversation, he gave some of his white fans permission to treat Blackness like a joke. The result was a wave of fans who loved Tyler’s antics but didn’t really love or respect the culture he came from.

Years later, that same energy came back to haunt him. When those fans mocked his tribute to D’Angelo, they revealed how shallow their understanding of his artistry really was. But here’s the thing , Tyler isn’t that kid anymore. He’s grown up, learned, and clearly wants to use his platform to celebrate Black art, not mock it.

Look at his last few projects. “Flower Boy,” “Igor,” and “Call Me If You Get Lost” are some of the most beautifully Black albums of the last decade. You can hear traces of jazz, soul, and R&B running through them. You can feel the influence of Stevie Wonder, Pharrell, and D’Angelo himself. The visuals celebrate darker skin tones, natural textures, and the style and grace of Black culture. There’s a maturity in his music now that wasn’t there before , a respect for where he comes from.

To me, that’s what growth looks like. It’s easy for the internet to say “he was anti-Black” or “he built the wrong fanbase,” but it’s harder to see the full picture. Tyler was a teenager experimenting with shock value because that was the only way he knew how to express himself. He didn’t fully understand racism, identity, or the weight of certain images back then. But as a man in his thirties, he’s taken time to learn. You can hear it in his lyrics. You can see it in his fashion. You can feel it in how he carries himself now. Growth doesn’t mean perfection. It means awareness. And Tyler, The Creator has become one of the most self-aware artists in recent hip-hop. He’s not chasing controversy anymore. He’s chasing connection.

I think part of why his evolution matters is because it mirrors what a lot of young Black men go through , trying to figure out how to exist in a world that tells you to tone it down or be a certain kind of way. Tyler always refused to fit that box. Even when he made mistakes, he made them out loud, and that honesty helped people like me understand that it’s okay to evolve. You don’t have to stay trapped in your past.

We should also give him credit for how he’s rebuilt his image without begging for forgiveness. He didn’t go on an apology tour or make excuses. He just started creating better art. That’s the kind of accountability I respect. He shows change through action, not words. The criticism about his fanbase being anti-Black isn’t completely wrong. Some fans still carry that old energy. But that’s not on him anymore. Every artist ends up with a mix of people who see their work differently. What matters is what he chooses to represent now. And right now, Tyler represents a version of hip-hop that values self-expression, culture, and Black creativity in all its forms.

When I look at his career today, I see someone who grew from chaos into clarity. The same artist who once used shock value to get attention now uses intention to inspire. He understands the weight of his platform and the importance of honoring his roots. I think we, as a community, need to give him the same grace we ask for. Tyler, The Creator is not perfect , but he’s proof that young artists can change, evolve, and grow into something better. His story shows that redemption doesn’t always need to be loud. Sometimes it’s as simple as showing up, doing the work, and creating from a place of love.

So when I see people dragging him for who he used to be, I can’t join in. I see someone who’s learned, who’s grown, and who’s giving us art that celebrates Blackness in a way that only he can. Tyler’s past might have been messy, but his present is powerful and his future looks even brighter.

Watch more of my coverage of the Tyler The Creator backlash here via Youtube

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