Last month Tyler, The Creator was banned from entering the UK by the home office
The UK home office released an official statement on their reasoning for restricting the rapper’s entry to the country stating that Tyler had “Brought [himself] within the scope of the list of unacceptable behaviour by making statements that may foster hatred, which might lead to intercommunity violence in the UK.” Going on to say that “[His] albums Bastard, in 2009, and Goblin, in 2011, are based on the premise of [Tyler] adopting a mentally unstable alter ego who describes violent physical abuse, rape and murder in graphic terms which appears to glamourise this behaviour.”
In a recent interview with The Guardian Tyler has offered his own views on the matter. Relating back to his recent ban from Australia he has called the British government followers saying “Everyone is a follower, just following what other countries are doing. Now I’m getting treated like a terrorist…” Seemingly frustrated, he added, “The thing that irks me about it is that the paper saying I am denied entry to the UK clearly states that these songs were written from [the perspective of] an alter ego – which means they obviously did some research on these songs that they’re detaining me for. So the argument is right there!”
Elsewhere in the interview talks about the broader issues surrounding censorship and freedom of speech, “Why don’t they ban authors? Writers who write these mystery books about people getting raped and sabotaged and murdered and brainwashed – why don’t they ban them?” He questions, “There are rallies of neo-Nazis in parts of England. And then you’re telling me I can’t come there because of some bullshit song, but you got motherfuckers with swastikas rallying down the street actually promoting hate?”
You can read the full article over on The Guardian now.
