Tyler, the Creator

Tyler Gregory Okonma, known professionally as Tyler, the Creator, was born on March 6, 1991, in Ladera Heights, California. He never knew his Nigerian father and was raised by his mother Bonita. A self-taught musician and producer who began making beats on GarageBand as a teenager, Tyler co-founded the Odd Future hip-hop collective in 2007 at age 16. Their provocative, DIY aesthetic shocked and fascinated the music world. Tyler released his debut album Goblin in 2011, but it was with Flower Boy (2017) that he began receiving widespread critical acclaim, hinting at his sexuality in lyrics. IGOR (2019) cemented his status as one of music's most creative voices and won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Album. He has since expanded his empire to include clothing (Golf Wang), fragrance (Golf le Fleur), and his own music festival Camp Flog Gnaw.

Tyler, the Creator has built one of the most unique and respected creative brands in contemporary music. His refusal to stay in any one lane — rap, R&B, pop, jazz-influenced production — has made him a benchmark for artistic evolution. Younger artists routinely cite him as a primary influence. Beyond music, his fashion and fragrance lines have established him as a genuine polymath in the creative industries.