After being reportedly banned from the U.K. due to his controversial lyrics, Tyler the Creator is calling out the government, claiming they are treating him like a “terrorist.”
Last week, the rapper tweeted he was banned from the U.K. “for 3-5 years” by the country’s Home Office policy, which cited “behaviours unacceptable in the U.K.” due to lyrics written 3 years ago.
The lyrics come from songs on his 2009 mixtape Bastard as well as a song from his debut studio album, Goblin.
In an interview with The Guardian, Tyler shared his feelings about the U.K. government:
“Now [the U.K. government] are just followers,” Tyler, the Creator told The Guardian. “Everyone is a follower, just following what other countries are doing. Now I’m getting treated like a terrorist.”
Tyler is referring to also being banned from New Zealand in 2014. New Zeland and facing backlash from the Australian group Collective Shout, which started a PR campaign that ended in the rapper’s Australian tour.
The rapper tweeted about the situation after he was held in a detention room and not allowed into the U.K.
BASED ON LYRICS FROM 2009 I AM NOT ALLOWED IN THE UK FOR 3-5 YEARS ( although i was there 8 weeks ago) THAT IS WHY THE SHOWS WERE CANCELLED.
— Tyler, The Creator (@fucktyler) August 26, 2015
During his interview The Guardian, Tyler the Creator says he doesn’t believe that those lyrics from years ago represent who he is now
“It’s based on things I made when I was super-young, when no one was listening,” Tyler said.
According to the papers given to Tyler The Creator, he will not be allowed to return to the U.K. for another three to five years, after which the U.K. Home Secretary will review the decision.
