Tyler, the Creator was recognized in Hollywood on Dec. 6 as Variety presented him with its Innovator of the Decade award during the publication’s annual Hitmakers event. The honor marked a moment of reflection for the artist, who spoke about his 15-year career while accepting the award.

According to Variety, he was surprised when he was informed he had been selected and noted that the news made him think about the artists he has long considered innovators, including Stevie Wonder, Missy Elliott, Kanye West, and Pharrell Williams.

“It made me think like, ‘Yo, I don’t take the time out to look back at what I’ve done, for me, the folks around me, for the last 15 years. For me, always looking forward, me always wondering what the next thing is — that’s where I sit comfortable at,” he told attendees, per the outlet.

André 3000 presented the Innovator of the Decade award and highlighted Tyler, the Creator’s influence across multiple creative fields. He noted Tyler, the Creator’s mentorship of emerging artists and his range as a musician, entrepreneur, and actor.

“D-mn, it actually does feel good that something like Variety and Andre is saying, ‘Hey the last 15 years you’ve been doing super-duper, awesome sh-t.’ I’m so grateful that y’all have noticed,” Tyler, the Creator added in his acceptance speech.

André 3000 mentioned that the artist’s energy and commitment to his work are clear when collaborating with him.

“If you can inspire others to want to purely make something, you have done a great deed,” André 3000 said, adding that “you can see his excitement, momentum and passion — it’s infectious.”

Josh Safdie, writer and director of the upcoming film “Marty Supreme,” also commented on the recognition. Tyler, the Creator stars in Safdie’s film opposite Timothée Chalamet. 

“Tyler is a rare artist and creator in that everything he does is completely vertically integrated,” Safdie mentioned, according to Variety.

The artist’s career began with the rap collective Odd Future before he released his debut studio album, “Bastard,” in 2009. His work since then has included music, fashion, television, and film projects. His approach has continued to evolve through each release and collaboration.

According to Variety, in the past year, he released two albums: “Chromakopia,” his eighth studio project, and “Don’t Tap the Glass,” which was released in July 2025 with little advance notice. Both albums received nominations for the 2026 Grammy Awards. “Chromakopia” is nominated for Album of the Year, and “Don’t Tap the Glass” is nominated for Best Alternative Music Album.

In addition to the Innovator of the Decade honor, Tyler, the Creator was recently named Apple Music’s 2025 Artist of the Year. A press release noted that he received his highest streaming numbers to date on the platform, with global listeners logging more than 4.5 billion minutes of listening between November 2024 and October 2025.

“Tyler continues to prove that anything is possible,” Zane Lowe, Apple Music’s global creative director and lead anchor for Apple Music 1, said in the press release. He added that Tyler, the Creator’s bold creativity is matched by the thoughtfulness in how he presents it and noted that he inspires both peers and fans today and will continue to influence future generations.