In a time where classical forms of art are underappreciated and under consumed, the monolithic idea of creativity has been sufficed by modern pop culture and the evolution that it has embraced.

Every year, somewhere in America, classes of high school students are groaning when their teacher says that Shakespeare is going to be the next thing that they read. While I don’t blame them for recognizing the non-timeliness of work like Shakespeare’s, I do blame them for judging a book by its cover and not giving classics like “Othello” and “Hamlet” a chance to be inviting texts that expand one’s knowledge. Whether or not that knowledge is relevant or not, knowledge is knowledge nonetheless.

Today though, the knowledge being spread through creative methods is highlighted in pop culture and its different facets of expression.

Two specific artists that are most surely pushing the culture go by the names of Frank Ocean and Tyler the Creator.

Many people may consider these artists’ mid-level creators and B-list celebrities and while that may be true, their work internally has been some of the most critically acclaimed that the music industry has seen in a while

Take for example Ocean’s 2016 project “Blonde.” After fans waited four years between Ocean dropping projects, he delivered exactly as he was expected to. The album was a follow up to “Channel Orange” which put Ocean on the map. “Blonde” was a clear expression of the evolution that Ocean underwent in the four years between albums.

“Blonde” was immediately captivating due to how stripped down the production was. Ocean heavily utilized the idea of simplicity both sonically and as far as his storytelling went. This approach would logically not make for a great album but in Ocean’s case, it did. The story Ocean was telling is also rumored to be a very rare peep into Ocean’s process of growing and maturing as he tackles the personal conflicts of being homosexual and having strict parents.

The way that Ocean pushed the culture in this album was apparent in how multiple music critics placed this album in their top five of the year. There is a large consensus that Ocean is one of the most talented R&B artists out currently because of how well he delivered on “Blonde.”

While Tyler the Creator does not appeal to the same form of music that Ocean does, his creativity pushed the culture in 2017 with his release of  “Flower Boy.” Listening through the project that showcased Tyler’s maturity, it is hard to point out any major flaws with the music. This especially true because Tyler’s older music is wrought with immaturity and flawed approaches to expression. The slower and much more deliberate approach that Tyler takes to music and expression on “Flower Boy” is key in capturing his creativity.

Everybody knew Tyler was a creative individual as he is arguably one of the most free spirits in the public eye as of now but everyone discredited his musical talent because of how free spirited it was. When Tyler figured out how to refine his style and his ideas, he was able to cater to a wider range of music listeners while also staying true to himself.

Ocean and Tyler have both been ideal in terms of being able to grow and use creative means to channel their growth. I think this puts them on the cutting edge of creativity in the 21st century. While these two artists, Ocean especially, keep much of their personal lives out of the public eye, the fact that their music can tell so much about them while also being so abstract is a quality only the most talented and creative individuals attain.