When Tyler, the Creator Surprise Crashed My House Party in LA

IN THE SUMMER OF 2021, I HAD RECENTLY RELOCATED TO LOS ANGELES, AND THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC WAS STILL VERY MUCH A PART OF OUR LIVES. AFTER A FEW MONTHS IN THE CITY, I WAS SERIOUSLY CONTEMPLATING LEAVING. FRUSTRATION WAS SETTING IN, AND I WAS CONSIDERING CALLING IT QUITS AND MOVING BACK HOME. HOWEVER, I REACHED OUT TO MY FRIEND ZAVY FOR ADVICE, AND HE SUGGESTED GIVING LA ONE MORE WEEK BEFORE MAKING A FINAL DECISION. HE RECOMMENDED THROWING A BBQ TO KEEP OUR CLOSE FRIENDS NEARBY AND HAVE SOME FUN IN THE PROCESS.

I TOOK HIS ADVICE AND DECIDED TO STAY A BIT LONGER.

AS I BEGAN PLANNING THE BBQ, I LEARNED THAT TYLER WAS STARTING THE ROLLOUT FOR HIS CMIYGL ALBUM. I ASKED MY ‘CLOSE FRIENDS LIST’ ON INSTAGRAM IF THEY WOULD BE DOWN TO COME TO A LISTENING PARTY AT MY PLACE. A FEW OF THEM AGREED, SO I PUT TOGETHER A FLYER WITH ALL THE DETAILS — INCLUDING MY APARTMENT’S GATE CODE — AND STARTED GETTING MY APARTMENT READY FOR THE NIGHT. AFTER POSTING THE FLYER ON MY CLOSE FRIENDS LIST, I DECIDED TO TAKE A QUICK NAP.WHEN I WOKE UP, MY ROOMMATE AT THE TIME KNOCKED ON MY DOOR ASKING: “YO, WHAT THE FUCK? WE THROWING A RAGER OR WHAT?” SHE SHOWED ME HER PHONE WITH THE @GOLFWANGREPORTERS ACCOUNT — WITH OVER 200,000 OF TYLER THE CREATOR’S FANS FOLLOWING — REPOSTING MY FLYER AS IF IT WERE PUBLIC INFORMATION. AFTER SOME THINKING WE DECIDED T—LMAO JUST KIDDING. WE WERE DOWN AS FUCK TO THROW A GIANT PARTY AT THE APARTMENT COMPLEX.

WE GOT ALL THE HOMIES, PREPARED A MENU FEATURING THE “OKAGA BURGERS,” LINKS, POTATO SALAD, “TRASH-WANG” JUNGLE JUICE, AND “DEATH-CAMP” JELL-O SHOTS — AND A WHOLE LOT MORE. TO KEEP THE ENERGY UP, WE HAD A DJ SPINNING TRACKS FROM MY BALCONY, A PROJECTOR DISPLAYING MUSIC & VIDEO VISUALS, AND EVEN SET UP A MOSH PIT RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF OUR PARKING LOTS, IN UNIT..YOU MIGHT BE WONDERING,"TATE, WHAT DID YOUR NEIGHBORS THINK OF ALL THIS?"

WE WERE A STEP AHEAD OF THAT CONCERN.

I WROTE A NOTE AND TAPED IT TO EVERY NEIGHBOR'S DOOR, CLAIMING THAT THE PARTY WAS A GATHERING OF MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY TO CELEBRATE MY "UC BERKELEY GRADUATION" (WHICH WASN'T TRUE).

SURPRISINGLY, EVERYONE WAS CHILL WITH THE SITUATION — AT LEAST UNTIL THINGS TOOK A CHAOTIC TURN WHEN SOME RANDOM GUY HAD HIS WALLET STOLEN.

WHILE ATTENDEES STARTED FLEEING OUT AND MOVING TO THE NEXT PARTY, NOBODY NOTICED TWO ROLLS ROYCES SITTING RIGHT OUT FRONT WAITING FOR US...

I LEARNED THAT DAY THAT IT TRULY DOESN’T MATTER HOW BIG YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA FOLLOWING IS TO DRAW A GIANT CROWD — AND YOU TRULY NEVER KNOW WHO IS WATCHING YOUR STORIES OR POSTS, DAILY!

TYLER MADE THAT KNOWN IN HIS VISIT, IN CONVERSATION, AND BY OBSERVING HOW HE INTERACTS WITH OTHERS IN THE LA ART SCENE — KIDS THAT SHOWED UP THAT HE HAPPENED TO RECOGNIZE AS WELL. BUT TRUST ME... I GET IT.

POSTING YOUR ART AND NOT SEEING ANY INTERACTION IS GUT WRENCHING, IT SUCKS. BUT JUST BECAUSE PEOPLE AREN’T SHOWING YOU SUPPORT PUBLICLY, DOES NOT MEAN YOU HAVE NO SUPPORT AT ALL.

IT’S BEEN ALMOST 3 YEARS SINCE THIS NIGHT AND I AM STILL LEARNING THIS TO THIS DATE —BUT LET IT BE KNOWN THAT YOU SHOULD NEVER STOP WHAT YOU’RE DOING BASED ON YOUR INSTAGRAM NUMBERS NOT DOING WELL.

YOU NEVER KNOW WHO IS WATCHING!