For his first in-depth chat about his Grammy-nominated 2017 album Scum Fuck Flower Boy, Tyler, the Creator was joined by comedian Jerrod Carmichael. The hour-long special, dubbed Flower Boy: A Conversation, was directed by noted Tyler alter-ego Wolf Haley and sees the two discussing the critically acclaimed 14-track album in fascinating detail.
"For Cherry Bomb, I purposely was like 'I don't wanna get personal at all,' like, 'I'm just gonna make songs,'" Tyler revealed at the very top of the video. "And in this, I was like, 'Alright, let me write down every feeling.'" For the Scum Fuck writing and recording sessions, which kicked off in late 2015, Tyler turned to pop music for inspiration. Specifically, Tyler studied the work of Max Martin, Pharrell, and Justin Timberlake. Tyler, a known non-enjoyer of clubs, even hit up a club with Taco to study attendees' reactions.
"I'm not depressed at all," Tyler explained of the album's introspective lyrical approach, which he says has been misinterpreted. "A lot of people mix up depression with self-awareness. Like someone's like, 'Dude, this album's depressing,' and I'm like 'No, I never said I was depressed.' I'm lonely, but I'm having the most fun of my goddamn life."
The cinematic vibes of the Frank-featuring "Where This Flower Blooms," Tyler added, was initially more representative of the entire album. "I wanted this album to sound like a Disney score, just like very magical, my perfect little indie movie and fucking whatever," he said. "Sound like the album cover looks like, but it turned into, you know, what it turned into."
Watch Flower Boy: A Conversation in full, which also includes the revelation that "911/Mr. Lonely" went through 25 different versions, up top.
