What Tyler The Creator Is Really Like In The Studio | Deep Dive

[Music] Tyler the Creator is the true definition of a Fearless artist he's someone who has never been afraid to break boundaries take artistic risks and sometimes completely shatter expectations from both his haters and fans alike if there's one thing that no one has ever been able to do it's keep Tyler in a box it's a look it's a [ __ ] look all right [ __ ] from his production or rap flows to his fashion and events Tyler is a once in a generational creative that has influenced an entire group of kids to grow up and want to be themselves I just try to tell people to just think for themselves and they'll be way happier and alone but Tyler's success wasn't some overnight accident or lucky break this was years of hard work in the making studying the greats taking risks learning from so-called failure and working on his craft relentlessly until he finds his next Sonic breakthrough in this video we're gonna take a look at what Tyler the Creator is like in the studio straight from the mouths of Odd Future Lil Wayne and Tyler himself [Music] Escape [Music] Tyler's musical process often starts with a chord and chords Chords chords Tyler like that's all but that's the sh that I [ __ ] care about more than anything I listen to music all day even going back to the musical world's introduction to Tyler the first thing we ever heard from him was an eerie piano chord being struck while he delivered a look into his darkest thoughts this is what the devil plays before he goes to sleep it's a fool for thought that's full for death go ahead and [ __ ] eat my over time the tone of voice has evolved and the vibrancy has raised but that doesn't change the fact that chords have always been the most important part of a song for Tyler learning to play the piano was a key moment in his life no pun intended when he was 13 he was inspired after watching Pharrell play piano on a DVD he said this about the life-changing moment I didn't know how to play the piano till I was about 13. after I seen Pharrell play during the Clones DVD I'm a big Neptune's fan like die hard name a date I know when it came out how many tracks how long they are but when I seen him play that piano I was like that is the coolest [ __ ] ever I was like I need to learn how to F and play piano my mom never wanted to give me lessons so I taught myself to play that again that's all I did when I was younger was music I didn't really play outside wasn't into sports and I didn't have like a big selection of friends I just go through CDs and listen to them and make it a fake album covers my name on it and it as time progressed I just want to learn more about different music and chord changes and pitch and I just led into other [ __ ] Tyler's mom ended up buying him that keyboard when he was 14 years old and he taught himself the rest from scratch I actually ran into Tyler this year backstage at Coachella and when I asked him what his favorite piano chords were he went into depth describing the sounds that he loves even if he doesn't know the chords by name Tyler's ability to visualize a song is unmatched a lot of his motivation on the production side came from his love for music and the artist he grew up on eventually Tyler started making his own Beats at 12 years old using reason and then switched to Fruity Loops I always want to piano [ __ ] lessons when I asked for him was in seventh grade I was 12 13. my mom put me in [ __ ] basketball and I fell I hate that [ __ ] I had to buy me a keyboard for [ __ ] Christmas I just sat in my room like for a whole summer just getting used to the [ __ ] keys and [ __ ] and I tried to [ __ ] teach myself Tyler has never been shy to show love to his musical Inspirations on the production side in fact you can hear him giving flowers to his instrumental Idols pretty much every single chance he gets I think it was power 106. I'm not even bullied because y'all here it was Easter 2002 and I heard the song tape you from in search of on the radio okay I was like what the [ __ ] this is the greatest song I've ever heard and then a couple months later I never found out who it was and a couple months later I was at the laundromat sitting in the car waiting for a car driving my mom and running the sun came on and it was for sure Power 106 and I was like this is the craziest I ever heard then I finally found out that those two songs were you know by the same thing and ever since I found out who that was I've been a stand for the Neptunes and clips and just that let's go so I thank you guys for playing that oh no doubt man that's crazy no doubt I do have outside features on the album but those are people that like like I was five years old when I heard Erykah Badu's first album I've been a Pharrell [ __ ] stand since I can [ __ ] remember I've been in love with stereolabs since [ __ ] high school like like I've worked with people on there that influenced my music like I basically copied from them so I made sure that [ __ ] it if I could [ __ ] possibly get them to work with me and I've been copying their music for years I'm gonna [ __ ] do it the only people now is Roy Ayers and Eminem and I'm good when asked what the difference between just making beats and being an actual producer is here's what Tyler said be making is just making a beat it could just be the loop it could just be the base idea but no I don't think so I think it is a is a way to differentiate it reducing is like really making this four minute a hundred percent only bringing in vocals here bringing in the flu player just here actually we'll turn this down really bringing it together and I try to do that with every song I love moments you listen to one of my songs I love moments that only come in once or like having that bridge only come for four bars and people like why didn't you Loop it because of that moment at the end that one sound only coming there only having the vocal pads on the second hook over the course of his career he's really done such an incredible job of creating Sonic landscapes for the consumer to get lost in and when you do get lost you can always call Tyler [Music] sorry for the bad jokes back to the video where is he [Music] thought of that no one it's almost like Tyler has the ability to create a vivid world for you to step into for an hour while you're listening to his projects before you go back to whatever your reality actually is just check out how much of a Zone he's in himself while creating here [Music] and check out what the backdrop of his own physical landscape looks like for this production it's almost like he implemented that into the actual chords oh foreign [Music] he's also never been afraid to experiment when it comes to production in fact Cherry Bomb was basically Tyler consciously taking risks in front of the world's eyes with how far he could stretch himself sonically to try and reach the heights of his biggest influences [Music] it's like songs that I'm like damn I would never make a song better than that I would never make a song better than Stevie Wonder's uh where were you when I need you so I always use that like God damn I have to make something good like that and that's what pushes me and the fact that I in my own head I think I will never make something as good as the song that I love will always and that's something I said never grasp it so I always push myself that's why I don't know what the word potential means because potential that's a gap that I mean that's a you stop that's a wall I don't know what that means so I'll always push myself harder and whether people like it or not at least for me I'm trying things and trying to be better you know and clearly he loves what he does take a look at how passionate Tyler is about the production here [Music] bro do you hear that do you hear that listen if I'm not booed up if I'm not booed up on 4th of July and at my whatever crib I'm at in Upstate New York or whatever the [ __ ] with this plan I'm gonna I might kill myself I might kill myself [Music] but while Tyler's instrumental production may be the most important part of his song structure the lyrical element to his music should never be overlooked at his core Tyler is also a Storyteller he's always admitted that he loves the art of rap and how he's been able to use words to paint a picture so vividly I'm a rapper I love it it's a beautiful thing we're good with words we're good with rhythm we know Pockets we hear a collection of sounds in one thing and say ah I know what could go over this that takes a skill hey we know narrative ah I know what you're feeling I know how to put those in words where you could understand yourself better being a rapper is awesome oh yeah I had an experience let me tell you about it we're great storytellers being a rapper is awesome but you could be multiple choice you could be into this and you could be into this and you could be into that it's a b c his storytelling started out as a lot of fictional narratives that were almost like movies here he is describing the creative writing process around the time of goblin every song is a story to me you know that's the [ __ ] that's the [ __ ] I think about you know everybody thinks about dark [ __ ] why when somebody finally [ __ ] says it it's such a big deal you know everybody goes home and it's some [ __ ] that eats them up inside that they don't really tell people but they're just afraid to say this [ __ ] like just why when I why when somebody finally says [ __ ] that someone's thinking it's such a big deal [Music] it was dark but [Music] it was a Lyricist even the greats like Lil Wayne recognized his greatness early on first of all it's how to change the game maybe I probably had a line that I knew I would I wouldn't say because people might think it was too gross to put in the rap but it didn't go with the whole the vibe of the song but I think about mentality say this [ __ ] also he'd really be spitting though if [ __ ] not listening to him and only hearing him they need to do that they need to listen it's two different things and that's coming from Wayne who has keep in mind said some pretty outrageous things in his bars but it seems like early on Tyler didn't really care what anyone thought of his lyrics he was just creating in order to get the thoughts out of his head into the world here's what he said about his early writing process I make those songs for me I lay down in bed before I go to sleep and think about [ __ ] that eats me up I don't trust anybody even my close close best friends who I would take a bullet for there's things I don't talk to them about so I have to make those songs just to get [ __ ] out just to say it because I don't tell anyone that [ __ ] so I make those songs for myself that people like them and relate to them it's pretty cool but over time his ability to express himself their words has shifted with each album came a new intention and a new found version of himself as an artist for Igor Tyler said that the album was more of an expression of his feelings rather than trying to overthink the lyrics Igor was definitely like all filling woke up in the morning is how I felt made that song did that for like two weeks and then I was like oh sh I have something it was like six songs six seven songs oh my gosh this is and that's kind of why it goes into this weird chronological order because that was how I felt that morning it was like over a span of like two weeks almost and then when I every time I make album I put in a playlist on my phone just to see how it flows and stuff and uh I was like oh sh this this uh this flows Tyler takes his storytelling much more seriously than most artists even creating a whole character that he plays the role of on each of his albums he said that when writing Flower Boy he took a step back from those characters and was actually being himself I like to dress it's fun yeah Goblin it was a ski mask wolf of the camps then Cherry Bomb I had the the pink face thing and like I always loved that all my videos I've been I'm bald one scene like I don't know that's really fun it was also while working on that album that Tyler discovered the power of Melody and song structure he always had a love of production chords and great music but Tyler said that he took a long look at his catalog and claimed to have only had three good songs in terms of structure at that point and while many people might disagree it did change the way that Tyler made music this made him go back into the musical crates and look at what truly made a hit song in the first place from there he was able to create some of the biggest hits of his career thank you [Music] [Music] I said okay okay [Music] Flower Boy saw Tyler experimenting more with glossy hooks background vocals features and even singing himself but this process didn't come easily while Tyler's rap voice is one of the most unique of all time he actually felt like it was holding him back from making great songs honestly I think I ruined songs I hate my voice I think I'm a [ __ ] ridiculously talented producer and have really really good ideas all kinds of messed up though because um you are widely regarded as having one of the best tones and the best most recognizable voices in modern music yeah that's cute and [ __ ] but when you want to write singing songs like Stevie Wonder yeah and you can't because your voice is holding you back and you sound like a monster all the [ __ ] time and because of that people only want to hear you rap but it's like I'm not even that good at that but I'm ridiculously good at that you start hating it more and I know my voice is sickest but it's like all right like I've wrapped let me let me show y'all what else I could do like I could hit free throws but I could also like do cool dribbles yeah yeah so because of that I decided on Flower Boy to just try to shut the [ __ ] up and only speak when I need to speak so that's why Rex is on boredom and I don't come in until a minute and 20 seconds you know because I was like okay this is this is how it should be but that's what I'm I think I'm good at it yeah yeah like and all right I did my verse I said it here when I come in it's on topic concept is good make sure the flow's not jumbled then and there and it took me years to figure that out and while he might have allowed room for more features when Tyler works with other artists in the studio he is an executive producer here he is giving vocal cues for Charlie Wilson he's a legend in him taking cues from me was so weird okay okay it's a long one okay go do it again oh yeah here we go I just might be in love oh I think I know that um Igor was Tyler taking the insecurities about his vocabilities and facing that fear head-on he sang on the majority of the album and rather than using features to take the lead vocal role Tyler played with pitch and inflection to create some of his most beautiful songs to date and even when he did use features it was done in such a unique way like with earthquake the combination of Playboy Cardi's iconic verse and some background vocals from Uncle Charlie Wilson Crashing Down [Music] and he had himself smash most recently it seems like Tyler caught the itch to really put rap at the Forefront of his craft again with the Kami if you get lost era Tyler called on DJ Drama one of his early Inspirations to bring a Resurgence to the gangster girls series I grew up on DJ Drama mixtapes what he did with Wayne is very instrumental to how me and our future even made music we didn't have hooks on a lot of our songs so just that structure that just freedom of just going in going in no hook just saying lies just wrap it one minute songs a verse here really came from that era yeah and on the project rather than visualizing new worlds like he did with his early work and Goblin lyrically Tyler raps about the things in his life that he likes the things that influence his art are the things that exist around him I wanted to make braggadocious rap music that was about the [ __ ] that I was into not so much of the rap music that I listened to specifically talks about the the things that I like so I made sure to make that [ __ ] that talks about the [ __ ] I like though it's a look it's a [ __ ] look all right [ __ ] whether it's the specific car the specific Foods I love this [ __ ] the specific places that I like to vacation or go to or hang out at uh I did this for me to listen to super loud in my cars and we can't talk about Tyler the Creator's musical process and not mention the visual aspect to it Tyler has always been a creative genius when it comes to his music videos but when comparing the process of making his songs to the videos I don't think one can exist without the other here he is talking about the correlation all the way back in 2011. he said I can't choose anymore when people ask whether I like making the video to a song or making a song to the video that's in my head I don't know I can't choose between either one because they go hand in hand they need each other [Music] for Tyler though each album has a visual and conceptual counterparts of the music whether it be the bright colors of orange and yellow that go along with flower boy or the light blue and pink pastel tones that a company call me if you get lost his entire catalog has a visual aspect to it in terms of collaborating in the studio for the most part Tyler has always liked to work with his friends the entire Odd Future movement was partially so big because it was just a group of people who all got along and joined forces in their creative Endeavors together sometimes he has people around him simply there for The Vibes and wherever they do fit into the project then they'll go on to it I just wanted to leave I went to Lake Como why Italy white combo but it was awesome yeah Franco's like where you at I was like yeah I'm at the house he was like I'ma pull up pulled up on the boat Solange where you at she pulled up on the boat like it was a move it was sick though but over time Tyler has branched out with his collaborations of course him and ASAP always have fun in the studio together all right and marry you caught I think I might pick browser I need [ __ ] house and I need [ __ ] is off the yows above tell that [ __ ] to come to [ __ ] [ __ ] man she can't do with the new whip I ain't even got a new [ __ ] I want my old one got a [ __ ] named shoot he got an old gun it's awesome but you don't want that [ __ ] got the green hat cause the master Pockets cats cats dogs frogs and all [ __ ] that [ __ ] got a problem [ __ ] gotta saw them [ __ ] know mama no boys family live you're not afraid to be yourself you're comfortable it's like a web or umbrella when you're when you're not afraid to be you you're comfortable and you're comfortable with yourself you don't have that much hate in your heart and you're not that quick to judge when you're not that quick to judge or open to more things when you're opening more things you're not ignorant and when you're not ignorant racism doesn't just have features on his album for the sake of it he always makes sure to utilize someone for the ultimate good of the song here's kaliuchi's talking about how Tyler always pushed her to be the best version of herself that she could be creative with oh my name is kaliuchis usually he already has something ready and he'll already have an idea most of the time he writes everything or he'll have a Melody idea obviously he produces everything so he really hones in on making sure the whole thing is exactly how he wants it to be because when I met him I had just started singing I feel like I was still really learning about my voice he definitely made me a lot more comfortable and experiment more with like my range I think what I admire most about Tyler how dedicated he is how much he really wants to make something meaningful that's going to be lasting rather than make something that you know will get to radio or will be something that people listen to right now and then maybe goes away later I don't think he's ever really cared about Trends or um he just kind of follows what he wants to do and he works really hard and here's Lil Wayne talking about working with Tyler and he takes me just like man I got this joint he's like a perfectionist so he's one of those guys that you know you want you know exactly what he wants from you you might [ __ ] run and write your verse for you Tyler brought up the best of Kanye listen to how yay reacted when he heard Wayne and Tyler's verses on smockers went to yay house played it for him he's like cool Wayne sent me his [ __ ] the day after I played it I went back the day after wedding scented and played it for yay again he heard me and me and Wayne verse and he was like ripped his paper out of his notebook bought it up and started a new and it was ideas on there and he was like y'all [ __ ] really about to make me rap and go in like I had [ __ ] making me want to do that in so long that's personally one of my favorite Tyler rap songs and even some of my favorite Wayne and Kanye bars in recent memory but let me know yours of all three in the comments below Tyler was even able to bring the best out of his Idol Pharrell in the studio let's do that last bar Cadence is you should roll with that like which one the uh that yeah yeah like on that last part it's like music then they're the answer it's like you calm but you slurring the words the the first half of your verse could it be more like that but the same the same lyrics the end part of his verse where he's like yeah I'm nerdy yeah I'm swerving yeah you heard me of course there are the obvious influences like Jaden Smith or Steve Lacy but Tyler's musical influence runs much deeper than people would like to give credit for sometimes here's juice World talking about his respect for Tyler wgkta was my childhood from like 11 to 11. nah damn near like 10 to high school I think so you're one of those kids who like Odd Future was just what burst your [ __ ] mind over and I was already skating so when I get when they came out with some rappers that could actually skate that were raw as hell now we're different that [ __ ] that [ __ ] like it [ __ ] my head up and here's Jack Harlow saying he was Star Struck by him Drama DJ Drama what I'm trying to called me on FaceTime while he was in LA we were just chopping it up real casual and then suddenly out of nowhere he passes the phone to Tyler the Creator and it was a hell of a moment I was he caught me I was tongue-tied I was like because I love Tyler I grew up watching him like this is what he is culturally so it was it was wild and to bring things full circle even his biggest inspiration for Ralph had this to say about Tyler inspiring him the stories used to tell me about listening to her albums and then to get to see you have a show and we're out there performing and it's your show like this thank you that means more to me than it does to you because I would have died to have that with Q2 died you know what I'm saying but we never did that and you're a different generation and uh I just I just love that this generation has its anchor that's our future so I'm not worried about we got a lot of help now it's not just us like it's it's us it's our future it's Kendrick you know it's a lot of a lot of a lot of great minds that give a [ __ ] about like where things end up and how they go and as long as you keep you stay where you are and you stay loyal to your beliefs and secondly um your curiosity no one can touch you Tyler the Creator is a true creative genius he is an inspiration to so many including myself and his art continues to push the boundaries of Music if Tyler decides to no longer make music one day then it's okay because I know whatever he makes next will be his best creation to date always but I also think that he has a lot more ideas that he wants to put into the world that will involve music so Tyler if you're watching this thank you for the art and thank you for being yourself this has been another episode of our DX Deep dive Studio series let us know in the comments what is the one studio session that you would have wanted to be in the booth for and let us know who we should cover next as always for hip hop DX I'm Jeremy Hecht it's been a pleasure making this video and I hope you get one step closer towards your dreams today and if nobody else has told you yet today I love you I'll leave you guys with this clip see I'm thinking 15 years from now I'm playing the long game what opportunity and I need people to know that oh this is I this is the full idea this isn't just me rapping over some random like this was the full idea everything is very particular foreign

Channel: HipHopDX

Views: 64,249

Keywords: tyler the creator, tyler, Tyler the creator in the studio, how Tyler the creator makes music, Tyler in the studio, tyler producing, Tyler the creator documentary, Tyler the creator flower boy, Tyler the creator call me if you get lost, Tyler the creator Igor, Tyler the creator, Tyler documentary, odd future, wolf gang, Pharrell, Tyler the creator interview, call me if you get lost, wolf, flower boy, cherry bomb, lil Wayne, Wayne, Tyler the creator deep dive, hip hop, rap

Id: 5Quwf9rFo2M

Length: 27min 30sec (1650 seconds)

Published: Mon Jun 12 2023