Tyler The Creator has revealed the reason for the recent cancellation of tour dates in Ireland and the UK is because government officials in the have denying him entry to United Kingdom for the next 3-5 years, based on the content of his lyrics.
“BASED ON LYRICS FROM 2009 I AM NOT ALLOWED IN THE UK FOR 3-5 YEARS ( although i was there 8 weeks ago) THAT IS WHY THE SHOWS WERE CANCELLED,” Tyler tweeted after being forced to cancel shows in the UK and Ireland including a set at Reading and Leeds Festival.
“*listens to last three releases in confusion*” he added.
The Odd Future frontman’s manager Christian Clancy has since taken to tumblr to pen an official statement about the situation, saying Tyler was made aware of the ban in an official letter from the UK Secretary Of State, and expressed his displeasure with the decision.
“The letter specifically cites lyrics he wrote 6-7 years ago for his albums bastard and goblin – the type of lyrics he hasn’t written since,” Clancy wrote.
“Highlights from the letter include that his work ‘encourages violence and intolerance of homosexuality’ and ‘fosters hatred with views thats seek to provoke others to terrorist acts’.”
“i grew up on NWA, eminem and rage against the machine, so its hard to me to fully wrap my head this thought process and its implications.”
Recently, Australian activist group Collective Shout petitioned Immigration Minister Peter Dutton to ban Tyler The Creator from entering Australia and touring. While Tyler was not officially banned, the tour promoters Frontier cancelled his visit in light of the controversy.
According to Clancy, Tyler has been to the UK around 20 times over the past five years without any Government intervention. Still, the manager stopped short of defending Tyler’s earlier lyrics saying, “they make me cringe”, but he did add, “the fact that he has evolved into someone who has acknowledged and grown out of that is simply lost in the narrative.”
The rapper is set to embark on tours in Japan and South Korea next month before starting a tour with A$AP Rocky.
BASED ON LYRICS FROM 2009 I AM NOT ALLOWED IN THE UK FOR 3-5 YEARS ( although i was there 8 weeks ago) THAT IS WHY THE SHOWS WERE CANCELLED.
— T (@tylerthecreator) August 26, 2015
*listens to last three releases in confusion*
— T (@tylerthecreator) August 26, 2015
Read Clancy’s whole statement below (via tumblr):
“tyler has been banned from entering the UK for somewhere between 3 to 5 years per a letter from the secretary of state for the home department of the united kingdom. the letter specifically cites lyrics he wrote 6-7 years ago for his albums bastard and goblin – the type of lyrics he hasn’t written since… highlights from the letter include that his work “encourages violence and intolerance of homosexuality” and “fosters hatred with views thats seek to provoke others to terrorist acts..” i grew up on NWA, eminem and rage against the machine, so its hard to me to fully wrap my head this thought process and its implications.
to say that i am confused would be an understatement. can you imagine being beholden to things you said when you were 18? tyler has been to the UK over 20x in the last 5 years without incident (shows, in stores, meet and greets). we rented out a movie theatre last month in London for a private showing of napoleon dynamite for his fans. literally last month.
more importantly, this is a broader issue of free speech, with new lines being drawn that include reaching back in time without acknowledging growth. in fact, punishing growth. what i do know is tyler is part of an argument that is counter to who he has become. how do you punish someone for growing up? since the letter acknowledged he was writing from an alter ego perspective does this then apply to book writers? the fact that he has evolved into someone who has acknowledged and grown out of that is simply lost in the narrative. is he not worthy of the pat on the back for becoming aware and making changes? what message does that send? is race a conscious or subconscious factor at all?
theres a lot to absorb and understand, but while he gets painted as some sort of anti christ i want to make sure people know the facts, which are that he hasn’t delved into those lyrics in years – he writes songs about cars and spreading your wings. he doesn’t drink or smoke, he owns his own businesses, he takes care of his family and friends, he’s honest, grateful, aware, fearless, intelligent, and inspiring. his shows serve as a release, not acts of aggression.
is he perfect? absolutely not. he’s a human evolving like the rest of us, and evolution is a process, not a light switch.
im not defending his OLD lyrics. to be honest they make me cringe, but i stand beside him because of who he actually IS. our 8 year old daughter, who is constantly inspired by him, said it best; “why would they ban tyler? that makes no sense.“
