Tyler, the Creator, a widely-known rapper, singer, and producer, has released his seventh studio album, Chromakopia. This occurred following a three-year hiatus from his last album, Call Me If You Get Lost. As usual with a new release, Tyler created a character and world in his promotion to go along with the album. The masked character could be seen in the singles dropped before the album release, “St. Chroma” and “Noid,” and on the album cover itself. A green semi-truck branded with the Chromakopia logo could also be seen driving through major cities in the U.S., causing the mystery and hype behind this album in the short two-week rollout to become immense.
Love is an important theme to the album, introduced on track four, “Darling, I.” This song is about Tyler’s struggles with settling down and committing to one person. By the end of the song, he concludes that he loves music more than anything or anyone, and “[he’ll] be lonely with these Grammys when it’s all said and done.” The upbeat production and catchy chorus make this song very enjoyable. “Hey Jane,” track five, contrasts this sound, with introspective lyrics and stripped-back production. The song tackles the struggles with an unexpected pregnancy, from the perspective of both a man and a woman. Track 7, “Judge Judy,” is about not judging a partner for who they are. The chorus on this song isn’t as strong though, and the song drags a bit at four minutes long.
The tracklist features many hard-hitting, and faster rapping performances, such as track two, “Rah Tah Tah.” The beat, flow, and delivery are aggressive, and the song features some of the best one-liners on the album. Track 8, “Sticky,” is probably the most fun song on the album. While brief, the features from GloRilla, Sexyy Red, and Lil Wayne help build momentum and add a lot to the song. The horn and bass-filled beat and transition into the smooth and charismatic feature verse from ScHoolboy Q on Track 11, “Though I Was Dead,” make it stand out.
Track 12, “Like Him,” reaches an emotional climax on the album, which delves into the effect that growing up without a father had on Tyler and his mother. His mother starts the song by admitting how much Tyler reminds her of his father. He adds that even though he resents his dad for not being there for him, he still wishes he knew more about him. Tyler’s mom ends the song by blaming herself for his father’s absence and apologizes to Tyler. Although not as lyrically dense, the potency and emotion of the limited lyrics, the swelling synths and drum patterns, and the vocals from Lola Young make this song one of the strongest on the album.
“I Killed You” and “Take Your Mask Off” have similar themes of suppressing one’s true self, and both have smooth flows and bouncy beats. “I Killed You” is mainly about resisting conformity to unfair standards of society. “Take Your Mask Off” talks about various examples of people trying to be something they’re not, such as a rich, middle-class kid acting like a thug or a closeted gay preacher having a wife and kids. Tyler addresses himself with this same theme in the last verse, where he airs out personal struggles and doubts he faces. This same idea is reflected in the next song, “Tomorrow.” Tyler discusses how his fear of aging past his prime has kept him from growing up, settling down, and having kids while everyone else in his life is doing so. The stripped-back guitar and horns at the end of the song give it a unique feel.
Doechii’s feature verse on “Balloon”, track 13, is one of the best, with a catchy flow and some of the funniest bars on the album. The outro to the album, “I Hope You Find Your Way Home,” ties up themes from the album, such as the sacrifices Tyler has made for his music. The slow buildup to the impactful verse makes this conclusion incredibly satisfying.
While housing a wide variety of sounds, themes, production styles, and energy, this chaos ties every song together well. The switch-ups on this album force you to listen carefully, as you never know whether you will get a calm, introspective, and powerful song, or a banger you can play in your car. The features are tastefully placed, adding something interesting to the song they are a part of, while concise enough to not take away from the narrative Tyler weaves into the album. This album is perfect for listeners who want to sit down and listen to the lyrics to fully understand the complex and interconnected themes, and those who simply want some new music to enjoy.
Final rating: 8.5/10
Favorite songs: “St. Chroma,” “Darling, I,” “Sticky,” “Though I Was Dead,” “Like Him”
Least favorite song: “Judge Judy”
