tyler the creator goes off on black representation at comic con

Every artist has the potential for activism, even Mr. Creator.

Following his earth-shaking project Flower Boy, the 26-year-old rapper is taking no type of breaks as he prepares for the release of his new show The Jellies. The animated Adult Swim series, which he co-created with Lionel Boyce, centers around a family of jellyfish and their 16-year-old son Cornell, who–after learning he’s adopted–spirals out of control on the road to finding himself.

Recently, at San Diego’s Comic Con, a fan questioned Tyler on the switch of Cornell Jelly from White to Black. The rant that followed was chock-full of the artists’ familiar antics, but the language was a breath of fresh air:

“How many f***ing black cartoon characters is it on TV right now? Name five. I’ll give you time.”

Proceeding to back his statement with receipts, he then spits a list of black animated characters whose shows were either canceled or killed them off.

“[…] we don’t have sh*t. So I said f*ck that. We about to make this n–– black”

Not only has Tyler the Creator helped shape a subculture of his own, he has now taken it upon himself to continue speaking for those cultures he’s initiated.

We need more outrageous, unapologetic creators like Tyler, and as his influence spreads to the screen so does the representation this latest generation of quirky Black kids has been waiting for.

Check out Tyler’s full response and a clip from The Jellies–set to premiere this Summer–below!