Tyler, The Creator’s seventh studio album “CHROMAKOPIA” pairs cutting-edge production with calculated penmanship to create a musical masterpiece that tells the story of both Tyler and his new alter ego, named “St. Chroma,” in a race against time.
Tyler, The Creator has been one of music’s most polarizing figures since he burst onto the scene in the early 2010s, and his newest LP shows no signs of backing down from the fire.
The project explores many sensitive and serious subjects, something that Tyler has been no stranger to as an artist.
The song “Darling, I” details his fear of commitment to one person in the form of marriage. Lines such as, “Nobody could fulfill me like this music shit does, so I’ll be lonely with these Grammys when it’s all said and done,” illustrate his struggle balancing work with love.
The title of the next track, “Hey Jane,” is a double entendre, being both the greeting he gives to the subject of the song and a reference to the company of the same name that offers abortion-related healthcare services.
The song effectively captures communication between a couple discussing their unexpected pregnancy. The subtle instrumental mixed with the relaxed delivery creates a somber atmosphere for a serious conversation.
The track, “Take Your Mask Off” is another example of Tyler bringing attention to topics that other mainstream artists may avoid completely, conveying the message that most people aren’t being their true selves.
The first verse is from the perspective of someone who forces themself into the stereotypical “thug” role to impress others, even though that isn’t truly who they are. The lyric “Now you facin’ five to ten ’cause you had somethin’ to prove” is powerful commentary on those who get themselves intertwined with a lifestyle that glorifies violence and crime.
The song’s second verse goes into the perspective of a church pastor, whom Tyler ridicules for being openly homophobic while hiding the secret that he is gay himself.
Tyler’s ability to step into other people’s shoes and tell their stories is a prime example of his writing expertise, which there was no shortage of on the album.
Later in the song, Tyler tells the story of a housewife who feels like her potential was limited as a stay-at-home mom. He effectively conveys the feeling of yearning to be something more.
Tyler started his album rollout on Oct. 16 with an Instagram post previewing the intro track, “St. Chroma.” He dropped snippets of the lead single “Noid” and the song “Thought I Was Dead” in the lead-up to the project’s release.
Tyler subverted industry standards by releasing the album on a Monday, rather than the usual Friday drops that many popular artists have grown accustomed to in order to maximize first-week sales. Despite this, Tyler still managed to debut at number one on the Billboard 200 chart.
The closing verse of “Take Your Mask off” sees Tyler return to first-person songwriting and is fairly self-deprecating. Tyler confronts himself for feeling like he’s been putting up a façade and addresses some of his regrets.
Lyrics such as, “You ain’t gotta hide from the truth, tell your family why you such a recluse” hint at the artist’s self doubt and the troubling effect it has on him.
Themes of insecurities and remorse over his past can be found at various points during the album, accompanying worries about his future.
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The track “Tomorrow” expresses concern that Tyler’s way of finding contentment in material possessions is one that he will rue in the future.
The reflections on this track are insightful and carefully crafted to make listeners understand how he copes with said issues.
In the final verse of the song, he makes it evident that he is having second thoughts about where his priorities have been. He raps, “My brodie had another baby, that’s like number two; My homegirl, her knot tied, she like thirty-two.” Yet he feels like all he has is “photos of my ‘Rari and some silly suits.”
The song “Like Him” is a touching manifesto about Tyler’s sorrow over his father’s absence during the course of his life.
It’s a compelling track that also doubles as tear-jerking, as the world Tyler builds for the track is beautiful, yet desolate.
Comparisons between Tyler and his father cause Tyler torment because he doesn’t know how accurate their perceived similarities are. He makes it apparent that these thoughts have a negative effect on his mental state. Tyler said on the song, “Mama, I’m chasin’ a ghost, I don’t know who he is,” describing the feeling of having to live up to a faceless figure
Tyler then flips the narrative of the song on its head in the final portion, saying that he is “everything that I strive to be.” Tyler implies that he has fulfilled his own potential, which ended up having nothing to do with his dad.
The song closes with a supposed admission of guilt about Tyler’s father not being present in his life from Tyler’s Mother, Bonita Smith.
“It was my fault, not him, ’cause he always wanted to be there for you,” said Smith. “I’m sorry I was young, but he’s always wanted to be a father to you.”
A statement like this from Tyler’s mother came as a shock to fans, who remember tracks like “Answer” which reads as an angry letter directed towards Tyler’s father regarding his absence.
Concepts of confidence also appear throughout the album. Tyler has found himself partial to making a braggadocious rap song on occasion.
“Thought I Was Dead” is an experimentally-produced hype rap song featuring fellow Los Angeles-based rapper ScHoolboy Q. In the song, Tyler voices his disdain for industry trends and flexes his rapping ability with unique flows and bold delivery.
Tyler’s second verse starts with the aggressive bar, “White boys mockin’ this shit and y’all mad at me?” Many fans have connected this line to up-and-coming rapper ian, who has been accused of appropriating Black culture.
On the song “Sticky,” Tyler enlists help fellow rappers Glorilla, Sexyy Red and Lil Wayne to flaunt their successes and denounce their haters. Sexyy Red’s natural energy and fun approach in her verse makes her a standout.
Tyler uses an eclectic group of samples in the production of the instrumentals on the album, an identifiable feature of his production style. The artist was the sole producer for the entire album.
“Noid,” the album’s lead single, samples the 1977 track “Nizakupanga Ngozi” from Zambian-rock group Ngozi Family. Tyler uses soft piano snippets to compliment the sampled vocals styles, along with some of the experimental synths and twangs that have become a trend in Tyler’s work.
There are two standout samples found on the song “Balloon,” which features Tampa-born rapper Doechii. The main sample is a J-pop song from 1978 by the artist Akiko Yano, with a vocal sample from 90s hip-hop cut “I Wanna Rock” by Luke also featured.
The album drew criticism from fans for not living up to previous albums Tyler released and taking a step back in quality, rather than forward. Some felt that it wasn’t as sonically adventurous as his other endeavors.
Listeners also pointed out jumbled storytelling, causing confusion for some trying to track the message of the album. The idea that Tyler was recycling themes from past albums was also brought to the forefront of discourse, potentially pointing at a lack of new subject matter for Tyler’s inspiration.
“CHROMAKOPIA” is a colorful album filled with personality. It forces the listener to reconsider their everyday attitude and demeanor.
This project not only solidifies itself as one of the greatest of the year, but it also cements Tyler, The Creator among the greatest artists to grace the hip-hop genre.
