Tyler The Creator stopped by the Hot 97 studios in New York recently for a sitdown with Funkmaster Flex that ended with a wild display of Tyler’s freestyle talent. After an hour and 20 minutes of “honest conversation” which results in Tyler calling his host a geek, the conversation naturally turns to whether or not Tyler will drop some bars. He goofs around with his phone a minute but ultimately relents, delivering some of the wildest bars the veteran radio host has ever heard or reacted to.
It’s clear that Tyler, unlike many rappers placed on the spot for radio freestyle time, really is kicking lines off the top of his head, as he incorporates bits of their conversation in his bars and unloads some pretty wild punchlines that make Flex wave his arms in resignation. Among them: The claim that Tyler would switch places in Sweden jail with his friend ASAP Rocky by growing braids, getting identical tattoos, and impersonating Rocky for the sole purpose of having jail sex and an over-the-top flex involving Tyler’s lament of never being included in discussions of Black businessmen in hip-hop despite his (many) successful business ventures and brands. He also addresses his early rough reputation: “Goblin out now, bitch, buy it.”
The stop-and-start delivery is offset by Tyler’s incredible rap voice and unimpeachable flexes. Tyler shows he’s one of rap’s premiere talents with his eyebrow-raising bars, even as he slowly inches his way into more pop territory musically with albums like the recently released Igor.
