Tyler, the Creator’s solo catalog charts out quite a journey. Starting out as something of a shock-rap troll — getting banned from performing in certain countries, using an image of some well-pissed pants as album art, embracing the edgiest side of his humor — the enigmatic rapper has spent the latter half of his career proving just how creative and surprisingly sensitive he really is. It’s as if to say, “I can take this shit seriously and do it better than all of you.” His new album CHROMAKOPIA makes a strong case that he really can.
If IGOR was Tyler’s high-concept experiment and CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST was the more accessible reintroduction of Tyler, the Man, CHROMAKOPIA falls somewhere in the middle. Produced entirely by Tyler himself, the album embraces the sonic wildness of his 2019 character study while offering verses as vulnerable as those from songs like “Wilshire.” He might be wearing a mask on the album artwork, but the artist spends the album’s 53 minutes doing everything in his power to take it off.
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After the braggadocios, whisper-rapped intro “St. Chroma,” Tyler goes on to explore various corners of his psyche: the lust that drives him, his fear of an uncertain future, and the origins of his feelings and behaviors. With such a focus on his identity, it’s no surprise that a foundational inspiration for the album was the advice his mother would offer a disinterested Tyler as a child and young adult.
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“Now that I’m 33, all that stuff is like, ‘oh, that’s what the fuck she was talking about,’” Tyler said during the CHROMAKOPIA listening party. “‘Oh, I’m not the guy I was at 20. Oh shit, people are getting older, folks having kids and families.’ All I’ve got is a new Ferrari, that does feel kind of weird. I’ve got a grey hair on my chest. Life is life.”
The maternal presence is felt throughout the tracklist, as female voices offer nuggets of wisdom like, “Don’t you ever in your motherfucking life dim your light for nobody,” “Whatever you do, don’t ever tell no bitch you love her,” and “Always, always, always wear a condom.” On “Tomorrow,” she begs for a grandchild, and on “Like Him” she’s in awe of how much Tyler resembles his father. You know, mom stuff that sounds corny to a 20-year-old and profound to a 33-year-old.
On the accompanying tracks, Tyler grapples with such advice through stories and introspection, exploring his anxieties and trauma along the way. He works through the paranoia that comes along with fame on the rock-infused single “Noid,” details an apparent pregnancy scare he went through on the emotional, extremely vulnerable “Hey Jane,” and tells tales of folks living false lives on “Take Your Mask Off.” The latter even features a pointed final verse that reads as a diss-track against himself, revealing his innermost self-doubts and insecurities.