Tyler, The Creator Apologizes To Eminem For Judging His ‘Recovery’ Album
Tyler, The Creator is walking back some of his previous criticism of Eminem’s pivotal album Recovery.
In a recent interview with Maverick Carter on the podcast Maverics, Tyler, The Creator reflected on his past criticism of Eminem’s 2010 album Recovery with a sense of regret. Known for his candid nature and outspoken opinions, Tyler admitted that his harsh words toward the album stemmed from a limited perspective, acknowledging that his younger self may not have fully understood the context in which the album was created.
At the time, Tyler publicly expressed disdain for the project, describing it as “wack” and stating that he “f###ing hated it.” However, referencing the Netflix series that highlights the opioid crisis and how it affected millions of people, including Eminem, the CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST lyricist says the show gave him a new lens through which to view the album.
“After watching [Painkillers], I felt so bad about those tweets,” Tyler, The Creator explained. “Thinking from [Eminem’s] perspective… him getting off drugs and being clean… and me implying this s### is [bad], he probably felt like I was attacking him.”
Tyler expressed regret for not considering what the album signified for Eminem’s personal journey and admitted that his younger self was too focused on wanting to hear the type of music that made him fall in love with the Detroit MC in his earlier years.
“And my f###### young stupid ass was like, ‘I want to hear the ‘Same Song And Dance”, and ‘I love the Eminem Show’, but he’s not there anymore,” he said. “I felt terrible. And if I ever see him, I want to tell him that in.”
The emotional weight of this realization became even more significant when Tyler confessed how much Eminem had influenced him.
“That dude taught me how to rap,” he said “I learned how to put words together in rhythm because of some of the Eminem stuff I was hearing and storytelling and things like that.”
Recovery was not only a personal triumph for Eminem but also a commercial success. The album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, selling over 741,000 copies in its first week alone. It went on to sell more than 10 million copies worldwide, earning double platinum certification from the RIAA.
Additionally, Recovery received the Grammy Award for Best Rap Album in 2011, while its hit singles, “Not Afraid” and “Love the Way You Lie,” became anthems and dominated radio airwaves.
Watch the interview clip above.