Tyler, The Creator appears to criticize up-and-coming rapper Ian for mocking hip-hop culture in a new interview, and Columbia Records executive vice president Bu Thiam hits back.
Tyler, the Creator, seems to challenge Ian
On Wednesday (August 14), Tyler, The Creator was a guest on the new Springhill podcast Mavericks with Mav Carter. During the meeting, the two talked about art, internet culture, and music. At one point in the chat, Tyler talks about the new generation of rappers and seems to be addressing a particular rhymer he has no affinity with.
“Right now, it’s a kid, a white kid. A regular white man. And he’s making fun of Future and Gucci Mane, so rap music,” Tyler says at 20:21 of the following interview. “And people are like, ‘That’s fucking hard.’ It’s not even satire, I’m just joking, just mocking. I’m like, no, no, no, you can’t do that.”
Tyler went on to say that his reverence for the culture doesn’t allow him to be cool with that kind of music. “I care so much about rap music because that shit changed my life and the lives of everyone around me and I’m a nerd about that shit,” Tyler continued. “It’s weird. And I look at it and there’s something about it that I don’t like compared to someone like Mac Miller or Eminem, who didn’t seem like they were making fun of it. They genuinely loved it.”
After hearing about Tyler’s comments, Columbia Records Executive Vice President Bu Thiam responded on Instagram.
“Yo (Tyler, The Creator) I signed Ian and I’m from Atlanta,” he wrote on his Instagram story. “He doesn’t sound like Gucci or Future at all lol. But I never thought I’d see the day where you get old and hate the youth lol.”
Read more: Tyler, The Creator says he owes Eminem an apology for disparaging the Recovery album
Who is Ian?
Ian is a 19-year-old rapper from Dallas who has made a name for himself in the hip-hop scene by spitting out gangsta raps while exuding the aesthetic of a middle school math teacher. The Texas rhymer recently collaborated with Lil Yachty on the song “Hate Me” and with VonOff1700 on the track “Fit Check.” Ian was recently spotted in the studio with Quavo and released his debut mixtape Best of the year in May.
Read more: Why do so many people have a problem with rappers wearing nail polish?
Check out Tyler The Creator’s new interview and Bu’s response below.
Watch Tyler, the Creator, interview Ian during an interview on Mavericks with Mav Carter Podcast
See Bu’s response to Tyler, The Creator’s comments
Watch Ian’s “Magic Johnson” video
Here you can find an overview of all rap disputes in 2024
