Tyler, The Creator’s career has been one that has been very fascinating to follow. He is an artist who I have followed pretty intently for a lot of my life. I can still literally remember being in high school and seeing the music video for ‘Yonkers’ on MTV. From that moment on, it was apparent that this artist was unlike anyone else. He was going to push boundaries and change the game in any and every way that he could. Over the years, Tyler, The Creator has become a media titan and cultural icon. As great and influential as his music has been, he has been just as influential through his fashion(particularly through the Odd Future brand) and his affect appearances on the small screen(particularly in his show Loiter Squad). As interesting as Tyler’s development outside of music has been, his development as a musician has been even more intriguing to watch. At the beginning of his career, it felt like he was just trying to make shock value Hip Hop music. He began to pop off in the music world during the late 2000s and early 2010s. His first three projects, Bastard, Goblin, and Wolf, were full of pretty aggressive and harsh Hip Hop with boundary-pushing lyrics and sounds that pushed as many people away as they drew in. In 2017, Tyler started to branch out and soften up his sound and image starting with the album Flower Boy. This acclaimed album was seen as a major shift in his artistry and was the basis for the excellence that was to come. Tyler, The Creator dropped what is considered his best and most complete album to this point, Igor, in 2019. This album is considered to be among the best of the year(if not the best album of that year) by fans and critics alike, and it earned Tyler his first Grammy. Tyler followed up that excellent record with another phenomenal release, Call Me If You Get Lost, in 2021. Once again, this was considered one of the best albums of that year, praised for its riveting concept and wide-ranging sound. After a three-year break, Tyler, The Creator has now returned with a new record called CHROMAKOPIA. Understandably, this release has been taking the world by storm. Here are some of my thoughts on Tyler, The Creator’s CHROMAKOPIA. Please let me know in the comments what your favorite songs were from this record, and also comment on how you feel about it as a whole!
Tyler begins the record on a pretty intense and creepy note with ‘St. Chroma,’ which features Daniel Caesar. This is a hell of a way to get things going. The melody on this track is very eerie. It is fitting that this album was released around Halloween, its tone is haunting. The beat for ‘St. Chroma’ is honestly just wild. It has a bit of a marching band element to it for most of the track, but picks up some weird moments of distortion for a while in the middle. The vocals on ‘St. Chroma’ is very wide-ranging and frankly awesome. Tyler whispers at times in the tracks he raps at times, and he sings. There are so many sounds on display through his vocals. Daniel Caesar’s performance is nice as well; his high pitch and clear tone make the song feel a bit lighter at times, which is welcomed. On ‘St. Chroma,’ Tyler and Daniel are talking about the title character of this album, St. Chroma. He is a vigorously artistic, talented, and confident man, but some of his fears and disdain for the world hold him back at times. ‘Rah Tah Tah’ certainly keeps the intensity of the first track going. This song honestly brings me back to some of the harsh Hip Hop music Tyler made at the beginning of his career. The melody for this song is simple yet foreboding. The synths that drive this one may not be too riveting, but they are definitely impactful. The beat for ‘Rah Tah Tah’ has a quirky tempo that feels like a cross between Boom Bap and Trap music. The beat is very hard-hitting and distorted making this track feel larger than life. Tyler, The Creator’s rapping on this track is gruff and mean, also harkening back to the music he originally got known for. ‘Rah Tah Tah’ is larger than life, and I am pretty confident this one will end up being a smash hit. On ‘Rah Tah Tah,’ Tyler raps about meeting and wooing a new partner, as this person is fascinated by his lavish lifestyle and overall presence as a man. ‘Noid,’ the album’s lead single, departs a bit from the intensity of the first two tracks. When this song came out, it felt very hard, but after these first two tracks, it almost feels like a reprieve. ‘Noid’ has a cool Funky Blues Rock sound that is a bit of a departure from what I have heard from him in the past. There were elements of this of Flower Boy, but not quite this exquisitely. The guitar riff that drives the melody for(most of) this track is super dirty, giving me the stank face when it comes on. The beat has a bouncy Blues Rock tempo that is just as tough as the melody. The song does have an outro where the guitar riff is replaced with a piano riff, and the beat becomes more Hip Hoppy. The vocals on this track are all over the place, and very cool. There are female harmonies provided by Willow Smith throughout the song that give it texture. Tyler himself sing-raps in a manner that fits this style of instrumental so well but also stands out. The hook gets assistance from the Zambian singer Paul Ngozi, which gives the song another element that makes it fascinating. On Noid,’ Tyler and his features are singing about the pressures of fame and how they have come to not trust anyone around them because everyone wants a piece of their success. Tyler, The Creator significantly lightens the mood and smooths things out on ‘Darling, I’ which features Teezo Touchdown. This track feels like it comes straight out of the New Jack Swing era of the 1990s. Everything about this instrumental makes me think of artists like New Edition or Blackstreet. The melody is so groovy and charming, driven by an enticing bassline that is complemented by some very bright and ethereal synths. The beat for this track has that kind of old-school Hip Hop feeling that makes me want to 2 step all over the dance floor. Tyler, The Creator does his thing on the rap verses of ‘Darling, I,’ but Teezo Touchdown really steals the show. His tone is so great on this track, and the high notes he hits give it a ton of texture and life. ‘Darling, I’ is a cute love song where Tyler and Teezo are singing about how much they adore their new partner.
‘Hey Jane’ keeps the smooth, old school Hip Hop feeling we got on the last track rolling. This melody is not as driven by the groovy bassline as the last track; instead, the bassline on this one seems to complement the sultry synths(and a guitar riff that comes in) that drive this melody. I love the saxophone tone that comes in and out, as it makes the song feel floaty. The beat on this is softer and laid back. Its tempo makes me think of some of the underground Jazz Rap music that was coming out in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Tyler, The Creator’s rap performance on this track is even-keeled and pretty delicate(for him), matching the feeling of the track nicely. ON ‘Hey Jane,’ Tyler addresses the perspective of a woman getting pregnant from both the standpoint of the man and the woman. The man in this scenario is nervous and somewhat unwilling to take on responsibility, and the woman expresses her desire not to face the situation alone. ‘I Killed You’ is a song that brings back a bit of heaviness and uneasiness, albeit in a way that is both subdued and intense at the same time. The instrumental is driven by an unnerving and very simple melody, provided by a piano riff and complemented by blaring trumpets that come in and out. The timing of the drums on this track is pretty strange and tough to pinpoint. They almost have a marching bad quality, which makes them sound pretty anxious sounding. Toward the end of the track, the melody brightens up a bit and the drums get quieter, sending it out on a more positive note. Tyler’s rapping on this track is pretty forward and menacing. The flow and tone he raps with really add to the intrepid feeling of the track. On ‘I Killed You,’ Tyler, The Creator literally raps about the hair of black people. He discusses the debate on how to style it, as some people want to express themselves and others want to fall in line. ‘Judge Judy’ has a significantly different sound than anything that precedes it. The tone of the melody is not too far off from the one on ‘Darling, I,’ I guess, but that is the only thing comparable to any of the tracks before it. The overall feeling of this instrumental has a Motown-esque Pop tone that feels so retro. If one were to tell me this was a remastered version of a song from the 1950s(I say remastered because the saturation in the mix does feel a bit modern), I would not be surprised at all. I will admit that ‘Judge Judy’ does not quite draw me in as much as the first 6 songs. It is enjoyable for what it is, but it is not as gripping as anything before it. Tyler’s vocals on this track are alright, but nothing to write home about. I would not say Tyler does anything in ‘Judge Judy’ that wows me. On ‘Judge Judy,’ Tyler sings about hooking up with a girl he met at the coffee shop, and how good this girl made him feel(even if she is into things he has never tried before).
‘Sticky,’ which features GloRilla, Sexyy Red, and Lil Wayne, brings back the intense Hip Hop sound we got on ‘Rah Tah Tah.’ The initial thought that came to mind when first checking this one out was “Man, this is a banger.’ I would be pretty surprised if ‘Sticky’ does not end up being a major hit, as it has club banger written all over it. The first half of the track has no semblance of a melody, with the instrumental being driven by the beat. In the second half of the track, some funky, blaring, triumphant horns come in, which at times is complemented by what sounds like a sort of off-key piano riff. The beat for ‘Sticky’ has the kind of sparse drum pattern that is reminiscent of early 2000s Neptunes music, particularly the music from Clipse. This beat literally sounds like someone pounding on some bleachers, and I love it. Every artist on ‘Sticky’ matches its intensity and delivers some great vocals, but Lil Wayne and GloRilla stand out. Their harsh tones and captivating flows hit this beat so well, and go so well with the larger-than-life feeling of the track. On ‘Sticky,’ Tyler and his features rap about how no one can mess with them, and they are always willing to defend themselves in any way necessary if the situation arises. ‘Take Your Mask Off,’ which features Daniel Caesar and LaToiya Williams, goes completely 180 degrees from the harsh and mean nature of the last track. I almost feel like this song and ‘Sticky’ should have been switched in the tracklist(although I know Tyler had his reasons for organizing the album this way) as this instrumental feels somewhat similar to the one on ‘Judge Judy.’ This track has an easy-listening Jazz Pop sound that is pretty soothing. The melody is driven by a sweet piano riff that is complemented by various other instruments that come in and out, such as horns, a bass, and a guitar. The beat on this track is pretty easy-going as well; it literally makes me think of the music that would be played in a Jazz Coffee cafe on a Fall Saturday afternoon. This instrumental is not the most gripping, but it is very soothing and nice to listen to. The vocals from Daniel Caesar and LaToiya Williams on this track are cool, but I really like how Tyler’s gruff rap vocals contrast the light feels of the instrumental. Tyler’s vocals give a texture to ‘Take Your Mask Off’ that makes it pop. on ‘Take Your Mask Off,’ Tyler and his features are talking about being yourself and not wearing a “disguise” or “mask” to hide who you really are. Tyler refers to a thug who gets arrested, a queer preacher hiding his sexuality, a single mom not wanting to be a mom, and more to get his point across very deeply. ‘Take Your Mask Off’ transitions into ‘Tomorrow’ so well that I hardly noticed the songs switched when listening to the record. I like how seamless this transition is, but it also makes the beginning of ‘Tomorrow’ almost feel washed away. Ultimately, ‘Tomorrow’ turns into a soft Rock sound with a bit of a Bluesy feeling that is welcoming and downtrodden at the same time. The beat for this track does not come in until about halfway through the track. I do like this beat, as the bass that drives it especially makes the song feel tougher than the melody makes it feel. This contrast between the beat and melody does make ‘Tomorrow’ pretty intriguing. Like ‘Judge Judy,’ although it does fit very well into the context of the tracklist, there is something about this one that does not grab me as much. The singing and rapping vocals from Tyler are nice, but they do not do a ton to pull me in as much as some of these other tracks. In ‘Tomorrow,’ Tyler talks about the pitfalls of getting older and watching life pass by. He wants to start a family before it is too late, as he feels as if he is not being fulfilled in life the way he wants to be with the way he is living currently. ‘Thought I was Dead,’ which features Schoolboy Q and Santigold, brings back the bold and harsh nature we were getting at the beginning of the album. Weirdly, this almost feels more like a crossover of a Santigold and a Schoolboy Q song than it does a Tyler song. This track has an Electronic Jazz Trap instrumental that is all over the place and pretty tough to describe. The melody for this track, if one can call it that, is driven by off-kilter, zany wind instruments that have a tone that is just all over the place and so frantic. The beat for ‘Thought I Was Dead’ hits super hard and is super intricate; it is just as eccentric and grating as the melody is. I love all of the vocals on this one. The background singing from Santigold gives the track a haunting element; Tyler and Schoolboy rap with tough, in-your-face tones and flows that more than mesh with the audacious feeling of the instrumental. On ‘Thought I Was Dead,’ Tyler and his features talk about their massive personas and mentalities, and how nothing will stop them from getting what they want.
‘Like Him,’ which features Lola Young, brightens the mood and slows things down a ton once again. I swear, this album is giving me whiplash with how back and forth its sound is. ‘Like Him’ is another track that makes me think of retro Motown Pop music. The melody for this track is very soft and sweet, driven by a charming piano riff that is complemented by luscious synths. The first half of this track is acoustic, with a crashing Pop beat coming in to give some emphasis and power after this long introduction. The vocals on ‘Like Him’ are very sweet and lovely. Both Tyler and Lola Young embody the feeling of this instrumental very well, and make the song feel all-encompassing. I knew Tyler could sing, but he impressed me significantly on this one. In ‘Like Him,’ Tyler and Lola Young sing about the trauma that Tyler feels due to his upbringing and the fact that his mom raised him on her own. Tyler’s mom even delivers the intro and the outro to this track, apologizing for how the way she made Tyler feel by choosing to raise him on her own. ‘Balloon,’ which features Doechii, goes back to the 1990s New Jack Swing sound we got on ‘Darling, I.’ Like that track, this instrumental just makes me think of artists like Bobby Brown or even Boyz II Men. The melody for ‘Balloon’ is colorful and lush; its groovy, vibrant synths have such a positive tone, which contrasts the energy of the vocals immensely. Both Tyler and Doechii deliver super harsh, eccentric vocals on this track. Doechii especially brings a menacing energy. Even though the instrumental is so vivid, her performance almost brings a darkness to the track. On ‘Balloon,’ Tyler and Doechii rap about how nothing and no one can stop them because they came from nothing and have been through it all. ‘I Hope You Find Your Way Home’ is such an interesting way to end this record. For one, the title is a callback to his last album, Call Me If You Get Lost. It seems to be suggesting that Tyler still seems to be searching for that thing that will make him feel complete. This instrumental is very laid-back and pleasant but also feels pretty weighty. The distortion in the synths that complement the piano riff that drives this melody gives the song a bit of a grating feeling that takes away from its otherwise gratifying tone. Tyler’s vocals on this track are great as well. The tone with which he sings is very delightful, yet the tone in which he raps with is pretty brash. In addition to trying to assert that he is accepting who he is as a man and proud of everything he has become, Tyler harkens back to the lyricism on the song ‘Hey, Jane,’ further getting into why he does not want to be a father at this point. ‘I Hope You Find Your Way Home’ is a very fulfilling closing track that sends the album off on a powerful note.
Going into CHROMAKOPIA, I knew this was going to be a pretty crazy album. All of the imagery in the promotion leading up to the record was very quirky and bold, and the lead single, ‘Noid,’ is obviously a striking introduction. I do not think I could have been prepared for what we have actually gotten here, though. Everything about CHROMAKOPIA is gigantic, riveting, and complex. Tyler really pulls out all of the stops on this album, proving how wide-ranging of an artist he is. There is something for so many kinds of music listeners on this record; from Pop to R&B to Funk to various forms of Hip Hop, this album has it all. Its sound is so vast that at moments it is easy to get lost in the sauce. You will be hit with a soft and darling song like ‘Tomorrow,’ then get punched in the face with songs like ‘Thought I Was Dead.’ For the most part, Tyler nails it in every way on this album. There are a few songs that do not captivate me as much as the others, but still fit into the context of the record well. On CHROMAKOPIA, Tyler opens up more than he ever has before. He creates this boisterous and egotistical character of himself that seems totally okay with everything he is and has become, but also gets real and talks about his many securities. Tyler has issues of self-worth, wanting or not wanting a family, trauma with the way he was raised, and paranoia due to his level of fame, and he lets all of that be known. The way he goes back and forth between confidence and uncertainty makes CHROMAKOPIA feel so raw. Overall, CHROMAKOPIA is an awesome piece of art that shows how eclectic and immensely talented musically he is. CHROMAKOPIA is not a perfect record, but it is an awesome project with many moments that will stand the test of time.
EAST SIDE VIBES 