Controversial rapper Tyler, The Creator designs pro-gay shirt
Tyler, The Creator has launched a pro-gay rights t-shirt in order to tackle homophobia. The t-shirt features a combination of a Neo-Nazi symbol and the gay pride flag, part of his line of merchandise entitled Golf Wang.
The Odd Future rapper is notoriously famous for his use homophobic language with multiple accusations of homophobia throughout his hip-hop career. Tyler was heavily criticised for using the word “faggot” over 200 times on his 2011 debut album Goblin, with both LGBT campaigners and Canadian music artists, Tegan & Sara.
Tyler took to his Tumblr to announce the new merchandise, writing: “Now it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that these guys aren’t fans of Blacks, Gays, Asians or anything else that doesn’t fit in ‘white’ box’.”
“I asked myself some questions: What if a black guy wore this logo on a shirt? Would he be promoting self hate? Would he be taking the power out of a shape? What if a gay guy wore this on a shirt? Would he promoting Homophobia? Then BAM! I Had it. Throw a little rainbow in the logo.”
Tyler continues and confesses within the post that he is “one of the least homophobic guys to walk this earth but, most people just read the surface.”
Tyler has previously responsed to his homophobic accusations, saying, “I have gay fans and they don’t really take it offensive, so I don’t know. If it offends you, it offends you. If you call me a n***a, I really don’t care, but that’s just me, personally. Some people might take it the other way, I personally don’t give a shit.”
The promotional picture used features Tyler holding hands with another male, both wearing the t-shirts. Tyler is hoping that the t-shirt causes a certain controversy and positive message writing in his Tumblr post: “The thing that tops it off is the homo erotic tone of the hand holding, which to some degree HAS to piss off the guys who takes this logo serious. This made the photo even more important to me, because it was me playing with the idea of taking the power out of something so stupid.”
For more information on the t-shirt, visit Tyler’s fashion collective website, www.golfwang.com. The Odd Future member released his surprise album ‘Cherry Bomb’ last month (April 13).
WORDS BY JACK RATTENBURY