Videos by According2HipHop
Jay-Z, the music executive, has helped launch the careers of several hip-hop heavyweights. J. Cole, Cam’ron, and Beanie Sigel are just a few of the people he helped catapult to superstardom. In a recently released interview with DJ Drama, rap star Tyler, the Creator revealed that he and Odd Future nearly signed a deal with the Roc Nation Boss.
Tyler The Creator Reveals That Jay-Z Tried to Sign Him
During the interview, Tyler explained how Hov invited him and the rest of the group to Los Angeles. To convince them to sign a deal with him. But he says that they ultimately chose not to because they wanted “creative control” of their music.
“He invited us to one of his LA homes, and we just ate tacos. He wanted to sign us,” Tyler explained in a clip caught by Kurrco on X. “I was like, ‘Man, you’re cool, but no.’ […] , ‘I just want creative control and to do everything. I don’t want the shiny plane, right now I just want to sit on Photoshop, make weird beats, and I’ll get there.’”
Tyler, The Creator recalls the time he and Odd Future turned down a record deal from JAY-Z to maintain creative control:
— Kurrco (@Kurrco) June 2, 2026
“He invited us to one of his LA homes and we just ate tacos. He wanted to sign us. I was like, 'Man, you're cool, but no.' […] I was like, 'I just want… pic.twitter.com/v2onnyptYv
Of course, once the clip went viral, fans on social media had a lot to say about Tyler’s decision.
“Most of his crew are struggling. He’s the only one that made it so idk why n****s are praising him in the comments,” one person wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“What’s the point of being an artist if you can’t have creative control of what you make?” a second user chimed in.
“This is what a real creator sounds like. Most of y’all that call yourselves artists or “creators” are just workers who get told what to do,” a third user remarked.
Do you think that Tyler made the right decision by deciding not to sign with Jay-Z?
