During a recent live stream for the Adobe MAX 2020 Creativity Conference, Tyler The Creator revealed a creative video in which he reveals his favorite films and albums to a very special interviewer: Himself. The interview, which was edited by D’Anthony Hamilton on Adobe Premiere for a discussion on “thought leadership” — a category Tyler knows a bit about, as his pioneering vision behind endeavors like Odd Future, Loiter Squad, and The Jellies!, as well as the innovative artistry attached to his own music, has opened doors for other DIY successors like Brockhampton.
The interview video finds Tyler subtly mocking the cultural gatekeepers of hip-hop, adopting a very Funk Flex-ish, New York old head demeanor to grill himself about movies and albums. After running down a list of NY hip-hop “legends” including Fabolous, Jim Jones, and Papoose, “NY Ty” asks “What’s your five favorite albums? And I know you one of them weird, eclectic n****s that be like, ‘Ehhh, Korg,’ and all that.” It’s definitely reminiscent of the way establishment hip-hop heads received Tyler during his initial rise to fame after “Yonkers.”
Tyler reveals that his five favorite albums include Eminem’s Marshall Mathers LP, Erykah Badu’s Mama’s Gun, NERD’s In Search Of…, and Pharrell’s In My Mind. He can’t come up with a fifth. Meanwhile, the movies are easier: 20th Century Women, The Cat in the Hat, Napoleon Dynamite, and Scary Movie 2 all top his list. He also reveals advice he’d give to his 18-year-old self, his favorite places to visit, and which artists he’d want to work with.
The whole thing is hilarious and insightful. Check out his answers above.