During a recent appearance on DJ Drama's Gangsta Grillz Podcast on Audible, Tyler The Creator dropped a major bombshell about his early days in the music industry. The 32-year-old rapper revealed that both Jay-Z and Diddy had offered him record deals before he found success on his own, but he turned them down for a very specific reason, Complex reports.

According to Tyler, Jay-Z invited him and his crew to one of his Los Angeles homes, where they enjoyed tacos together. During their time together, Jay-Z expressed interest in signing Tyler to his label. However, the young rapper declined the offer, along with another one from Diddy, because he wanted to maintain sole creative control over his business.

“Him, Puff… a lot of people were interested… I don't know, I just want creative control and do everything,” Tyler explained to DJ Drama.

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Despite turning down the deals, Tyler The Creator and Jay-Z went on to build a strong relationship. They collaborated on Frank Ocean's track “Biking” in 2017, and Tyler has praised Jay-Z for giving him “ill advice” over the years. He admires Jay-Z's youthful and fun spirit, seeing him as a geek, which Tyler views as an essential and admirable quality.

Tyler The Creator has certainly thrived as an independent artist. With albums like Goblin, Wolf, and Flower Boy, he steadily built a dedicated fanbase and established his unique artistic vision. In 2019, he achieved a significant milestone with his album IGOR, which became his first No. 1 album.

Turning down deals from rap legends like Jay-Z and Diddy was a bold move for Tyler, but it ultimately allowed him to maintain control over his creative process and carve his own path to success. As he continues to evolve as an artist, fans can look forward to more innovative and authentic music from the talented rapper.