Tyler, The Creator is co-headlining this year’s Coachella, and he has one request for attendees ahead of his big performances.
The Odd Future founder is taking over the main stage at the Indio, California festival on April 13 and 20.
Keen for his sets to be fully appreciated, Tyler is encouraging fans to put away their phones and be present in the moment when he’s performing.
A billboard appeared near the festival grounds this week with a message from the IGOR rapper that reads: “I would love to see y’all faces and not your phone lights.”
Tyler, The Creator’s new billboard before Coachella
“I would love to see y’all faces and not your phone lights” pic.twitter.com/7DJrc67iTd
— NFR Podcast (@nfr_podcast) April 4, 2024
Tyler, The Creator isn’t the only rapper who has made steps to curb the use of phones and cameras at his shows.
Childish Gambino previously banned phones from his PHAROS concert in 2016, making fans put their devices into magnetic bags to be locked away.
“PHAROS is a gathering of the five intuitives of the human experience: tribe, ritual, experience abstraction, architecture, language,” the concert app stated. “Be helpful. Do not be a detriment. No irony.”
In 2018, Kendrick Lamar prohibited photographers beyond his team from snapping concerts on his DAMN. European tour.
Tyler, The Creator is no stranger to the Coachella stage having previously performed at the festival in 2015 and 2018 following his Cherry Bomb and Flower Boy albums, respectively.
He also performed in 2011 as part of Odd Future. The group were kicked out after spraying security guards with water guns, but Tyler managed to get back into the festival to see Lil B perform.
“Got Back In!!!!! At @lilbthebasedgod Show. FUN!” he posted on X (formerly known as Twitter) at the time.
Headlining 2024 Coachella alongside Tyler are Doja Cat and Lana Del Rey.