Hip-hop doesn't usually care about a "regular Caucasian man" wearing a button-down shirt until he starts rapping exactly like the pioneers of Atlanta trap. Enter ian. He’s 19, he looks like he just finished a rugby match at a private prep school, and he has the entire internet—including Tyler, the Creator—locked in a heated debate about what it actually means to respect a culture.
It started with a snippet. Tyler sat down with Maverick Carter on the Mavericks podcast back in August 2024 and basically set the timeline on fire. Without ever actually saying the name "ian," Tyler vented about a "white kid" who seemed to be mocking the very legends who built the genre. He wasn't just talking about a bad verse; he was talking about a lack of soul.
The Maverick Carter Interview That Started It All
Honestly, Tyler was visibly annoyed. You’ve probably seen the clip where he calls out rappers who "aren't musicians" but get treated like they are because they make "meme records." He specifically drew a line in the sand between the newcomers and guys like Mac Miller or Eminem.
"I’m looking at it and something about it don’t even sit well with me in comparison to someone like a Mac Miller or Eminem who it didn’t seem like they was mocking it. They had a genuine love for it."
Tyler’s beef isn't just about race, even though he used the phrase "regular Caucasian man." It’s about the vibe. To Tyler, who spent his early career as an "edgelord" before evolving into a Grammy-winning auteur, seeing someone like ian cosplay as Future or Gucci Mane feels like a slap in the face. He views rap as a craft, a sanctuary that changed his life. When someone treats it like a "quirky" aesthetic to go viral on TikTok, Tyler sees a culture vulture.
Who is ian, Anyway?
Before the controversy, Ian O'Neill Smith was just a kid from St. Louis who moved to Dallas and started making beats under the name suburbancerberus. He wasn't an overnight success, but 2024 changed everything. His mixtape Valedictorian hit number 54 on the Billboard 200, and suddenly, he was everywhere.
The aesthetic is intentional. He leans into the "finance bro" look—collared shirts, shorts, looking like he’s headed to a country club—while rapping over distorted, aggressive trap beats. It’s a jarring contrast. His "Figure It Out" music video even features NFL legend Marshawn Lynch. It’s smart marketing, but is it art? Or is it just a really well-executed meme?
The Industry Divided: Bu Thiam and Lil Yachty Weigh In
Not everyone is on Tyler’s side. Bu Thiam, the Executive VP at Columbia Records and the man who signed ian, fired back on Instagram almost immediately. He told Tyler that he was starting to sound like an "old head" hating on the youth. Thiam argued that it’s not mockery; it’s just influence.
Then you have Lil Yachty. The "King of the Teens" didn't just defend ian—he collaborated with him. Their track "Hate Me" and its Lyrical Lemonade video felt like a direct middle finger to the gatekeepers. Yachty has always been a disruptor, so his support of ian makes sense in a weird, chaotic way.
ian’s Response: "I Loved Odd Future"
For months, ian stayed quiet. He let the numbers do the talking. But in March 2025, he finally addressed the Tyler, the Creator ian discourse during a Lyrical Lemonade Lunch Break freestyle. He didn't come out swinging with insults. Instead, he took a more "I'm just a fan" approach.
"Back then, I really love Odd Future / I ain’t never sat down trying to mock Future," he rapped.
💡 You might also like: Finding The Ghost and Mrs. Muir Full Movie: Why This 1947 Classic Still Haunts Us
It was a clever move. By admitting he grew up on Tyler’s music, he made Tyler look like the mean older brother. He claimed he kept his mouth shut because he didn't want to show disrespect. But critics, including Anthony Fantano of The Needle Drop, weren't buying it. Fantano argued that ian’s defense—"why can't kids be kids?"—was weak for a 19-year-old legal adult who is actively profiting from a culture he might not fully understand.
The Core of the Conflict: Authenticity vs. Viral Success
The real reason this matters isn't just because two famous people are disagreeing. It’s because it highlights a massive shift in how music is consumed in 2026.
- The Gatekeeper Era: Tyler represents the old-school (ironic, right?) belief that you have to pay your dues, study the greats, and bring something original to the table.
- The Viral Era: ian represents the new guard where "aura," "memes," and "vibes" matter more than lyrical depth or historical context.
If you look at ian’s debut studio album, Goodbye Horses, which dropped in late 2024, the reviews were... not great. Most critics felt it was a thin imitation of the Atlanta sound. But his fans don't care. They like the "shock factor" of a preppy white kid rapping like he’s from the Zone 6 trenches.
Why Tyler Might Actually Have a Point
We have to look at Tyler’s own history. He was banned from countries for his early lyrics. He was called every name in the book. But he always had a distinct point of view. Whether you liked Goblin or not, it didn't sound like anyone else.
When Tyler looks at ian, he sees a "human form of AI." Someone who has consumed a mountain of Future and Young Thug and distilled it into a digestible, marketable product. It lacks the "blood, sweat, and tears" that defined the eras Tyler holds dear.
What This Means for Hip-Hop Moving Forward
This isn't just a "Tyler, the Creator ian" thing. It’s a conversation about the future of the genre. As hip-hop continues to be the most popular music in the world, the barrier to entry has never been lower. Anyone with a laptop and a TikTok account can become a "rapper."
Is that a good thing? It depends on who you ask. For the fans who just want something fun to play in the car, ian is great. For the "purists" like Tyler, it’s a sign of a decaying art form.
Takeaways and Next Steps
If you're following this drama, here’s how to look at it without getting lost in the Twitter (X) noise:
- Listen to the influences: Go back and listen to Future’s DS2 or Gucci Mane’s Trap House. Then listen to ian. You’ll hear the "mimicry" Tyler is talking about instantly.
- Watch the Maverick Carter interview: It’s about 26 minutes long, and the part where Tyler discusses "meme rappers" starts around the 18:24 mark. It gives much more context than a 10-second clip.
- Evaluate the "Character": Consider if ian’s prep-boy persona is a costume or a genuine expression. In hip-hop, the "character" you play matters as much as the music.
- Follow the money: Watch who signs these artists. When major labels like Columbia get involved, the "organic" viral moment often becomes a corporate strategy.
Ultimately, ian is still building his path. Whether he becomes a mainstay or just another "remember that guy?" artist depends on if he can move past the mockery and find a voice that’s actually his own. Tyler already did it. Now it's the kid's turn.