Born in the suburbs of Los Angeles, Hawthorne California, on March 6. 1991, the Creator started off as a teenage loudmouth who evolved from being banned from the UK in 2015 to winning a Grammy for best “rap” album of the year in 2019.

He also became one of the biggest hip-hop culture influencers by breaking the stereotypes of what music that young men of African-descent can create. The Creator always had a passion for music at a young age, and wanted to break the norms of stereotypical rap music and create sounds that tell a story rather than just a beat.

Although he was a member of a group named “Odd Future” that lasted from the years of 2007-2015 (which consisted of 21 members, and had recognizable names like Frank Ocean, Syd the Kyd, and Earl Sweatshirt), the Creator would go on to produce six solo albums, including his first LP in 2009.

Tyler, the Creator creates emotions into the listeners head and wiring them into a different world than what they could ever imagine, giving a sense of relatableness, sonder and desire.

Having a huge discography, there are so many to choose from, but here are the top 5 songs that Tyler, the Creator has produced that show off his musical prodigy.

(List made before the drop of “Chromakopia”.)

#5 “See You Again”

The Creator’s fifth studio album “Flower Boy”, dropped on July 21 in 2017, and included a total of 14 songs.

From the album cover creating the scene and the instruments in the background of the song, the Creator gives listeners to experience a lovely and chill vibe as they listen to the music. In this song, the Creator sings about an ideal significant other that he has dreamt and created a fantasy about but who is not really real. With the song starting off with the tempoed piano, then leading to Uchis’ melodic vocals, and eventually having a key switch to the Creator’s fast-rap pace with hard drum beats partnering with him in the background, this song would be the perfect song for a chill bonfire where people can sing along and rap.

#4 “She”

A fan-favorite on the Creator’s first-ever studio album, ”Goblin”. The fourth track “She”, which features melodies from Frank Ocean, as well as many questionable lyrics but is in fact one of the top ten most streamed songs by him.

“She” is about the Creator’s alter ego in the album: “Tyler”, a teenager in therapy who has been disruptive and a menace around the people he is near. He fantasizes about a woman whom he has a huge crush on, and eventually creates a scenario in his head where he asks out this woman on a date, and decides to finally take action to ask her out. In the music video, he stalks the woman at her house while she sleeps and leaves her a note to meet him at “the lake” to confess his true feelings about this girl and how he truly loves her. Eventually, he gets caught by the police and has to spend the rest of his time in jail. 

Despite the harsh content and lyrics, listeners need to understand that “She” is just a story on the album, and does not reflect Tyler, the Creator, as a person. His motive was to say things in hopes of people noticing him. The Creator’s production in his music – like the sonic-texturing bass and amazing synth-pad – gives nothing but an attractive sound, especially with his catchy hook. True listeners can see the amazing virtuosity that the Creator has as they listen to this on the night drive home.

#3 “GONE GONE/THANK YOU”

”GONE GONE / THANK YOU” is a song in the Creator’s first Grammy winning album “IGOR”. This song is split in two parts. The Creator explains the connection Igor had with the man at the start of the relationship, but now, Igor is getting over the feelings he had for him. Although Igor mindfully understands he still loves the man, Igor starts to heal himself and matures enough to understand that he cannot control anybody but himself. Eventually, Igor finds peace within himself. As he falls out of love with him, his love starts to disappear, of course, therefore his love being “GONE GONE”. 

In the second part of the song, Igor reflects and appreciates the past memories he built with the other man, thanking the man for what they experienced, as well the joy and time spent together. Igor also explains he will never want to fall in love again because of the man. 

Whether listeners have experienced this situation or not, the Creator creates a story – as he does from the beginning of the album to the end – that paints a situation in the listener’s mind, allowing them to feel as if they have gone through this breakup themself. This song will get one to lay down on their bed while staring at the ceiling, reminiscing about the pain of a breakup that has never even happened to them. Or one that did – but who knows?

#2 “SORRY NOT SORRY”

“Sorry Not Sorry” was the second single that the Creator teased before dropping the deluxe version “Call Me If You Get Lost; The Estate Sale”. In the music video for this song, the Creator features strong imagery that showcases each of his eras – from every album he dropped since 2009, alongside the current persona, Tyler Baudelaire.

Throughout the song, the Creator sincerely apologizes for the people he knows he has done wrong to with his actions, such as being an egoist. At one point, he sarcastically apologizes to the people who have doubted him for his determination. The Creator produces a beautiful combination of warm guitars, band instruments, and soulful vocals that give ”Sorry Not Sorry” the theater feel he displays in the music video. Lastly, the Creator ends the song by focusing on his success in his career, and proving the people who criticized him negatively wrong. 

All viewers have something they are proud of – or at least something that they enjoy doing – and in this song, Tyler creates a bond between himself and the listener while emphasizing that one should not apologize for the negative critiques from the people around them.

#1 “Answer”

“Answer” is one of the Creator’s most personal, sonder and authentic songs he has ever created. 

His second studio album, “Wolf”, is a stand-out piece and shows Tyler, the Creator’s true artistic prowess. With the melodic piano playing in the background giving a melancholic tone, and the drums providing a sensational rhythm that mirrors that of the heart. This song deliver’s an emotional connection to the listener as the Creator speaks about an introspective moment in his life centered on his father being absent since childhood. 

Throughout the song, listeners can hear the Creator’s desire for his absent father to pick up the phone whenever the son tries to talk to him. As much as he hates the fact that his father abandoned him, the Creator still wishes he could have at least had a father-son relationship. 

Not all people can relate to having an absent father but the situation is more common than one might think, and the Creator allows his listeners who have experienced this loss to relate to him at a much deeper level because of their shared personal experience. Not only does the Creator make music for listeners to sing along to, relax to and dance to, but his artistry grants him the power to empathize with certain listeners who not only love his music, but connect with his listeners feelings in a personal way.