Top 10 Best Tyler The Creator Songs

For such a sun-drenched tune, this track sure comes close to some shady subject matter. During the first part of the song, Charlie Wilson croons a melodic hook while Tyler raps about falling in love with an underage girl. During the second part of the song, the tune turns into a lo-fi duet with songstress Kali Uchis. At its core the track deals with the eternal balancing act between following society’s rules and giving into temptation, but Tyler has always prided himself for being a rule breaker, which is why it doesn’t come as a surprise when the track reaches this conclusion.

In this fast paced banger, Tyler raps about a woman he has feelings for who he’s trying to convince not to leave him. However, the woman has her previous partner on her mind. While dark and catchy, it's the quick and rhythmic manner by which Tyler refers to the song’s title that draws listeners to the song. Through Tyler’s epic lyrical prowess, we are taken into the mind of an individual who, while going through a wide range of emotions, is willing to take extreme measures to be with the person he has feelings for. Even Tyler himself once proclaimed this song to be his favorite, and we can understand why.

As we can see from other collabs like “POTATO SALAD,” any time Rocky and Tyler join forces, they go off. “Who Dat Boy” is a question that we already know the answer to: it’s Tyler, but the real question is who’s shouting it out. It could be the general public, wondering who Tyler is because there’s no one else out there like him. It could also signify that Tyler will be sad when people’s eyes will no longer be on him if ever his fame has diminished. Either way, it’s a high-strung expression of lofty ambition.

Tyler, the Creator feat. Kanye West & Lil Wayne
It's almost offensive that a song that goes so hard can remain so relentlessly melodic, but “Smuckers” achieves just that. Kanye flexes on a verse celebrating what he does best: how he made it to the top, dropping the iconic line: SB “Richer than white people with black kids / Scarier than black people with ideas.” Soonafter, Lil Wayne comes through with a slick verse. Beautiful trumpet underscores the track and it teams up 3 completely distinct and multi-talented artists in hip hop with one another, a feat Tyler was extra proud of pulling off while he was only 24. What isn’t to like?

If one thing is for certain; it’s that this song certainly made our earf quake. This tune has Tyler once again rapping about love and trying to convince a lover to not leave him. Utilizing a combination of musical styles from previous albums, Tyler hits all the marks. To top it off, Playboi Carti’s featured verse with soothing background piano chords is an excellent added touch to the song. However, it’s the manner by which Tyler delivers an epic plea to his aforementioned lover that has us absolutely mesmerized. Captivating yet so relatable, it simply has us feeling all the feels.

“She” gives The Police’s stalker anthem “Every Breath You Take” a run for its money. Its lyrics explore themes of obsession and go as far to insinuate dark subject matter, so good thing they are contrasted by Ocean’s honey-sweet hook. It’s a haunting slow jam that only gets under your skin once you identify what the lyrics are about, but don’t worry, we don’t think Tyler or Frank were actually standing outside any girls’ windows because they were so busy in the studio. As the third single from “Goblin,” which dropped the same year as Ocean’s mixtape “Nostalgia, Ultra,” “She” makes 2011 the year Frank really landed on the scene with the help of his cohort Tyler.

His album “Flower Boy” is rife with lyrics that tackle Tyler’s preoccupations of time and timelessness. “Boredom” is an anthem straight from the dog days of summer, when you run out of things to do and become engulfed in ennui: because Tyler doesn’t have anyone to spend time with. With some great vocal additions in the form of rising British singer Rex Orange Country and Norwegian artist Anna of the North, this is a happy-sad song about solitude and feeling lonesome. With the hook “boredom got a new best friend,” we really get an insight into Tyler’s mind, and the way even musicians surrounded by a coterie of people can still struggle with feeling alone.

This two-part track extends the theme of loneliness that keeps sprouting up throughout “Flower Boy.” In Part 1, Tyler performs a fictional jingle for a would-be helpline that comforts the lonesome. But it turns out Tyler doesn’t want just anybody. When the song goes to Part 2, Tyler offers an explanation for why he has such an abrasive personality: SB “the loudest in the room/Is prolly the loneliest one in the room (that’s me).” Sometimes the saddest messages come packaged in a hype beat that people can go crazy to, and “911 / Mr. Lonely” is pure evidence of that. But, in keeping with his diverse and wide ranging style, he does make some interesting references in the song, including one for a certain wealthy entrepreneur. SO to Elon Musk

The title track on Tyler’s debut mixtape “Bastard” is a force of nature that packs a real punch to the gut. Over the course of nine chilling verses, “Bastard” unfolds as a therapy session between Tyler and his imaginary psychiatrist Dr. TC, whom he has been forced by his schoolteacher to speak with. Marked by a repeating piano chord and piercing synth notes, the song recounts Tyler’s traumatic upbringing, which includes being abandoned by his father, getting picked on at school and battling depression. It was the industry’s intro to Tyler as a solo artist, and boy was it an up-close and personal first peek at the rapper to come.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

“Sandwitches” (2011)

“IFHY” (2013)

“See You Again” (2017)

“I Think” (2019)

“I Ain’t Got Time” (2017)

Tyler’s trademark song first went viral after Kanye Tweeted that it was “the video of 2011”. “Yonkers,” which is named after the city in New York State, was intended to mock New York style beats. The track plays out as a dialogue with his evil alter ego Wolf Haley. Although it has garnered critical acclaim, it has also earned infamy most notably for its controversial one-take music video, which features threats against Bruno Mars and Hayley Williams, a questionable snack and a noose. It was only a forewarning to the odd future the world was about to become immersed in through Tyler and OFWGKTA’s vision, and “Yonkers” captures that breaking point.