Odd Future founder Tyler, The Creator recently made an eloquent and insightful appearance on the rebooted Arsenio Hall Show, offering his thoughts on drugs, individuality, social media, homophobia, race, censorship, President Obama and the recent YouTube Music Awards.
“YouTube, the way that it’s set-up gives young people [or] anyone who’s creative a platform to showcase their work to people,” Tyler, whose group’s popularity rose largely through their use of social media such as YouTube, told the eponymous host, before continuing:
“For a website like YouTube to have an award show, you’d think that they would use that platform to give creative people are aren’t on the Top 20 Billboards or that everyone doesn’t know…a chance to actually get recognition for being creative and innovative.
“But instead they did the same thing that the VMAs or the Billboard Pop Awards do.”
On the advice, and most likely warning, of the show’s producers, Tyler Gregory Okonma toned down his normally brash and profanity-laden behaviour, and gave Hall answers that scarcely went without audience applause.
“Some things aren’t for everyone,” Tyler told Hall when asked about being drug and alcohol free, before offering up his views on the importance of individuality, thinking for yourself, and avoiding the trappings of a life lived pleasing others. Tyler told Hall:
“We live in a society where a lot of people are followers and they can’t make their set opinions. I have friends going to college for stuff that their parents want them to go for, they’re not even happy and in the long run, what’s gonna be there? Your parents die and you’re just stuck there paying debt.
“I just try to tell people to just think for themselves and they’ll be way happier in the long run.”
Readers can check out the full interview, during which Tyler and Hall also touched on the issues of profanity and censorship, as well as Tyler’s views on homophobia and his love for jazz fusion and the work of fellow guest Quincy Jones, below.
Watch: Tyler The Creator Explains Pretty Much Everything On The Arsenio Hall Show
http://youtu.be/A6_BMjS7Itc
