Tyler, The Creator has garnered high acclaim from one of the most prominent music icons in his hometown: Ice Cube.
The gangsta rap pioneer expressed his respect for Tyler during an interview with HipHopDX, praising his creativity and uniqueness which he believes reflects an overlooked aspect of Los Angeles.
When questioned about his perspective on the success of the Odd Future founder, Cube stated: “That’s L.A. That’s the L.A. that many are unaware of — highly creative people who refuse to adapt to the gangbanging culture.” “They will be true to themselves.”
Cube subsequently compared Tyler to a specific esteemed West Coast rap group: “He makes me think of, like, The Pharycde. Here’s another one: the Black Eyed Peas originated from this place.
“There will always be groups that stick to their unique style and flavor, and they will succeed with it.” Since they don’t conform, they aren’t becoming what you desire; they are simply being themselves. “And you must acknowledge that.”
Tyler, The Creator is not lacking in well-known admirers. Since bursting onto the music scene with “Yonkers” (and its notorious roach-chewing video) more than ten years ago, the Hawthorne native has garnered endorsements from a wide range of artists, including Kanye West, JAY-Z, Lil Wayne, and fellow West Coast legends Snoop Dogg and Kendrick Lamar.
Among the greatest praises have been those from his idol Pharrell, who in 2017 tweeted: “Thank you @tylerthecreator for embodying everything we envisioned while creating In Search Of,” alluding to the genre-defying 2001 album by N.E.R.D. “Creative liberty to express yourself and create anything you desire.”
While he is now undoubtedly an experienced veteran, Tyler’s career has only progressed further in recent years — especially in the past year.
Last year, he released his eighth album Chromakopia, which reached the top of the Billboard 200 with his career’s highest first-week sales (nearly 300,000) and was recognized by this publication as the second best rap album of 2024.
Tyler likewise held the 10th edition of his Camp Flog Gnaw Carnival and unveiled his first fashion collection with Louis Vuitton, which he referred to as a dream realized.
Ice Cube also had a successful year, launching his 11th album Man Down, featuring collaborations with Killer Mike, Busta Rhymes, Kurupt, B-Real, and his Mount Westmore friends Snoop Dogg, E-40, and Too $hort.
The 55-year-old additionally took part in the Los Angeles Dodgers’ World Series championship parade and grew his BIG3 basketball league by adding new teams in Miami and Houston.
With a huge Chromakopia World Tour about to kick off next month and an eagerly anticipated fourth Friday movie in development, 2025 is gearing up to be another significant year for Tyler, The Creator and Ice Cube.
