Tyler, the Creator has never shied away from artistic reinvention, but that evolution often tests the patience of longtime fans.
When one Twitter user lamented, “Used to be a big fan idk wtf he got going on now,” the rapper responded with a mix of sarcasm and self-awareness: “oh you like the old shit huh, that’s visually nowhere like the new shit huh. this was sarcasm yall lol.”
Tyler’s response is similar to Jay-Z’s classic line that also addressed fans desiring the icon’s vintage music. On The Blueprint 3 track, “On To The Next One,” Jigga raps, “Hov' on that new shit, n***as like "How come?" / N***as want my old shit, buy my old album / N***as stuck on stupid, I gotta keep it movin.”
The tweet captured Tyler’s approach to criticism—playful, pointed, and unwilling to bend to nostalgia. His reply acknowledged the gap between his early, raw aesthetic and his current, more refined and conceptual output. By referencing “old shit” versus “new shit,” Tyler nodded to the shift from his Odd Future chaos to the lush arrangements and carefully crafted visuals of albums like IGOR and Call Me If You Get Lost.
Ending the post with “this was sarcasm yall lol” reframed the entire exchange. It wasn’t an attack; it was a wink. Tyler defused potential hostility with humor, turning what could have been a defensive retort into a moment of levity.
Tyler, The Creator’s Old Music
Beneath the joke lies a statement about his artistic trajectory. Tyler is aware that his evolution—both musically and visually—has alienated some fans, but he embraces that growth as essential. Rather than pander to nostalgia, he leans into reinvention, knowing that not every listener will follow.
His reply also reflects a deeper understanding of fan dynamics. He recognizes the emotional investment of those who miss the energy of his earlier work, but he frames the conversation as one of difference, not rejection. In doing so, he keeps the door open for fans to rediscover him on new terms.
Tyler’s tweet is ultimately less a clapback than a reminder: he’s still here, just not in the same form. And for him, that’s the point.
