Tyler, the Creator has recently become one of the most popular rap sensations of today; his music and clothing line are a part of everyone’s trending page. But Tyler’s music has been much more than a trend ever since the early 2000’s. Tyler’s discography takes us through the various stages of his life as he develops into the mainstream artist he is today — all while enthralling listeners with high production-quality. So what albums and tracks made Tyler, the Creator evolve into the artist that fans know today? Let’s take a dive in!

Goblin (2011): Most people know Goblin as a record littered with crazy lyrics and rough beats. The first track, “Yonkers,” garnered attention because of its music video of the rapper eating a cockroach against a stark black and white background. Needless to say, the content of Goblin was rather controversial and many listeners wrote it off as “too hard to listen to.” However, Tyler’s production of melodies and beats made the lyrics of Goblin more than noise. Because of that, many of its tracks are still popular today.

Wolf (2013): Tyler’s most popular albums are his most recent, so not many fans talk about his earlier records, but his second studio album (and my favorite record), Wolf, was one of the first shifts the artist made into the pop-style melodies he makes today. Wolf was also Tyler’s most vulnerable album at that point. He opened up more about his struggles with his father’s absence in “Answer” and his grandmother’s passing in “Lone.” His earlier music, such as Bastard and Goblin, feels like a soundtrack to teenage angst, but with Wolf, Tyler discusses his struggles with more maturity, making it the perfect transition for his discography.

Flower Boy (2017):  Even if you’ve never listened to Tyler, the Creator, you’ve probably seen the iconic album cover of him standing in a field of flowers on someone’s wall or in some section at Urban Outfitters. Flower Boy was, in a way, a debut album for Tyler as a popular mainstream artist. The production on Flower Boy was at a whole new level, even for Tyler, and caught the attention of a whole new audience since less rap was included throughout the tracks. This album was basically a 2017 sensation, but songs like “911/Mr. Lonely” and “See You Again” are still just as popular four years later. This album was a major shift for Tyler, and he even released an hour-long interview on his YouTube channel about how Flower Boy was the beginning of his deviation from his rap roots.

IGOR (2019): So how did Tyler live up to the hype? After all the success of Flower Boy and the shift it had on his career, the artist had high expectations — and it’s safe to say that he delivered. Tyler’s most recent album is a 40-minute walkthrough of a love triangle, and for a classic love-story base, this album was totally unique. Tyler became the character “IGOR,” depicting himself in a blond wig and pastel suit in all of his music videos and promos. The music is incredibly vulnerable as well; Tyler revealed that he would wake up and write about how he felt every day. The most popular track, “EARFQUAKE,” talks about love “rocking” him and making his earth quake, but as the album progresses, listeners hear about his struggles in the relationship, culminating until he realizes he has to let it go in “A BOY IS A GUN” and “GONE, GONE/THANK YOU.” IGOR ended up being awarded a Grammy for “Best Rap Album,” and it is a fan favorite. Every song is a must-listen and I personally would agree that it has no skips.

Tyler, the Creator’s journey from his hate-filled lyrics in his early music to the melodic pop/rap records he makes today has been quite a transformation. The best part of his discography, in my opinion, is how it guides listeners through every stage of life — from the teenage angst of Goblin to the loneliness of Flower Boy.