Tyler, the Creator maintains that Pharrell Williams’ “Frontin‘” was a life-changing moment for him.
On Saturday (June 3), “Bunnyhop” took to Instagram to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Williams’ breakout solo single, offering a story of how he came across the track and how infectious the song sounded.
“I was stunned. 3 minutes and 57 seconds of dopamine. The grove, familiar, but still sounded like the soundscapes of a different planet. the air of it; aside from “Grindin” and “What Happened To That Boy” the year before, my ears hadn’t heard anything with that much space in it. 3 percussive sounds, 3 bass notes, 2 chords, and a synthesized whistle that sounded like ice cream melting.
“The melodies in Pharrell’s shaky head voice were sticky. I was stunned. But what took me over the edge was the bridge. I believe the trajectory of my life changed at that moment. It’s a high chance my addiction of putting bridges on everything was cemented because of this song. I’ve subconsciously been trying to chase that high for 20 years.”
As Tyler’s tribute continued, he began to speak about the music video’s aesthetic brilliance. He remembered seeing the visuals on Cita’s World, where his love and interest for “minimalist” design was piqued.
“I caught the video on Cita’s World after school. I was stunned, but this time my eyes [were] recording information that would, again, change the trajectory of my life.”
“On top of that, this was on BET, which felt like a curve ball compared to the other videos that AJ and Free were introducing. No one knew images like that would be shaping how things are 20 years later,” he proclaimed. “I’ve stated this multiple times, but “Frontin'” is my favorite piece of art to grace this earth. I am forever grateful that I’m alive at the same time to experience it. I can only hope that one day something else crosses my path and makes me feel exactly how this does.”
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