In a recent interview with Maverick Carter for his series Mavericks, Tyler, The Creator shared his thoughts on the current state of hip-hop, taking a critical stance against "meme" rappers and those who gain popularity without genuine musical talent. “I don’t wanna seem like a hater. Sometimes I have hater energy ’cause I just think I’m that good,” Tyler admitted. “I love this art form so much, bro, and there are so many people out right now who aren’t real musicians but are being treated like they are because they make meme records. Publicly, they’ll say, ‘I don’t care about music.

I just do this for money.’ It’s like the Spider-Man meme—everyone points fingers, and then the media is like, ‘Yeah, let’s promote that.’ They’re taking up space from artists like me.”


Tyler specifically took aim at St. Louis-based rapper Ian, who is often criticized by hip-hop fans for being a copycat of Gucci Mane or for posing as a rapper. Although Tyler didn’t mention Ian by name, his comments made it clear who he was referring to. "This white kid, a regular Caucasian man, is out here mocking Future and Gucci Mane—mocking rap music," Tyler said. "It just feels... off to me, especially compared to someone like Mac Miller or Eminem, who had a genuine love for the culture and still became huge."

Tyler’s concerns about the hip-hop scene and artists like Ian are not new. Many fans, critics, and fellow rappers have long lamented the lack of creativity in mainstream hip-hop. Although Ian is just the latest example, he has gained attention quickly, thanks in part to endorsements from artists like Lil Yachty, which have helped boost his career.

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During the interview, Tyler also expressed frustration with how quickly fans label an album as "mid" after just one listen, especially on social media. “When artists release something, music is the last thing people talk about,” he noted. Additionally, Tyler took a moment to reflect on a past feud with Eminem, acknowledging that he feels he owes the legendary rapper an apology.

The full interview is available to watch on the SpringHill YouTube channel.