People often consider pretentiousness in negative terms. They’ll think about it in snooty ways, that the pretentious people think they’re better for their taste. To echo the sentiments of actor Ethan Hawke, being pretentious is okay. It signals an extreme passion about the art, to the point where they hold it to an incredibly high standard. It shows a desire to devour as much beautiful art as possible and not be passive about it. So when you have an eclectic taste like Tyler, the Creator, it’s natural for people to misinterpret his dense taste for pretentiousness.
Recently, Tyler spoke to Zane Lowe in promotion of his album Don’t Tap The Glass. There, he admits that sometimes his deep passion for art lends to lame, passive-aggressive comments calling him names. “If I mention something like, ‘Oh, we lost—’ I get called ‘oldhead’ now,” he shrugs. “You get called pretentious if you show some type of passion for this thing you genuinely care about, and I’m just like, ‘What the fuck are you dumbass n****s on right now, bro?’”
Tyler, The Creator Laments Being Called Pretentious Over His Love For Music
Ultimately, Tyler realizes that not everyone engages with the art he adores with the same fire he does. Where music is a life-changing experience for him, other people might merely glaze over it or take it for granted. Regardless, he doesn’t mind if it rubs people the wrong way. He can’t help his undying love for the art and craft.
“I be so open and loud about the shit I love and that inspire me and this and that, blah blah blah,” Tyler says. “And I think sometimes the problem is it doesn’t go through people’s filter, and that’s when it gets weird.”
Elsewhere in the interview, Tyler, the Creator opens up about the liberty of simply dropping a record. Instead of being “precious” about it, he sidesteps any pressures and expectations completely. “I was just gonna upload that m——a the moment it was done and continue moving on with my life because I just wanted it out. And it’s so easy to design your own handcuffs, lock yourself up, and put the key over there that just turns…into pressure, whether it’s from you or fans,” Tyler explains.
“People end up scared and not putting albums out for 15 years because they feel like they always have to — ‘I got to make the most innovative, best stuff,’” Tyler, the Creator adds. “And sometimes, man, that song is good. Just put that b***h out.”
The post Tyler, the Creator Explains Why People Call Him Pretentious: ‘I Got To Make the Most Innovative, Best Stuff’ appeared first on VICE.
