Dissect - S4E13 - Season Finale: Flower Boy

Episode Date: July 16, 2019

After a thorough recap of the album’s narrative, we draw some final conclusions about the themes of Flower Boy and dissect the album’s cover art and title. We then hear from you, the Dissect audience, sharing their biggest takeaways from the album. Purchase limited Season 4 merchandise at shop.dissectpodcast.com. Stay in touch over the break by following @dissectpodcast on Twitter and Instagram. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From Spotify Studios, this is Dissect, long-form musical analysis broken into short digestible episodes. I'm your host, Cole Kushner. Today we conclude our season-long analysis of Flower Boy by Tyler the Creator. We've got a lot to unpack today, so I thought I'd start the show by giving you a rundown of today's episode. We're going to begin with one last summary of the album's narrative from start to finish, discussing how each song contributes to the album's overarching themes and central story. We'll then spend some time dissecting Flower Boy's cover art, album title, and main thematic symbols, and see how all these play into the message Flower Boy attempts to convey.

Finally, we'll move into my favorite part of the entire season, hearing from you, the dissect audience, sharing your thoughts on the album. And so with that, and for the final time this season, let's dissect. How many cars can I buy until I run out of drive? How much drive can I have until I run out of road? How much road can they pave until I run out of a line? Flower Boy begins with the track Forward. Like a forward, this song is not officially a part of the album's narrative, rather it comments on the story about to unfold. Tyler here takes the opportunity

to lay out the album's central themes, including his materialistic intuitions, his chronic loneliness, his anxiety about the future, and hints at the general isolation he feels due to his closeted sexual identity. Tyler also lays out two of the album's reoccurring symbols, his sports car and nature. As you remember, we interpreted the sports car to represent the material and the superficial, the things Tyler indulges in to cope with his loneliness and fill the void he feels within. Natural elements like flowers, the ocean, and trees represent the meaningful, the things he finds beautiful and wishes to assimilate into his life. Over the course of the album, these two symbols, the material and the natural, will sit on Tyler's shoulders like

angel and devil, hero and villain, each influencing Tyler and pushing him toward their respective objectives. Having laid out these themes and symbols, the narrative of Flower Boy begins proper with the album's second track, Where This Flower Blooms. Where This Flower Blooms is where this flower blooms. Where this flower blooms is, something like character development, Tyler begins with his childhood roots in poverty, his origin story. He then flashed forwards to the moment in which he found success and transcended the expectations of a young impoverished black man. While this is the end of one kind of story, for Tyler, it's just the beginning. As foreshadowed on forward, Tyler's new life of wealth and

fame will present a number of challenges for him to overcome. At the end of where this flower Bloom's second verse, we hear Tyler drive off in a sports car, signaling the beginning of the album's car ride narrative. The album's falling in a sportistic to millionaire, seeing and doubt it because my skin is dark, then they forget when I get in my car. The album being set as a car ride is a clever narrative tool with strong thematic implications. Driving a sports car, specifically a McLaren sports car, Tyler's literally the embodiment of wealth, wealth that he finds solace and confidence in.

But again, as foreshadowed on forward, we already suspect this comfort to have its limitations. It's also not clear exactly where Tyler's final destination is, where he's driving to, a kind of metaphor for the aimlessness of Tyler's current life in general. And where this flower blooms final verse, Tyler likens his rags to Rich's story to a tree sprouting from seeds. But the verse ends abruptly, a cliffhanger of sorts. If life birdie and the bees dropping them seeds, not what you own. You don't know what I keep in the trunk. Tyler is hiding something in his trunk, an analogy that bridges both of the album's main symbols,

the trunk of his sports car and the trunk of a tree. Tyler's hiding something, as well as the subject matter of Forward, plants a seed in our mind that all is not well in the ragged to Rich's story he laid out on where this flower blooms. Indeed, this is just the beginning of the album's narrative, and we're left to wonder what exactly Tyler might be. hiding. Flyer Boy continues with the interlude sometimes, where we hear a radio station host take a request from a listener. Hello? Okay, well since you want to be Mr. fucking secret agent, what song you want to hear?

The one about me? This transitions directly into See You Again, implying that the song is about the male caller we just heard. precision I wonder if you look both ways when you cross my mind. Positioned as a daydream Tyler is having while driving, See You Again establishes Tyler's fantasy love interest to exist only in his dreams. We interpreted this as a manifestation of Tyler's loneliness he feels in the waking world, a place he likens to war on the song's hook. We also noticed how Tyler compared this person's looks to natural elements, most notably rose-tinted

cheeks and dirt-colored eyes. Of course, this falls in line with the recurring nature symbolism that reinterpreted as being meaningful, making clear that the lack of love in Tyler's life is contributing to the void he feels within. Though it's not entirely clear at this point, see you again, establishes Flower Boy's end goal, the goal that Tyler will seek to fulfill by the album's end. Tyler does not have love in his real life. It's literally the subject of his dreams. In order for his dream to become reality, to find love in the waking world, he must evaluate himself, his life, and as alluded to by the male caller, his sexuality. With his aim established, Tyler's journey begins, though straight away it becomes clear that Tyler is looking for this

love interest in all the wrong places. Indeed, Flower Boy continues with the song Hu Dat Boy, a dramatic musical and thematic U-turn from the vulnerability of See You Again. Who That Boy is all sports car, all superficial ego and bravado. Yo, Who dat boy? Who him is? Him that knit. I swear. Standout guy.

Him don't need no chair. Well, what the fuck him at? Because, nigga I'm right here. Alongside guest Asap Rocky, Who That Boy is filled with brags about material goods and wealth. Thus, the two songs See You Again and Who That Boy become large form expressions of the album's two contrasting symbols, the material and the natural. See You Again is all known.

nature, all meaning and love. Who That Boy is all sports car, all materialism and ego. Again, these symbols are competing for dominance in Tyler's psyche and decision making. Who That Boy ends with Tyler ignoring his mother's advice to keep his ego in check, instead accelerating away in his McLaren's sports car. Got too much bread to make. She said, watch my way. So I stay home and start eating some meals, get out of my way, way. Boy, that's McLaren at zero to 60 and two point new way. I'm gone. Just moments later, Tyler hits a pothole, which leads directly into the song by the same name. Hohombe, that some niggas ain't my right hand to trust her only my heart and that elder white man.

Hitting a pothole snaps Tyler out of his ego-fueled joyride. He reconsider his mother's advice and begins to examine the things around him in a different light. Rather than indulge with friends like Aesap Rocky, who now in retrospect appears to represent a bad influence, Tyler begins to consider whether or not certain people in his life are potholes impeding on his progress in personal evolution. As you'll remember, we compared this to the act of pruning one's garden, removing dead leaves in order for new life to grow. At the end of pothole, Tyler is forced to pull over to the side of the road

as we suspect that his car might be damaged. Tyler exiting his sports car after a song about removing bad influences from his life is a moment of symbolism that should not be lost on us and one we should keep in the back of our minds as we continue analyzing the album's narrative. We heard Tyler open a door and enter what we assumed to be a garden shed, leading into the song by the same name. As track seven of 14, garden shed is positioned as the album's centerpiece, the exact middle point. In traditional film structure, the halfway point typically contains some pivotal event often dubbed the point of no return, an event so significant that the protagonist cannot turn back,

cannot return to their life as it once was at the beginning of the film. It fully locks them into their journey and to their established goal. For me, Garden Shed is that event in the narrative of Flower Boy. It's here that Tyler acknowledges his sexuality as not strictly heterosexual, and implies that his lifelong attraction to men is something that he struggled to fully acknowledge. He speaks of having sexual relations with women just so he can brag to his friends, who seem unperceptive to his true sexual orientation. And so in terms of the album's narrative, Garden Shed is a moment of crystallization, a formal acknowledgement of a part of himself that Tyler once kept closeted. This of course ties into the song's title, Garden Shed, which is essentially

an outdoor closet. We also notice that like See You Again, Garden Shed exclusively uses nature symbolism to express its message, making clear that this is a moment of meaning. But despite the song's significance, we also understand that garden shed is not the end of Tyler's story, rather it's a kind of new beginning. That's because Tyler has acknowledged this part of himself in privacy, inside the walls of his garden shed. This of course is no small feat, but the next step in Tyler's journey is to now work to express as part of himself to someone else, specifically the male love interest we heard about and see you again. Flower Boy continues with Tyler still inside the walls of his garden shed. It's here that we hear about the effects that seclusion and isolation have on Tyler,

as it inspires the album's next track, Boredom. While Bortem begins as a lighthearted meditation on the effects of Bortem, the song slowly increases in emotional intensity. By the end of the second verse, Tyler's isolation and loneliness hits a low point. Tyler expresses estrangement from his friends, his deep-seated loneliness and his aimlessness. At the end of the verse, Tyler mutters to himself, Damn, I got to get out of here. Again, we remember that, narratively speaking,

Tyler is still in isolation. This isolation has driven him to a kind of emotional breaking point, and at the end of boredom, we hear just how Tyler chooses to escape his emotional turmoil. Your eyes over. we got some tickets to see them right now we got some new music only here on golf radio it would seem that the loneliness and uncertainty brought on by his isolation was getting to be too much for tyler to handle after the apparent breakthrough that was garden shed we now find tyler digressing back to his old

defense mechanisms he gets back into a sports car which we know he uses as an emotional protective shield and speeds off and just like hoodat boy tyler avoids dealing with his underlying issues by parades parading his ego and creating chaos, both of which are expressed in Flyer Boy's next track, I Ain't Got Time. Like Who That Boy, I Ain't Got Time is a personification of the sports car Tyler is driving. It's a mask or shield against the vulnerability he feels within. Narratively, we view this as a regression in the progress Tyler seemed to be making on pothole and garden shed.

Those songs had Tyler on a trajectory of ascension. With boredom and I ain't got time, Tyler's beginning. beginning to descend, a downward trajectory that will continue throughout the album's next few tracks. At the end of I ain't got time, Tyler is snapped out of his conceited fantasy by a phone call he receives. We hear Tyler's ringtone, and if you listen carefully, the sounds of his vehicle's engine. We then hear Tyler say, what the fuck, as he likely looks at the caller ID. Tyler then answers his phone. Hello?

Having answered the phone, Flower Boy continues with a track that immediately acknowledged. this phone call. Despite its danceability, 9-1-1-M-Loney continues the emotional dissent we heard since the revelation of Garden Shed. Described by Tyler as being the saddest song he's ever written, 911 Mr. Lonely unpacks Tyler's loneliness with a clarity and introspection we haven't heard since the album opener forward. Indeed, the song begins with a phone call, but by the midway point, we hear a dead signal tone. It's a misconnection. This misconnection triggers an extended rap verse that finds Tyler insightfully analyzing his anxiety, loneliness, and materialism.

...company purchased things till I'm annoyed. These items just filling the floor. Been feeling it for so long, I don't even know if it's shit I enjoy. Current bad doors and that door, my partner is a shat door. I need love. Do you got some uncle on fucking I can find some of them all bro. But that never comes like a vasectomy, what if I done? I got the talent that face and the funds for myself wrong ago, but I haven't found some one.

Here, Tyler identifies that his habitual purchasing of material goods is used to fill the void caused by the lack of meaning in his life, a void believed could and should be filled with love. Again, not since the album opened or forward have we heard such insight into Tyler's psyche, and we also remember that forward was a preface, not officially part of the album's narrative. On 911 Mr. Lonely, Tyler finally articulates to himself the root of his anxiety and loneliness. Thus, Tyler's downward spiral continues until he hits rock bottom on the song November. On November, we find Tyler yearning back to November. He wishes to return to his personal November, a metaphor we know stands in for a time when he was

happy. This is the opposite of forward progress and evolution. Tyler is literally wishing. to go backwards in time. In terms of a narrative arc and a character's overall development, one can't get much lower than this. The song itself begins with a series of questions, almost identical in execution to the album's first track forward. having until I run out of road. How much road can they pave until I run out of land? How much land can it be until I run in the ocean? Niggas go with the emotions and all the plan. Knowing that forward occurs before the album's narrative begins and that its utility is to foreshadow things to come in the story. The series of questions that begins November is a full-circle moment, a return to the

album's beginning. To draw another film comparison, this is similar to a mysterious opening scene in a movie, one that doesn't totally make sense at the time but foreshadowed things to come. Later in the film, we return to that same scene, and now having the context of events that led up to that scene, things snap into place. Just like Forward, Tyler asked rhetorical questions about his life. But whereas Forward looked forward and foreshadowed things to come, November looks backwards, as Tyler several times directly references songs and lines from Flower Boy. At the end of November's first verse, we hear a critical plot point to the album's narrative. We know that since the song I ain't got time, Tyler's been behind the wheel of his

sports car driving toward an unknown destination. A metaphor we suspect stands in for Tyler's life in general. The concluding lines of the verse we just heard state, quote, tell me what's your November? Is it a person? Mine was the summer of six. I remember the. Tyler's unable to finish this sentence and instead we hear a loud car horn. Tyler's daydreaming about November has just distracted him from the road, and he nearly hits another vehicle. The scare of a near collision gives Tyler a snapshot of his mortality, inspiring him to pull over the car. He says, What if I thought the brake was the gas? What if I crashed? What if these deep thoughts was my last? Let me pull over quick. Now on the side of the road, Tyler stalled. He's lost all momentum,

no longer driving forward. And as November continues, the downward spiral tightens, and we get the darkest, most turbulent passage of the entire album. This is the moment of crisis of the narrative of Flower Boy. Tyler's desperate emotional screams are the summation of all the anxiety, turmoil, self-doubt, and confusion Tyler's expressed throughout the entire album. It's a scene in the film where our beaten and bruised hero is down for the count and must give every last ounce of strength and courage to overcome his obstacles. A voice says my November is right now.

A voice says, my November is right now. This comes in sharp contrast with November up until this point, which romantically emphasize the past. This emphasis on right now snaps Tyler out of his emotional tailspin. He now ceases his moment. I wrote a song about you, I want your opinion. I'll sit on my heart rate to slow down at the end of it. Still on the love that I got for you has exceeded appearance the lyrics on.

Matter of fact, I'm gonna just call you so you can hear it. Still on the side of the road, Tyler gets the courage to call his love interest in order to tell him how he feels. He does this in the form of a song, which he plans to play for him over the phone. His love interest doesn't pick up the phone, and the song ends with the sound of a voicemail message. Tyler then presses play on the song that he wrote for this person, the album's penultimate track, Tyler's album-long journey of self-examination, confrontation with his sexual identity, battling existential and romantic loneliness, all of what we've experienced on Flower Boy thus far has led to this moment. Tyler picks up the phone, calls this crush, and plays for them glitter,

an unabashed expression of his feelings for this person, and in a larger sense, his feelings for the same sex. In contrast with songs like Who dat boy and I Ain't Got Time, Tyler is now willing to be vulnerable, willing to put himself and his feelings on the line in the name of love, despite the potential for embarrassment, heartbreak, and rejection. He's no longer running, no longer driving away from his vulnerability. He's now on the side of the road, looking at straighten the eye. Of course, the irony of this beautiful and powerful moment is revealed at the song's end, when we hear a somewhat crushing voice message. You didn't get your message either because you were not speaking or because of a bad connection.

Tyler's voicemail didn't go through due to either a bad connection or because he wasn't actually speaking. Tyler expresses his frustration, which is followed by the album's final track, Enjoy Right Now Today. After the seemingly demoralizing news of his voicemail not going through at the end of glitter, Flower Boy concludes with an extended and hopeful instrumental, a track Tyler described as credits to a film. And then I was like, no, I can't end it with that. this album needs the credits.

Oh, is that what, oh, that's what sparked. And that's what enjoy. Because it was just like, that's over the, okay, is that U&P just kind of, how is that Enjoy Today right now is literally a beat that I've made in five minutes. Lina was there, we was going to trampoline road. I was like, wait. And that was the loop. And then added some chord, blah, blah, blah.

Added the middle part. Oh, shit, it's done. Left it there. Didn't touch it. When viewed this way, as credits to a film, and Joy Right Now Today functions as an extended aesthetic flourish, allowing us listeners to contemplate the album and the story we just heard. Most immediate on our minds is a mysterious ending to glitter, in which Tyler's voicemail fails to send due to either a bad connection or Tyler's failure to actually speak.

We wonder if this was all just playing out in his head, or perhaps simply the reception was bad. Either way, Flower Boy seems to end without resolution. all that Tyler has been through emotionally in order to make this phone call seems to have gone to waste. Of course, this is the conclusion we might reach if we weren't looking carefully at a few small narrative breadcrumbs Tyler plants in the album's final track. First, we have the song title, Enjoy Right Now Today. Just a few songs back on November, Tyler was wishing for yesterday, which stands in stark contrast with this emphasis on the moment in front of you, this notion of enjoy right now today. We also remember that Tyler snapped out of his emotional tailspin when a voice said, quote, My November is right now, which was followed immediately by Tyler seizing the moment and calling his crush.

The second narrative breadcrumb is found in the album's final six seconds. Remember, Tyler had pulled over to the side of the road after a near collision on the song November. It was there that he made the failed phone call on glitter. And finally, after nearly four minutes of instrumental music, enjoy right now today, ends like this. Tyler cuts the engine of his sports car, gets out of the vehicle, and takes two steps before the album ends abruptly. The implication here seems to be that Tyler is once again abandoning his sports car, perhaps this time for good. And if you can bear with me for just one more minute, there's a third and final narrative clue we need to consider before fully analyzing the narrative resolution of Flower Boy. This last clue is actually the album's cover art itself, which you likely know features Tyler standing on top of a hill and a field.

of sunflowers. He's surrounded by bees, a rainbow arcing across the golden hour sunset. In the distance below Tyler, a tiny white McLaren sports car sits on the side of a road, both of its suicide doors open. As we know, Tyler implies throughout Flower Boy, specifically on the song Hoodap Boy, that the car he's driving on the album is a McLaren. In real life, Tyler has owned at least three McLaren vehicles, one of which is white as depicted on the album cover. It seems clear that the album's cover art depicts Tyler fleeing his sports car in order to stand among the bees and flowers. And for me, this seems to be a direct narrative link from the end of the album, where we heard Tyler exit his car and take a few steps before the album ends abruptly. In my mind, the album art stands in

as the last piece of the puzzle, the final and lasting image of the album's narrative. Tyler abandoning his sports car once and for all to be among nature is no insignificant moment. It's the resolution of the two competing forces battling for Tyler's priority and attention throughout the entire album. The sports car represents materialism, ego, and superficial, impulsive pleasure, all the things Tyler indulged in to deny and avoid the internal emptiness and lack of meaning in his life. Natural objects like flowers, trees, the ocean, and bees represents meaning, beauty, and love. All the things Tyler felt his life was lacking despite his financial success. Having now completed our analysis of Flower Boy's narrative arc, we know Tyler's attempt to resolve this conflicting dichotomy led him on a journey of self-discovery, wherein he confronted things about himself he once avoided, including but not limited to his sexuality, the root cause of his chronic loneliness, and his materialistic impulses. Songs like Who That Boy and I Ain't Got Time express one path as life could take, a life of excess, indulgence and ego, a life of avoidance. We might view this as the the scum-fuck side of the album's full title,

Scum-Fuck Flower Boy. Songs like See You Again, Garden Shed, and Glitter expressed another possible path Tyler could take, a life of meaning, love, and truth, perhaps the flower boy side of the title, Scum-Fuck Flower Boy. And now in the final moments of the album, we finally have our answer.

Tyler realizes the car ride he's on is merely an illusion of forward progress, a hamster wheel of wasted momentum. Tyler exits his vehicle, he abandons his sports car, abandons the material, abandons, ego, indulgence, and excess. He now walks among the flowers, a bee among bees, a rainbow in the sky proudly behind him. He's quite literally entrenched in the meaningful side of the album's dichotomy. Tyler's made his decision. His transformation is complete.

Flower Boy has fully bloomed. Despite the potency of Flower Boy's end when viewed in its proper context, some of you, myself included, might be wondering just how Tyler was able to finally complete this transformation. Didn't the album essentially end in disappointment, with Tyler's big moment of calling his crush deflated by a misconnection? How could this lead Tyler to abandon his sports car to remain permanently among the natural? Having thought a lot about this, I finally came to realize that Tyler's transformation never had anything to do with his crush responding to his call. The transformation actually occurred the moment Tyler picked up the phone and made the call. It was his willingness to be vulnerable, his willingness to express his feelings.

that were previously inexpressible. His crush's response, or lack thereof, is but a footnote. Because this story was always about Tyler. This was always an evolution of self, an acceptance of self, a journey independent from his crush or anyone else for that matter. And it's exactly this newfound acceptance of self that allows Tyler to quote unquote enjoy right now today, that allows him to stop chasing yesterday, to stop worrying about tomorrow, and instead enjoy the moment in front of him. Because when you're comfortable with who you are, when you've confronted and made peace with the things about yourself that once fueled insecurity, there's no need for false ego. There's no need to purchase sports cars or material goods to boost yourself worth.

There's no need to wish for yesterday or fret about tomorrow. When you're comfortable in your own skin, when you know yourself and love that person unconditionally, you can enjoy right now today, where every day is November. Now, there's one last thing I'd like to address before. before we conclude our analysis of Tyler the creator's Flower Boy, and that's the large bees that planted over Tyler's face on the album's cover. As we discussed at length, nature symbolism is an important thematic and structural element in the album's architecture. But Tyler only once mentioned bees on Flower Boy, yet it's the symbol he chose to align himself with on the album's cover. This then, to me, warrant some consideration. Why would Tyler choose

to represent himself as bee? Well, there's a somewhat obvious connection to flowers. Bees and flowers have a reciprocal relationship. Bees need flowers for nectar, and flowers need bees for pollen and seeds. But let's also consider for a moment the public reputation of the bee. Imagine the buzzing of a bee as you hear when approaching. Imagine it now swarming around your face, hovering around your ear, landing on your arm. For most of us, this is a somewhat nerve-wracking experience. Of course, that's because bees can inflict in us a considerable amount of pain.

Bees can sting us. And so there's a kind of dualism inherent in the reputation of the bee. On one hand, bees spend most of their time searching for flowers and other crops from which they can extract nectar, simultaneously transferring pollen and seeds, helping these flowers and crops procreate. We literally depend on them for our survival. On the other hand, bees are feared when in the presence of humans because of the unlikely chance that they sting us. We should note that bees only sting when they feel threatened, and so the bee sting is primarily

a defense mechanism. It's hard to think of a better symbolic representation for Tyler the creator than the B. Since his arrival as a teenage provocateur in the late 2000s, Tyler's reputation for outlandish behavior and controversial lyrics often overshadowed his music. Some even viewed him as a legitimate threat. It got so bad that he was banned from entering the UK, Australia, and New Zealand. But as we've learned through our analysis of Flower Boy, Tyler on the inside is much softer than his early public persona would lead us to believe. He's vulnerable, he's lonely, he has anxiety about his career and future, and often his extroversion was a defense mechanism, a facade to mask what he felt within. Like the bee, Tyler the creator is misunderstood.

His intentions, purpose, and importance are often masked by his stinger. He's just a boy looking for love, a bee looking for his flower. And so to me it makes perfect sense why Tyler would superimpose a bee over his face on the album cover. Like Tyler, the bee is at once hard and soft, gentle and threatening, at once scum fuck and flower boy. Let's take it back to them date counting sheep on say the henna float. Copy with my baby mama ate a dollar profit from the coffee I poke. Renison a call in their day. Nobody home ain't knocking on. And now we arrive at my favorite part of every season, and that's hearing from you dissect listeners,

As you know, I asked you all to share your biggest takeaways from Tyler the creator's Flower Boy and or this season of Dysect. Where you're going to hear now is a montage of very thoughtful people sharing what Flower Boy means to them, and by extension, what music means to them. I would ask that you listen to each person attentively and openly. Hearing from you all serves as a great reminder of just how many people in the world genuinely appreciate the power of music. It's like we're all friends that will never meet, and it's just nice to know. knowing that there's so many reflective, motivated, honest, and passionate people out there in the world, and that music has the power to bring us all together.

Hey guys, my name is Amon and I'm from LA. Flower Boy has taught me that it's okay to take your time to fully flesh out your identity and to admit it to yourself. This is shown by how Tyler takes a long car ride and pauses various times throughout the album to think about who he is and who he wants to be. Everyone's gone through some sort of crisis, whether it dealt with their sexuality or other features of their identity, Tyler has shown us that some things shouldn't be rushed, especially when it comes down to who you actually are. This album has helped me deal with countless internal conflicts,

some of which Tyler dealt with himself. So thank you, Tyler, and thank you, Cole. My name is Jaslin Lee, and I'm from Charlotte, North Carolina. Dissect has changed the way that I listen to music, period. When I listen to Flower Boy, I hear so much and I see so much more. I see a symphony where this flower blooms and it's louder than any introduction I've ever known. I hear silence and longing to say something in garden shed. I see the dreamy haze that takes over your body when you want someone or something so bad and I can see you again. And every time I hear, I hear a different pattern, note, or I interpret it on my own every single time. And it's that feeling like I'm listening to a new song for the first time. My name is Palin from Chicago. Flower Boy, it was the sound check for the rest of

2017, which is a year I'll never forget. From spending time with my friends to experiencing love for the first time, experiencing my first heartbreak, and even discovering my sexuality. Fireboy was not just an album. It was a soundtrack to a year that changed my life. This album taught me to not be afraid to be me and not be afraid to bloom. Thank you, Tyler. And more importantly, thank you, Cole.

Hi, this is Celine and Bram from the Netherlands. Their sect has given us a deep appreciation of the art and the artist to put so much heart and thought in their work. Now we listen to these and other albums with more intent. Season 4 and Flower Boy have taught us that sometimes you need to overcome ourselves to be ourselves. And that everyone has this battle, whether you're rich, famous, gay, straight, human or alien. Thank you, Tyler, for telling your story.

And thank you, Kuhl for dissecting it. Hey, Cole, this is Ryan from California. Flower Boy released while my life was in absolute turmoil. My dad had just left my mom and I, we had to move to a new city, and I was torn between completing my... business degree or changing to a major in film. Hearing Tyler's creativity and acknowledgement and acceptance of self is what inspired me to pursue my dreams and stay strong during those hardships. I haven't graduated yet but I'm on the

Dean's list for film production and moving closer to my dreams each day. Flower Boy has become one of my favorite albums of all time and by far what I've listened to the most since its release. I want to thank Tyler for the beautiful music and you for your excellent work dissecting it. I hope you both keep doing what you do so well. I think the One thing I was able to take away from this entire trip is how much care it takes to tell a story in an album. It feels like every chord he plays draws from some aspect from his life and everything he says shows his melancholy from his loneliness. Like storytelling has so many forms of creativity to approach.

It's just so, so beautiful. And you're able to understand it even more from this whole thing. I'm Nathan from Portland. This season of Dysect taught me so much. much about musical composition and I don't think I'll ever look at Flower Boy quite the same way after it. The realization about Western tuning in pothole and all of the lessons on Stepwise Motion have inspired my own compositions and also when I listen to Flower Boy to look not just at the lyrics and the themes that I already loved from Tyler, but also the behind the scenes, the gears that make it all

happen. So thank you so much. Hi, this is Mike from a small town of Western Pennsylvania. And my biggest takeaway from season four of Dysect was on the track of November. And November has been my favorite track on the album for some time. But I don't think I quite understood the intensity and the gravitas of what Tyler was talking about. And my main message that I took away from after the dissection was to stop passively letting these November's happen and only realizing what they are after the fact and instead actively pursuing them and trying to create your own November's actively and aggressively rather than sitting back. Hi, my name is Dennis from Seattle, Washington. Flower Boy represents change and moving forward.

It's a journey of doubt, longing, and feelings that can't always be described. We're taken on a roller coaster as Tyler looks into the mirror and encourages us to do the same. We see all sides of success and can only imagine the difficulties that. that come with it. This journey with Cole has allowed me to get a better idea of what Tyler has been trying to communicate with his album and what he wants us all to take away from his experience. Hi Cole, this is Michael from McKenaxburg. At first, I didn't connect with Tyler, but when Flower Boy came out, I had on repeat all summer and didn't understand why. Your podcast helped illuminate Tyler's ability to share his own personal life to speak for a generation.

His themes connect with anyone in the malaise of our modern digital lives, where material goods can easily become a crutch for self-actualization. But it's his practiced arrangements and willingness to experiment that keeps his themes fresh and beautiful. I can't get enough of this album and can't wait to see what comes next from him. I'm Carlos from Miami, Florida. My biggest takeaway from Flower Boy is that there's

no shame in being vulnerable. Before Flower Boy, I didn't follow Tyler closely, but what I've come to learn is that when someone is opening up and telling you who they are, it's important to listen. If someone as rich and famous as Tyler can feel as distraught and lonely as me, then none of us are as isolated as we thought. We need to look past our insecurities and speak up.

Be yourself, open up, and see who sticks around. Who will be there to water you and who wants to see your garden grow? Because when given the right light, we're all capable of blooming. Hey, this is Zach from Dayton, and I want to discuss November. While I know the month is really just a metaphor. Coincidentally, November is a month as ownership of some of my greatest highs and lows. My November, in context of the album, was finally entering a relationship in November with a girl and childhood friend I have been chasing for most of my life.

and in contrast having to end that relationship three November's later. So on Flower Boy, we heard this idea that even when you achieve something great, such as Walt and Tyler's case, or in my case of person, it doesn't exactly grant you a key to happiness. I don't really know how to describe it, but I definitely remember hearing the song for the first time and breaking down over how deeply it connected with my current state. You nailed the analysis, Cole, and I got to say thanks to Tyler

for putting those feelings into waveform. Hey, Cole, this is Jacob in Chicago. The thing that stands out to me about this album is how related the messages of Flower Boy are. While my life in no way resembles that of Tyler, I think everyone must wrestle with who they project to the world versus who they know themselves to truly be. The journey of blending your different identities is a healthy part of everyone's maturation process. Tyler's personal path is unique to him, but through your analysis, these themes become universal. What's up, Cole? This is Jay from Oregon. I'm not going to lie, man, you really blew my mind with this last season.

I think all your interpretations of Tyler's lyrics and his themes and everything were pretty spot on. I also think it was super cool getting to hear the STEM recreations, you know, shout out Andrew Atwood. They just, ugh, they stuck with me, you know what I mean? Like, now every time I listen to Flower Boy, I can't unhear it. I'm like listening in to the chords and the drum sections. Super cool. Anyway, a huge fan of the show. Really looking forward to what you tackle in the next season, bro.

Peace out. Hi, my name is Alex Andrea and I'm a caller from Florida. first I like to thank you Cole for your hard work and dedication. We listeners definitely appreciate you. And Heather, I'd like to thank you. Thank you for being such a gifted writer, musician, and impeth, and for being able to bear your wounds and vulnerability, for showcasing how even obulence can burn in the face of true isolation,

boredom, and unrequited love. Blabber Boy is truly one of the most brutally honest and beautiful coming-of-age stories, and I'm glad I'm able to have had the experience to take that ride with you. Marlon, I'm from London. The biggest thing I've learnt from Flower Boy is Tyler's immense attention to detail and definitely his completely unique approach to song structure and songwriting in hip-hop. Season 4 of Dysect has only helped to advance my understanding of this and also to better articulate exactly what is Tyler is doing on each of his songs.

I'm definitely already looking forward to season 5. Hi, my name is Wilson for California. As a college student, I feel that Tyler's message of loneliness is something that we can all relate to in our increasingly digitalized world. Personally, I found it hard to relate my deepest thoughts and feelings to friends, even though we're hanging out having fun. One of the biggest things that Flower Boy has helped and realize is the need for people who understand you at your core, people who you don't need to hide from. Thanks to both Tyler and Dissect for providing and explaining a beautiful album that expresses a new generation of feeling. Kiyota, this is Craig calling in from New Zealand. I first heard about Tyler the creator when our government saw fit to ban him from entering the country.

But Flower Boy was the first album of his that I listened to in depth. We all know that it's a really masterful album, and I've really enjoyed the deep dive into it during this season. It's clear that the shock factor president Tyler's early work, you know, that one line from Troncat still makes you feel nauseous. That's a thing in the past. And Tyler is evolved into a true artist. Igor is just incredible, and I can't wait to see what. what he does next. So thank you, Cole, for dissect, and I'm looking forward to seeing what you

come up with next as well. Hi, my name is Matthew. My favorite dissect episode is pahoe, which is number six. I love how you actually go into details with his much advice that he gives him at the beginning and how you actually figure out what car he drives in the, like, in the song. And like, also the mean, like how you find the meaning of pahos as people who are a distraction of him, like, you know, being distracted. Like, it's just amazing to do. Like, just keep what you, just, just, just, just Do what you do. You're doing an amazing job, man. Hello, Dysect.

My name's Jonah. I'm from Massachusetts. And when I first listened to Flower Boy, I really enjoyed it and knew it was special and important. But before I listened to Dysect, I didn't really see the level of thought that was put into it. But listening to Dysect showed me how incredible the production, writing, and arrangement of the entire album is. And I think seeing that depth in Flower Boy gave me the mindset to see the creative layers in all the music I live. listen to. I'm glad that Dysect can show people the extreme thought put into Flower Boy, and I thank the podcast for showing me how a lot of the music I listen to is deeper than what

I may hear upon first listening to it. What's up, Dissect Podcast? I'm Eric from Rochester, New York, and my thoughts on Flower Boy, that shit was my album of the year when that shit dropped it. It came at a very important time in my life that summer. I was going through a lot, going through a lot of anxiety and things like that. And Tyler kind of like made an album that was like the vibe of summer and like of love and like the uncertainty of it and like living through that kind of stuff. So I appreciate Tyler and I love this album with all my heart. Hello, my name is Ethan and I'm from Tampa, Florida.

Recently I went on a trip to Colorado where I discovered this podcast in doing so, Tyler Creators, Flower Boy. I listened to the first episode of this in Phelmove, with both the podcast and Flower Boy. Thank you for making this coal. It has changed my life in so many ways and really helped me. I hope you've experienced further success with further seasons of this podcast.

I wish you well. Thank you. My name is Ronnie from Los Angeles. And the biggest takeaway I take from Flower Boy is the idea of self-discovery and how hard and insular that process can be, how it's different for each of us. and sometimes the things we do before,

the actions we take before don't reflect the person that we are going to become or that we want to be. And it takes a lot for us to change that, to reflect a different person. Hey, everyone. This is Joey from Chicago. Biggest takeaway for me this season is the idea of growth. This theme of growth explored throughout Flowerboy resonates with Tyler's personal growth over the years.

But it resonates with me and my own growth as well, Baster, Goblin, Wolf, so many of the other Odd Future albums were the soundtrack to my teenage years. And Flower Boy felt like this culmination of all of Tyler's talent that I had appreciated since the start of Odd Future. But in my opinion, Flower Boy represents a new level that Tyler had reached all around. As I've matured over the years, both Tyler and his music have evolved and matured with me. And that's why the idea of growth was my biggest takeaway from this season. Hey, Cole, this is Rishi from Alicadena, Maryland. just wanted to say, great season.

How he dissected music theory this time around was so awesome. I learned a lot about stepwise motion and why Tyler did certain melodies the way he wanted to. And yeah, just listening to discern how much he's improved as a lyricist and a serious composer. About tears to my eyes and it just made me appreciate this magnum opus of his even more. I think my favorite episode was probably I ain't got time. He talked about how he was bragging about men the same way other rappers do about women and just taking subliminal shots everywhere. That was so sick to me. Again, a great season, and here's to success in the future.

My name's Kaden from Vancouver, Canada, and my biggest takeaway from Flower Boy stems from its concept of loneliness and isolation. These feelings of uncertainty that Tyler is portraying throughout the album gives me reassurance that it is okay to feel this way. Tyler shares his personal struggles, which makes him such a relatable artist, and listening to him takes me to November. My name is Carter, and I'm from Minnesota. My biggest takeaway from Flower Boy is to explore. express yourself and let people know who you are as a person. I think it probably wasn't easy for Tyler to put on an album like this given his previous discography and public image, but it was the best way for him to express himself to everyone. It also made me realize that Tyler is a great artist and he puts the same type of energy into his work as Kanye does. And that is one of the most impressive

things to me about Tyler. Thank you. My name is Chung and I'm recording this from Hanoi Vietnam. If you tell me during bastard or goblin era that Tyler might drop something of such sensitivity, introspection, and other genius, I'd honestly would laugh at you. Flower Boys one of my favorite rap albums, a near-perfect testament of admirable maturity. Thank you, Tyler the creator, thank you Cole. Ben Affan says my beautiful dark twisted fantasy. My name is Rohan Sariagi from Leicester, Pennsylvania. The narrative arc created in Flower Boy solidifies Tyler's place and the all-time greats at rap storytelling. Tyler evolves from Dr. T.C. and Camp Flogna to driving his McLaren through his overgrown field of self and sexual identity.

Flower Boy is a keys in the ignition, rolling, continuous home for acceptance and self-appreciation, and holds my favorite yet simple Tyler lyric to date. Tell these black kids they can be who they are. That's my biggest takeaway. Hey, Cole. My name is Audie, and I'm from California. I just want to say thank you because I've been a fan of Tyler since Bastard and Odd Future Days, and it feels really good to finally see him getting the attention he deserves as an amazing artist. I'm also thankful to you for drawing more attention to the album that helped him in transforming his image into what he wanted. I believe that this season of your podcast will go a long way in leading more people to Tyler's music if they've been apprehensive because of his earlier work.

Thank you. Hey Cole, this is Nick from Missouri. Flower Boy and Season 4 of Dissect hold a special place in my heart. Flower Boy introduced me to the genius of Tyler the Creator, who quickly became one of my favorite artists of all time. And even though I had never listened to Dissect before Season 4's premiere, I could not be happier that I decided to click that Spotify ad. Cole, you have reinvigorated my love for music at a time in my life where I couldn't have needed it more,

and I just want to thank you and Tyler for reigniting this passion within me. Hi, my name is Alex, and I'm from Rocky Hill, Connecticut. Flower Boy has always sounded to me like the indie movie with a budget Tyler describes in his Instagram bio. After listening to this season of Dysect, it became clear that Flower Boy is a score of his struggles and desires, orchestrated in such a way that allows the sonic complexity of the music to create a visual experience for the listener. He is one of the top creators and musical innovators of our generation, and to me, this album encompasses the depths of his capacities and of his abilities as an art. artist. My name is Trey, and I'm from Salina, Kansas. Flower Boy was released during a transitional

period in which I was incredibly unsure of myself. I was completely spiraling into the depths of negative nostalgia, which prompted an unwillingness to move forward, grow, and become the individual I knew I was capable of becoming. This album sparked bright inspiration for me to persevere through my flaws and accept myself as I was then, as I was before then, and as I would be in the coming years. I see through cracked yellow lenses, and that's okay. Hello, my name is Solomon Adams. I'm from Gallatin, Tennessee, and I've been listening to the season four of the Dissect podcast, and it has helped me so much. I've been listening to it through the process of making my first album, and hearing the different things that he could

figure out and the things that he could do with his music. It's helped me so much. It's helped me so much. and I swear it's helped me make a masterpiece. And if, Tyler, you're hearing and if you hear this, thank you so much. You've made my year, man. Hi, this is Stray Casanova. I see Flower Boy as a musical representation of playing solitaire. From first glance, the person playing may seem to be content, but Solitaire is lonely as fuck. But in all honesty, the player chooses to play Solitaire.

Why would they choose to be lonely? Tyler explains his loneliness may be based in paranoia of other people's perceptions of him. Hi, I'm Wyatt, and I live in Maple Valley, Washington. I've been listening to your podcast for a while now, and I'm very happy that he did a season on Flower Boy, because it was actually my first introduction to lyrical rap. I like Tyler's view on change,

where he can just express change, whether it's his sexuality or his wealth or his relationships. He's good at showing how much he's changed, which expresses Flower Boy, the title really well. Hello, my name is Angel. I'm 16 and I live in Atlanta. Over the last two years of listening to Flower Boy, a dissect has pointed out tiny things that went over my head

as there's little details that put this album together. Stuff like the theory of Tyler's car being a protective shield and him stepping out of it for the song Garden Shed has given me a different outlook on this golden hour car ride. Cole, you do such a great job explaining music theory to beginners like me. And Tyler, thanks for making you. music that gives color to my most boring days, I'll forever wave your flag. Hi, my name is Dan from Massachusetts, currently living in Cork, Ireland. I think season

four has highlighted Tyler's ability to derive power from emotional honesty above everything else. His lyrics, use of metaphor, and open processing are together simultaneously more accessible and more challenging than much of the music of some of his contemporaries. He is also able to consistently challenge stereotypes of gay men through the truth of his own narrative alone. I think that in both the case of Flower Boy and Igor, Tyler owns the moniker of creator more than ever, as the all-aspects producer of two true concept albums. My name is Drey and I'm from England.

The main thing I take away from Flower Boy is kind of that it's okay to question yourself and have worries about your own character. Tyler sort of inadvertently makes me comfortable with that paranoia that goes through my head and the questions that I might ask myself because I can see there's someone there that's also going through the same thing as me.

The album's quite personal to Tyler but even though it is quite personal it also has that universal sort of appeal that makes it so good. My name is Dylan and I'm a student from Ontario. Flyer Boy is an incredible listening experience overall. I haven't been able to relate to something in a while and everything connects with me.

When I really started to listen to it, It has made a lot of things in my life more clear, like my future and myself. It has brought me to a path towards my own self-discovery. And the podcast has really helped with this process, so I thank you for that. And I hope I can reach you under that path soon. Overall, Flower Boy just feels so human, and it's a timeless, classic body of work. Appreciate the opportunity, Cole. And thank you, Tyler.

Hi, my name's Ulysses, Cisneros, and I'm from Atlanta, Georgia. Flowerboard was a really amazing album to me because the way Tyler expressed himself through this album and through the songs, I felt was really nice because at that moment and at that time, I was starting to feel the way he was a bit feeling. And through this album and self-discovery, I felt like this album really helped me out. So thank you for dissecting it from me. My name is Andrew and I'm half Dutch, half American. The biggest takeaway from this season is that I never realized how much of a story there was to this album. I thought at first it was just a collection of tracks and then after hearing this, hearing this whole narrative is just, it's mind-blowing.

It's making me appreciate this album even more and realizing just how beautiful and how vulnerable, I guess, Tyler was to be able to say all these things and just It's just so amazing. Hi, I'm Murray from Edinburgh. Tyler the creator's flower boy, in particular pothole, helped me through one of the hardest decisions of my adult life. Your analysis of the song opened my eyes to the relatability of Tyler's advice and how I could use it as a philosophy to my own situation.

This has allowed me to creatively and emotionally flourish by surrounding myself with people who every day I'm grateful for being in my life. Thanks, Cole. My biggest takeaway from Flower Boy is that Tyler the creator is ready to tell the world, this is who I am, and fuck it if you're not down. Tyler takes two big risks to accomplish this. Lyrically, he opens up about his sexuality. Musically, he produces chord progression and melody-heavy beats.

The lyrics and music pair perfectly on each head-knot-inducing track, which when listen to an order, form a narrative. The best part is that it doesn't end with Flower Boy. I personally believe Igor represents the next chapter in his relationship with the recipient of the love letter, glitter. The biggest takeaway that I got was that you can be your fully realized self through pure hard work and effort on your passions. With this, you also have to be able to be introspective and understanding your own

problems and insecurities, which is what most people can't do. Thank you, Tyler, for inspiring people like me to change and become who they want. want to be and actually pursue their passions, which is what people want to do. Hey, Cole, my name is Nico. I'm from Chile. And I just wanted to say congratulations on our great season. And that my biggest takeaway from Flower Boy

is that it proves how unique if an artist Tyler is. Throughout the season, you showed us all the unconventional directions Tyler takes with his music. And to me, that makes him very, very special. Also, one thing that I really came to enjoy with this season, was the narrative of the album. I didn't know it had such a developed storyline, so that was a nice surprise,

and one that made me appreciate the album much more. Hey, what's up? My name's Aaron, and I'm from Woodbridge, Virginia. I just want to say thank you, Cole, for this amazing season on Flower Boy. Tyler's one of my greatest musical inspirations, and the way he used his chords and his seven chords, and just variations of notes is amazing to me.

I fell in love with chords when taking my theory one class in college, and to hear an artist use him so well as beautiful to me. So thank you, Tyler. Thank you for everything, and for inspiring me to be myself. and just to express myself via art. Hi, this is Dominic from Mid-City, Los Angeles. I met Tyler when he was 20 and I was 12.

He called me and my best friend, Biches. It was the best day of our lives. Tyler's Our Persona that I saw that day, I feel is a younger version of what we see on Who That Boy and I Ain't Got Time. Seeing Tyler grappled with his hour persona came to me at a time where I was doing the same. I felt like through Flower Boy, I've grown up alongside Tyler,

and in turn found my 95, Leo, love you solely, and learned to even further empathize with my openly gay sister. I love you, Noelle. Hi, my name is Madeline. I'm from Massachusetts, and my biggest takeaway from Flower Boy is that material items can only keep us satisfied for so long, and that it's the genuine friendships and relationships we form in life that truly make us feel whole, and also that being yourself is a step in the right direction to happiness.

My name is Luca, and I'm from Bend, Oregon. Flower Boy changed my perspective on what music and hip-hop could be. The changing between crazy rap, verses to intimate era-shifting moments while still feeling like the same album is so amazing. I remember the first time listening to Garden Shed and being astonished at what I had just heard in all the best ways. Flower Boy is one of my favorite albums and I thought I already knew most of what there was to know. But listening to dissect and learning the intricacies of the album sonically, beyond just the lyrics, is something really special and I'm so grateful. Thank you, Tyler, and thank you, Cole.

When I first moved out to California for graduate school, I'd listen to Flower Boy whenever I get in the car. as a black man alone in a new environment out here in California for the first time an album like Flower Boy was something that really comforted me

you know Tyler sharing his struggles that kind of resonated with my own struggles as well so it got me through quite a bit my name is Christopher Ray Robinson I'm from Jackson, Mississippi Cole I've been listening to Dysect

ever since you first did to pay with butterfly and put so many people on these last few years. My biggest takeaway from Flower Boy is the music theory that you did and the classic aspects that you showed Tyler interweave within his project and it's just made it so much more beautiful and made me appreciate it so much more than I already did. I argue that Flower Boy is probably one of the closer route projects to beautiful Twisted Fantasy just because he did so much meticulous stuff that lasted throughout the project. I appreciate everything that you do. I love how

the Dossette brand is building. Towers even notice in the others or not. notice. As long as you're doing you, I'm going to keep supporting. I'm Elizabeth from California, and the biggest takeaway from Flower Boy that I've gathered is that one can have people around them that can attempt to be there for you, constantly giving their biggest possible effort, but in the end, they may just not be what you need or what you're looking for, so you're consequently left seeking something or someone else. This theme has introduced many times in the album with the song, See You Again, Pothole 911-Nus, Mr. Lonely, and November, re-establishing how one may feel incomplete and how the struggle may persist to find what one considers missing from their life to

reach full happiness and satisfaction with where one is in life. Hey, my name is Ben Myers from Austin, Texas, and Flower Boy really helped me to understand my own struggles with getting to know who I am. Tyler rapping about stepping outside of his mold and being outside of what people expect of him, but also not entirely understanding himself throughout this entire experience, hating, loving himself. It's all so real to me, and I really love this album. My name is Monica. I'm 26 years old, and I live in Tampa, Florida. I've had a really hard time putting into words just how much Flower Boy means to me and how much it has impacted my life. So I'm just thankful for people like Tyler and for Cole who used words in

beautiful ways for me. This album was with me as I transitioned into adulthood and helped me learn about and accept myself. And I'm so grateful to have been along on this journey with Tyler at the same time. Thank you, Tyler. Thank you, Cole. Hey, Cole. This is Nico, and I'm from New Jersey. I remember the end of my freshman year when Flower Boy came out and it blew my mind.

The melodies and chords in the production were my favorite part and one of the reasons why I started writing songs in the first place. This season of Dicex showed a deeper layer to the album that I never knew was there, lyrically and theoretically. My favorite moments, are the Boredom, Garden Shed, and 911 Mr. Lonely episodes. This has been my favorite season so far, aside from the Frank Ocean season. Thank you.

My name is Daniel. I'm from Nashville, Tennessee. This season made me realize something about a lot of my favorite albums. Some of the most emotionally vulnerable, impactful, and culturally resonant art comes from a place of uncertainty. Whether it's Tyler coming to grips with his sexuality, or Kendra reaching the top and realizing he's still lost. The albums you've selected seem to reflect. this theme across the board. Obviously, harnessing that feeling and crafting it into a masterful

project is something only a select few can do, but Tyler showed that even the most seemingly carefree artist has phenomenally complex emotions lurking beneath. By releasing Flower Boy, Tyler Shined a spotlight in some of his darkest moments, reminding a celebrity-obsessed culture that he's still human. Hi, it's Caden from Delaware. Flower Boy was the first album of Tyler's that I was able to truly connect to. As someone who's often lost in thought, such an introspective album was exactly what I needed. This season of Dysect dropped while I was in the process of producing my own album and has caused me to completely reanalyze my approach to songwriting. For me, Flower Boy has been the perfect roadmap to guide my creative process. Thank you, Cole,

for another amazing season. You've truly helped shape the way I listen to and write music. Flower Boy takes me back to summer 2017 when I was still learning how to cope with the feelings of isolation that can come with depression. I had people around me that cared about me, but I convinced myself that they didn't want me around. I'd fill that hole by skating through neighborhoods listening to Flower Boy and repeat and staying up all night just to watch the sunrise from the top of this hospital parking grass near me, just learning how to be alone with myself in a healthy way. It's crazy looking back on that summer though, even though so much has changed for me since then, I still find myself missing that feeling of growing and blooming into someone

with a better sense of self-identity. This album was a sonic backdrop to a really cathartic experience that helped me make myself into who I am today. In other words, Flower Boy takes me back to my November. Hi, Cole. My name is Guthrie. and I'm from Upstate New York. I was so happy to hear that you'd be dissecting Flower Boys this season since it's one of my favorite albums. This whole season, I really appreciated the attention you drew to musical details, like the riff in where this flower blooms or the chord progression in boredom. You did such a good job of highlighting Tyler's abilities a composer,

as well as the growth told through the story of Flower Boy. Thanks so much for your hard work, and I can't wait until next season. Hello, my name is Brian, and I'm from New Hampshire. Season 4 of dissect has given me a whole new level of appreciation for Flower Boy and Tyler is the creator in general. He made more than just a Grammy-nominated album. He created an artistic masterpiece that has helped me through some really tough times. So I'd like to thank Tyler for making music that speaks to masses and Cole for dissecting his message line by line, word by word.

Hello, my name is Juan Guillermo and I'm from Brazil. Tyler has been a true inspiration for me in every aspect possible, even though we have truly different personalities. I met him through Smuckers in 9-1-1, and the delicacy of his musical compositions made me pretty interested in his persona at first sight. The way he expresses himself and tells everyone, everything he thinks people need to know, being obviously clear or not, is one of the reasons why he's such an inspiration for me. The freedom he inspires has too much value for me. And I thank him for that. And I thank you, Cole, for bringing new meaning into all of that. Thank you.

Hi, this is William from Denver, Colorado. I have carried a lot of shame over the last few years of my life for being sensitive and aware of my emotions and have been told often not to feel them. Through the narratives of Flower Boy and Igor and the analysis from season four of Dissect, I've been able to find catharsis with the message that a little self-compassion is all that's needed. to fully bloom. Thanks Tyler. Thanks Cole. Hey guys. Adam from Australia. Tyler is a man that can only have one label associated to him, a creator. It has been very interesting to see the evolution of Tyler, an artist who has stayed

true to himself from his teenage years understanding life without a father to a man understanding his sexuality. He has forged his own path in hip-up to be something more than just a rapper. He is a creator that inspires you to be yourself and to find your own path in life. Hey, is Alex from Guangzhou, China. In Flower Boy, Tully used the music to seal the feelings of the fleeting time, turn them into amber, into aunt, and made it beautifully honestly and sincerely. He helped me realize the power of freedom. At the end, he's just like a beekeeper, successfully teeming these bees,

give you water, some care and love, not a punch, not curse. We shared honey from him and it really tastes so good. Hi there, my name is Scotland Wallace and I'm ironically from Canada. I am currently in high school and this year for an English essay dissected the song 9-1-1 Mr. Lonely. But after listening to dissect, which is way better than my essay, I feel inspired to write and solve the meaning behind art. After all, music isn't just a few beats and some vocals. It's being emotional and personal as well as putting yourself out there.

Thank you, Tyler, and Dissect for keeping me interested when listening to you late at night for times when I feel lonely. You both are very inspirational. Hello, I'm Spencer from Los Angeles, California. A major theme of Flower Boy is acceptance. Not only could I relate to Tyler's overthinking and second-guessing on the first leg of the album, but I understand how easy it is to tell other people to be who they are and have it be difficult to take your own advice.

Tyler embracing his quirkiness in his lyrics and his production has inspired me to do the same and I wouldn't be the same person or think about myself in the same way if it wasn't for this extraordinary album. Hi, I'm Ben and I'm from Manchester, England. Tyler creator for me is a huge inspiration when it comes to creativity and always pushing yourself to be better. He puts his 100% into all of his bodies of work

and Flower Boy is no exception. Seeing Tyler expresses honesty and vulnerability throughout the album is personally what makes this LP so special and easy to relate to. And Faraboy will definitely go down as a classic in years to come. Thank you. This is Alex from British Columbia and I just wanted to show some appreciation for the recognition of Tyler's ability to transcend genres. I believe that music is the greatest and most broad form of communication that we have

and to have that ability is really incredible and really important to unifying the art form. I hope that this has inspired other artists to climb out of their boxes and to challenge those norms. Hi, my name is Clayton Now from San Francisco, and what I took from Flower Boy was the ability to find myself. Upon listening to Dissect, it made me love the album and what it did for me even more, because Flower Boy came at a point in my life of self-discovery. It helped me discover how to be myself and how to embrace myself as a person and as a human being. and dissect help me further analyze an album that helped me find my wings. Thank you.

My name is Victor and I'm from Dallas, Texas. My biggest takeaway from the season was growth. As avert as that theme was, I really enjoyed giving time to Flower Boy and to Tyler like never before to learn more about the journey that Tyler's been on. Everyone's story of growth is unique and should not be overlooked, nor should someone sharing their story be taken for granted. It's this type of honesty and openness that gives a young adult like myself

the courage and knowledge to navigate life. Also, I felt that the way that I approached music and listening to albums critically has evolved thanks to cold spending the time to provide more insight and offer new perspectives and interpretations. I especially enjoy diving into more music theory and analysis throughout the season. Hey, yo, my name is Corey from Worcester, not to be confused with Feldman or Hame, and I just have to say I agree wholeheartedly with your take on 911 Lonely being Tyler's Bohemia Rhapsody. It's epic in every sense of the word. It's themes are universal.

And our coping mechanisms we use to hide our depression and there's feelings of emptiness. And as for my November, I just hope I ain't found it yet. Hi, I'm Abraham Martinez from California. So when Flyboard came out, all meant I didn't have an interest because I wasn't really a terribly creative fan. However, when I came around to listen to it, I was very much impressed with the production. Tyler's vulnerability and the album stood out to me and was very fresh for he had not exhibit his vulnerabilities

and out to the media before. The season of the podcast is actually the first one I'll listen to and to hear your analysis on the songs astonished me and made me appreciate the album even more. Seriously, your passion for the music really does shine through in every episode. This gets me excited to list to the prior seasons and for what comes next. Thank you, Cole. Hey, Cole. This is Pira from Maryland.

I'm so happy that you chose to dissect. Flower Boy the season. I love this album and I thought that I had a pretty good understanding of all the songs and the meanings behind them, but I was truly blown away with all of the music analysis you provided. I'm so excited to witness the progression of Tyler as an artist and as a person. Thank you, Cole, for helping me appreciate such a great artist even more than I already did. My name is Martin. I'm 21 and I'm from Palm to California and as a queer person of color who's still in the closet, I really want to say thank you so much. A really hard thing to understand and to feel confident about this, who's an ally as a person of color and as someone who's queer. And you're using your platform in order to

advocate for both of these things is something that's highly appreciated. So thank you so much, Cole, for being an ally, for being someone who actually cares and is using their power to make a difference. And thank you so much for giving new memories and meanings to all these albums. Hi, I'm Latrell from Richmond, Virginia, and where can I start with this album, Flower Boy? You know, this Sylvia Demo by Zer Rashide and Tipa Butterfly by Kendrick are probably my favorites of all time. And it's because they all deal with something that's so relatable, you know. We all ask questions of ourselves. We all deal with depression, insecurities, anxiety every day.

And just being able to take a step back and really grow as a person and just look within yourself. That's something I respect anybody for. And that's why I respect Tyler for making this album because he never stops pushing himself musically or personally. And I just want to thank him for that because this album has been the soundtrack to my life since it came out. Hey Cole, this is Juliana from New Jersey. Flower Boy was definitely the soundtrack to my summer in 2017. I was 19 and it was my first romance. It wasn't love, but it could have been.

It was vibrant, meaningful, and in bloom. And as cliche as it sounds, See You Again was our song, as we both knew the relationship was geographically impossible and it ended with the summer. Your dissection of See You Again gave an innocent summer fling a more vulnerable and genuine meaning than I could have really expected. And I'm really grateful for that. Thanks, Cole. Hi, my name is Eamon from Virginia. After listening to Season 4 of Dyseg, not only did I learn more about one of my favorite albums, but I also learned more about Tyler on a personal level. After listening to Flower Boy for the first time in 2018, I immediately connected to such an amazing piece of work. The Rapid Fire series of questions in Forward in November helped me to understand what Tyler was going through when he wrote it and related back to any feelings of anxiety that I was dealing with during my freshman year of college.

Thank you, Colin. Thank you, Dysect, for never failing to amaze me on what I can learn from these episodes and for allowing me to understand an album on a completely different level that makes each listen brand new. Hey, this is Aji from Los Angeles, California. After listening to Flower Boy, one of my big takeaways from it was that it's beneficial to be truthful to yourself. Take time to explore and find out who you really are. And it's okay to be afraid. Life is a huge journey and it's all about being self-reflective. As a young adult, it's like we're all in this gray area of a world. What if? But in essence, we must all acknowledge that life is vital and it's a sparking dynamic. A lot of us experience things that shape us into who we are today. Tyler is one of my favorite artists, and to see his progression as an artist is truly amazing. Thank you, Cole, for this amazing podcast. My name is Keeley, and I'm from Alberta, Canada. I've been in love with the podcast, and it has sought me more about music theory than my theory teacher,

and the lyric dissection made me think harder about a bigger image. The season touched my heart and brought me closer to Tyler's Flower Boy. The season was amazing and made me feel like I can understand Tyler better. It made me relate to Flower Boy and made me feel normal, accepted, and understood. Trident Sexton, Virginia Beach, Virginia. Flower Boy is truly a masterpiece. It is an album that encompasses emotional vulnerability and is a candid expression of Tyler's maturation, not only lyrically, but also sonically.

This season of Dysect is demonstrated to me in the incredible manner in which music allows for us to relate to. our own experiences and feelings through lyricism, production, arrangement, and more. From the intense introspection described in Ford and Powell to the liberating ballad of unrequited love that is glitter. Every track of this album continues to push the incredible narrative of Tyler's progression through life, and I'm just grateful that I got to witness it for myself. Thank you, Tyler for everything, and thank you Cole for generating the conversation. Jordan, Buffalo, New York. I've been a fan of Tyler's for years, and I'm really thankful for this podcast that's given me an opportunity to further dive into his writing style and realize his

personal and musical maturity. Apart from the beautifully dark instrumentals and lush sounds in this record, I think the underlying emphasis on personal growth and the vulnerability that comes with that growth gives me a strong connection to this album that not many others do. So thank you, Tyler, for this amazing work, and thank you, Cole, for putting the time in to dissect it. Hi, this is Natalie from Anaheim, California. Flower Boy is a cinematic narrative,

a sunrise to sunset, a car ride with many sides, turns, and stops. I believe the way Tyler directed his story gave his listeners clarity. We know how Tyler feels about the reality of things and what those things really mean to him. Tyler points this idea back to us. He asks us,

what's your November or what do you really care about and are you willing to chase it? To me, Flower Boy is a story of growth and realization and the belief in oneself. From loneliness to what ifs, to fireworks and finding love. I hope you all enjoyed hearing those as much as I did. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share their thoughts. If you didn't get a chance to submit your clip,

I'm going to give you your 30 seconds now. Be it a feeling, a particular theme, a memorable song or moment, wherever you are, whatever you're doing, take this opportunity to think about your biggest takeaway from Tyler the Creator's Flower Boy. Okay everyone, thank you so much for listening this season. I'm genuinely grateful for each and every one of you so passionately supporting this podcast.

I'll talk to you in a few months, one will dissect another musical masterwork, because great art deserves more than a swipe. Dissect is written and produced by me. If you enjoyed Dysect this season, please take a moment and tell a friend, family member, or co-worker about the show. Be sure to keep in touch over the break by following at Dysect Podcast on Twitter and Instagram. or join the newsletter at Dysectpodcast.com. Thank you to Be Rocratic for the killer original theme music you composed for this season.

Be sure to check out more of his music by searching Beirocratic on Spotify. That's B-I-R-O-C-R-A-T-I-C. A special thank you to Andrew Atwood for the beautiful song recreations you heard throughout the season. Thanks to Eric Bass for help with audio editing this season. Also thanks to Matthew Linder for song transcriptions, and to Akash Ponday for help researching this season. Okay, everyone, that's all I got. Thanks again for another wonderful season.

I'll talk to you soon.