Social media is blowing up this week with speculation that rapper Tyler, the Creator – long accused of being homophobic – comes out as gay or bisexual on his new album, Scum F**k Flower Boy.
The album, which officially drops on July 21 but was leaked online this past weekend, has fans poring over lyrics.
On “I Ain’t Got Time,” the 26-year-old raps: “Next line will have them like, ‘woah’ / I been kissing white boys since 2004.”
On “Garden Shed,” he raps: “Garden shed for the garçons / Them feelings I was guardin’ heavy on my mind / All my friends lost / They couldn't read the signs / I didn't wanna talk and tell 'em my location / And they ain't wanna walk / Truth is, since a youth kid, thought it was a phase / Thought it'd be like the Frank; poof, gone / But, it's still goin' on.”
The track “Who Dat Boy” includes this line: “You can give me some markers and I’ll draw you a closet.”
At the time of this posting, Tyler, the Creator has not publicly addressed the speculation.
On Twitter, there's been – refreshingly – mostly one big shrug.
Speculation about whether the Odd Future co-founder (whose real name is Tyler Okonma) is coming out is only making headlines because he has previously sparked protests and calls for boycotts due to lyrics that many have interpreted as hate speech.
On his 2011 debut album Goblin, Tyler, the Creator used the word “f****t” more than 200 times.
In 2015, Britain denied him entry because his music “encourages violence and intolerance of homosexuality” and “fosters hatred.”
Australian officials deemed him “a potential threat to public order and the public interest.” In response to being banned Down Under, Tyler, the Creator released “F**k It” with these lyrics: “How can I be misogynist / Love titties and ass / How can I be homophobic / When my boyfriend’s a f**?”
Last month, organizers of Toronto’s NXNE festival cancelled an appearance by Tyler, the Creator due to “circumstances beyond our control.” He was replaced by homegrown (and openly gay) artist Kaytranada.
All the speculation on social media this week is a bit rich considering Tyler, the Creator has never avoided the subject of his sexuality.
“I TRIED TO COME OUT THE DAMN CLOSET LIKE FOUR DAYS AGO,” he tweeted in 2015. “AND NO ON CARED HAHAHHAHAHA”
In a Rolling Stone interview, in which he describes himself as “gay as f**k,” he is quoted saying: “My friends are so used to me being gay. They don’t even care.”
Then again, Tyler, the Creator has courted controversy before – so those lines on his new album might be tongue-in-cheek.
“I'm very, very self-aware,” he told Rolling Stone. “Sometimes I look at things from out of body and try to see both sides. It's hilarious just to watch reactions. I do it in a way where people don't be too offended, but it's still funny.
“It's just f**king with people; sometimes making people uncomfortable is good … loosen up.”