Tyler Okonma, better known by his stage name Tyler, the Creator, has been making waves over a decade now for his spontaneous nature, infectious personality and eclectic musical knowledge.
Starting out in the hip-hop collective Odd Future alongside his friends and longtime collaborators Earl Sweatshirt, Domo Genesis and Frank Ocean, Tyler soon began releasing his own material to resounding acclaim yet also wide-eyed concern.
Much of Tyler’s early work was crafted with a sense to provoke and create discourse online, slowly gaining him and his Odd Future counterparts much more attention and notoriety in the process.
His first couple releases Bastard and Goblin are home to some of Tyler’s most classic songs to date, yet also had some of his most unremarkable ideas and putrid production. Whether they were great or not, Tyler would slowly start to become more of a household name with every passing release.
Wolf saw Tyler experimenting more with R&B and concept-driven tracks while also not being afraid to get vulnerable on tracks like “Answer” and “Lone,” a true sign of progression for The Creator in every sense.
Yet, his next album Cherry Bomb saw Tyler stretch himself too thin, as a lot of these tracks lack structure and cohesive production. Dabbling in every genre from rock to soul, many songs fall flat and the album comes across more like a complete mess than a worthy experimental project.
Tyler would win fans and critics back quickly though with the release of Flower Boy. This album was instantly praised for its lush, tranquil production and personal songwriting as it chronicled Tyler’s struggles and acceptance of his identity and sexuality. It was seen by many as his best record to date.
Though this title would soon be overtaken by Tyler’s next and possibly most experimental album, Igor. Doubling down on the R&B and pop sounds that he’d been dabbling with since Wolf, Tyler created a full-fledged conceptual breakup album filled to the brim with pop, soul and abstract production styles. Songs like “Earfquake,” “I Think” and “New Magic Wand” remain some of Tyler’s most celebrated songs in his entire catalog and catapulted him into the mainstream when it comes to not only innovators of hip-hop but of music and genre-bending as a whole.
Tyler’s next project however would see him go back to his rap roots with the mixtape-tinged flex anthems of Call Me If You Get Lost. While a lot of these tracks are reminiscent of boom-bap and old school hip-hop, that doesn’t mean they’re any less great when it comes to Tyler standards. “Massa,” “Manifesto” and “Wilshire” are some of the best storytelling tracks he’s ever penned while “Sweet / I Thought You Wanted to Dance,” “Rise!” and “Wusyaname” have some of the best and brightest R&B style production he’s ever put to tape.
This had everyone wondering though, where on Earth could Tyler go from here? Well, why not put everything together?
This brings me to Chromakopia. Tyler, the Creator’s eighth album was released on October 28, 2024 and is already being pegged as one of his best records. I can’t help but agree.
This record has absolutely everything going for it. Polished yet abrasive and raw production reminiscent of a revitalized Cherry Bomb, experimental genre-fusions à la Igor or Wolf and some of the most vulnerable and open storytelling we’ve heard from Tyler since Flower Boy.
I don’t want to just compare and contrast though because Chromakopia is truly singular, special and a one of a kind in Tyler’s ever-expanding and impressive body of work.
“St. Chroma” opens the album on a rather unsettling yet intriguing note with military-esque chants and Tyler whispering into the mic. The track continues to grow with angelic backing vocals from Daniel Caesar until an explosive second half as Tyler explores themes of identity, self-worth and family ideals that only become more prevalent and fleshed-out across the rest of the record.
Transitioning perfectly into “Rah Tah Tah,” this is one of the many invigorating headbangers on the album and is home to some great one-liners and quotables from Tyler. I can only imagine how crazy this one will be live.
“Noid” was the lead single and only continues to grow on me in the context of the album. Chronicling his paranoia when it comes to the enormous spotlight and fame he’s continued to accrue over the years, Tyler makes great use of brash guitar and an off-kilter beat to further pronounce these points.
“Darling, I” may come across like your typical love song from Tyler, but it’s almost the exact opposite. The gorgeous beat and guest vocals from Teezo Touchdown don’t take away from what Tyler is truly saying on this track about actually being afraid of commitment and never wanting to settle down with one person as he feels he is incapable and only wants to focus on himself and his art.
These sentiments lead seamlessly into the next song “Hey Jane,” which may be my favorite on the entire record and one of the most genius showings of songwriting Tyler has ever crafted.
This track acts as a dialogue between Tyler himself and a woman he’d been seeing, “Jane.” While the couple has just learned about an accidental pregnancy, Tyler goes back and forth between he and Jane’s different perspectives on how they might want to proceed with this unexpected news.
I commend Tyler for expressing these complex emotions so vividly and honestly and giving not just himself but also the woman in this scenario a respectable and necessary dialogue, especially when topics like abortion continue to be contentiously debated across the country.
Lines like, “Just know I’ll support either way, no pressure,” give me hope that one day we can get back to a world where women have more freedom and options to do what they want when it comes to their own body, choices and plans for their future. Tyler certainly understands these issues and struggles as well with this beautifully important song.
Tracks “I Killed You” and “Judge Judy” are some of the more subtle and down-tempo songs on the record, yet that doesn’t mean they pack any less of a punch. While Childish Gambino lends his soothing voice to both tracks, Tyler continues to discuss important topics and issues ranging from self-love to personal, caring relationships. “Judge Judy” especially may sound sweet to the ears as Tyler describes a fling he once had, but as you get deeper into the track you realize the “Judy” in question may have suddenly passed away.
Tyler’s final verse describes the last message he received from her, mentioning she’d had a terminal form of cancer and was saying her last goodbye to him. A rather dark sentiment to lend to a track that sounds so lighthearted, yet it somehow still pulls it off and makes it much more easier to digest.
Don’t worry though because we quickly return to off-the-wall, clubby bangers with “Sticky,” a track that nearly defies all logic with just how peculiar and infectious it is.
Having guest appearances from exciting newcomers GloRilla and Sexyy Red while also making room for the legendary Lil Wayne, this posse cut was immediately a highly discussed track and fan favorite for its bouncy, baffling beat and hilariously memorable lines from all involved.
“Take Your Mask Off” and “Tomorrow” serve as more introspective moments with gorgeous production and emotive vocal melodies, complementing each other quite well.
The former sees Tyler calling out himself and others who tend to put on a facade instead of showcasing their true selves to the world. Ending each verse with “Let’s talk about it,” Tyler doesn’t hold back his true feelings of what it means to be authentic and genuine as he himself wants to continue to grow and unmask his true personality and image.
The latter further explores this idea of growth and not giving into society’s expectations of what it means to get older. One of my favorite lines from the entire album lands on this song with, “They sharin’ pictures of these moments sh*t is really cute, and all I got is photos of my ‘Rari and some silly suits,” as Tyler expresses his fear and paranoia of the idea of settling down while even worrying that he’s run out of time.
Though, as the song progresses, Tyler grows more comfortable with his own ideas of what it means to get older saying, “Don’t you wait on me, I’ll be fine.” Both of these tracks paint a nuanced and heartfelt picture in Tyler’s mind, which is something we haven’t truly gotten from him so far in his career and it’s nothing short of cathartic.
“Thought I Was Dead” is another bombastic barnburner with witty and clever lyrics about what it means to be in the public eye in the age of continuous social media presence. As Tyler delivers some of his best rapping on the entire record over blaring horns, he discusses how many people online will jump to conclusions about anyone who goes off-grid for more than, say, two weeks.
A guest appearance from ScHoolboy Q is also a nice and energetic touch as the rapper is notorious for having long breaks between records, having many people think these same “is he dead?” sentiments. The track is also reminiscent of Call Me If You Get Lost with Tyler continuing to flex and take shots at his competitors and copycats.
“Like Him” may be the most revealing, raw and vulnerable track on the entire record if not of Tyler’s whole career so far. Coming across as a lush piano ballad, this song sees Tyler crooning about his absent father and how his mother will always point out features of Tyler’s that remind her of his dad.
Speaking of Tyler’s mother, she has been heard speaking in a handful of tracks across the record so far as well, almost acting as a sort of narrator if you will, adding another deeply personal touch to this already very raw and real album.
By the end of this track we hear her once again in her most open and honest state. Discussing how she feels guilty for Tyler’s lack of a father figure throughout his life and how it was her fault for him leaving. “He always wanted to be a father to you,” she states, asking for forgiveness.
A truly emotionally taxing track for everyone listening and especially Tyler himself, as his father has always been a focal point in his music and to get another immaculate and emotionally dense track like this 15 years into career is an absolute triumph.
The penultimate track has seen a lot of mixed reception upon release for its wacky beat and rather unserious tone, but I can’t help but love it. “Balloon” feels like a victory lap style track and very necessary in the flow of the album, as it comes between two of the most somber and weary songs on the record.
The album needed one last burst of energy and this song is exactly that. Having a similar sentiment and tone to Kendrick Lamar’s “Mirror,” Tyler uses this song to fully acknowledge how far he’s come as a person and how he’s dealt with past struggles and mental wellbeing, accepting and celebrating his growth and continued success in the process.
The track also features an instantly iconic and memorable guest verse from Doechii, which may be my favorite feature on the album with just how invigorating and hungry she sounds. I can’t say enough good things about this one.
The album closes with the subtle yet heavenly song “I Hope You Find Your Way Home.” This track ties all the album’s themes up nicely with a hazy, guitar-led beat reminiscent of Igor’s closer “Are We Still Friends?” Tyler’s mom even comes back at the end, telling her son how proud of him she is and to always “keep shinin’,” another theme ever-present throughout Chromakopia.
While it may be too soon to flat out call this Tyler’s best album, well, I’m definitely thinking it. Chromakopia is an utterly gorgeous record that sees Tyler only growing as a songwriter, producer and truth-teller.
My rating: 9.7/10
Listen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFfjnPOXmUM
Support: https://www.chromakopia.com/
