By tara mahadevan
June 3, 2026
Amy Sussman / TheStewartofNY via Getty
In a shocking revelation, Odd Future allegedly turned down a record deal from Jay-Z.
Tyler, the Creator recalled the moment on the first episode of DJ Drama’s Gangsta Grillz Podcast.
“That n*a invited us to one of his LA homes, and we just ate tacos. I honestly don’t remember much,” Tyler said at the 21:15 minute mark. “He wanted to sign us. I was like, ‘Man, you’re cool,’ I was like, ‘No… I just want creative control and to do everything.’”
Drama pointed out that the situation must have been “tough because a lot of people in those positions would have taken that, especially with guys of that stature,” to which Tyler agreed.
“Oh, easy. But it’s like, nah. I love your work. Everyone’s cool, but I don’t think you guys have what I have and could help me get to what I truly want, not what we think we’re supposed to have as musicians or artists or this shiny plane. I don’t want that. Right now, I just want to sit on Photoshop and make this stuff and make these weird beats, and then I’ll get there.’”
Odd Future never signed a traditional label deal. Instead, in April 2011, they signed a deal with RED Distribution and Sony Music Entertainment to launch their own label, Odd Future Records. The group’s imprint remained active until Odd Future disbanded in 2016.
That same year, Tyler signed a one-album deal with XL Recordings to release his major label debut, Goblin. He later signed with Columbia, under which he released Flower Boy (2017), Igor (2019),Call Me If You Get Lost (2021), Chromakopia (2024), and Don’t Tap the Glass (2025).
While Drama’s chat with Tyler is the first episode of the DJ’s Gangsta Grillz Podcast, it appears that the pair’s conversation—though never before seen—is old and was recorded around the time of Hip-Hop’s 50th anniversary.
Drama famously narrated Tyler’s Grammy-winning album, Call Me if You Get Lost.
