Tyler, The Creator Performs “911,” Talks Writing Important Material, Grabs Stephen Colbert’s Butt

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Tyler, The Creator managed to be both a bit immature, a little bombastic, pretty damn hilarious, and then quite serious on Colbert last night. He began by grabbing the late night host’s ass (perhaps being a bit inappropriate… in odd recognition of some of the more widely discussed, nuanced sexuality oriented stuff on his new album…Flower Boy?).

He then went on to discuss how his fashion icon is Elizabeth Taylor. “Her use of coral is crazy. She’s dead now, though.” He explained that he doesn’t know her films, but rather “found a book one day, lurking in Barnes and Noble, thought ‘oh my God, this little white lady’s got some nice stuff,’ and called it a day.”

When Colbert asked him to talk about his new album, his response, merely, was, “it’s out.” And when Colbert mentioned that critics have indeed deemed this album the “maturing” of Tyler, The Creator, though, he finally became serious at the opportunity to talk about his art, and said, “I didn’t want to rap a lot on it. I kept all my rap versus short, and everything I said I made sure it was really ridiculously important. I think that’s what people kinda like about it this time around. Cause, there’s like nothing funny on it.”

He then went on to perform “911,” a song that reveals simultaneities of self-inflation and insecurity, and a compensatory mode of being masking vulnerability. “I’m the loneliest man alive/But I keep on dancing to throw ’em off.” He sang beneath a neon yellow bee and a group of dancers, who certainly made that loneliness look like a party.

Watch the performance:

Watch his chat with Colbert: