Flower Boy: A 3-Song Thematic Dissection
In an unexpected move that sure left his fan base and naysayers joining hands in rejoice, Tyler, The Creator made an album; and it wasn’t about misogyny, rape, or anarchy. The angsty days of yelling for shock value were mostly gone for the then 26-year-old artist and his focus realigned. Or maybe he grew up. In 2017, Tyler dropped his fourth studio album, Flower Boy, a self-produced, conceptual project in which the rapper aimed to showcase his capabilities as a musician that can make quality music, that is worth critical acclaim; and well, he succeeded. Flower Boy debuted at #2 on the Billboard 200 charts, selling 106,000 copies in its first week—a personal best for The Creator, and was nominated for Best Rap Album of the Year at the 2018 Grammys. In this Narrative, I will be dissecting four songs from the record to explore certain thematic nuances that may offer insight into the album’s purpose and detail my own personal experiences when listening to each. *Disclaimer: I’m not Tyler or anyone that claims to fully understand what this album is about. I believe that only he knows what it’s truly about and it should be left up to your interpretation, but read along if you need guidance.
