Tyler, the Creator: Homophobic or Not?

Possibly just a dumbass with a bully pulpit. Meanwhile, keep your eyes peeled for the BLURT dissection of the rapper's new Goblin album...

By Fred Mills

Fresh from an extended stroke-job courtesy of the New York Times and a celebrated (by the record label, at least) #5 debut on the Billboard album charts for his Interscope release Goblin, Odd future frontman Tyler, the Creator now sets his sights on star billing in the arena of public outrage.

If you've been keeping up, last week Sara Quin of Tegan & Sara laid in to the 20-year old rapper for his relentless and well-documented misogyny and homophobia, additionally taking to task the journalists who give him a pass in the name of artistry.

Wrote Quin, in part, at the band's blog, "While an artist who can barely get a sentence fragment out without using homophobic slurs is celebrated on the cover of every magazine, blog and newspaper, I'm disheartened that any self-respecting human being could stand in support with a message so vile. As journalists and colleagues defend, excuse and congratulate ‘Tyler, the Creator,' I find it impossible not to comment. In any other industry would I be expected to tolerate, overlook and find deeper meaning in this kid's sickening rhetoric? Why should I care about this music or its ‘brilliance' when the message is so repulsive and irresponsible?"

Hmm... sounds remarkably similar to an editorial I penned many years ago when a similarly misogynistic/homophobic Eminem was also being let off the hook because he was "an artist." (For the record, Em: you're STILL an asshole in my book. But I digress.)

At any rate, things have started heating up. this morning Pitchfork took due note that GLAAD (the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) had also weighed in on the matter. Referencing an earlier statement from the organization, GLAAD posted on their blog the following:

Tyler has said in interviews that he is not homophobic, yet his Twitter feed and rhymes are rampant with anti-gay slurs and references. His defense that "people take things too seriously" or that he's "just a kid" is inexcusable. Using hateful language, regardless of the context, is unacceptable and in fact, very serious. Tyler's attempts to be provocative as well as his indifference towards the consequences of his actions are irresponsible. In an earlier statement issued about rapper Lil B, GLAAD stated that "...words matter. Slurs have the power to fuel intolerance."

GLAAD stands by its statement and continues to hold artists across all genres accountable for the messages they send to fans. We commend Sara Quin for speaking out publicly against Tyler's lyrics and hope others will follow in her steps. GLAAD will continue to monitor media coverage of Tyler.

Amen to all that. Whether or not Tyler, the Creator takes a hit or gets a sales boost from all this is up in the air at the moment - smart money is on the latter, unfortunately, if the Eminem affair is any historical precedent - but you can be assured of one thing: that music journalists, chickenshit by nature, won't step up and do the right thing by condemning Tyler. After all, they'd be "racist" or "anti-hiphop" or, worse, "unhip."

BLURT steps into the fray tomorrow with an extended look at Tyler's new Goblin. In the commentary, our writer ponders whether or not the rapper is an amoral asshole or just a dumb kid - and why, if he's just a hot property at the moment, he crafted such a tedious, mediocre major label debut.