First Listen: Tyler, the Creator, Flower Boy

The irony of doing a first listen on an album that was unofficially leaked two weeks ago is not lost on Hot Press. Still, for those of you who have not already heard the newest release by Tyler, The Creator, the album is officially up for purchase and streaming on all of your favourite services as of today.
Of course, the biggest news that has come out of this album is the way that Tyler, the Creator is hinting that he might be homosexual. Tyler, the Creator is known for writing his lyrics from the perspective of different characters. So, the chances of this being a legitimate confession are slim. Honestly, this whole toying with being gay seems like some sort of publicity stunt to try and generate interest for an artist that is on his 4th album, thereby making him positively ancient by rap standards.
This is a shame. The way that mainstream rap approaches homosexuality needs to be addressed in a way other than merely a publicity stunt. So many rappers spend so much of their time posturing in such a display of hyper-masculinity that you cannot help but feel like at least some of them must be overcompensating for something. Still, nothing is going to progress on this issue within rap until it is actually taken seriously.
All that aside, the album varies from great to positively uninspired. Songs like ‘Who Dat Boy’ and ‘Mr. Lonely/911’ are good songs with slick production. ‘Boredom’ is… well, let’s just say it is aptly named. Fans of the artist are sure to find something to like in the album but you can hardly say that this album breaks new ground in the genre.
The issue of trying to grow when your first shtick is that you are a juvenile delinquent has plagued many artists. While this album has some great moments in it, it is evident that Tyler, The Creator is still searching for the answer to the question of growth.