Tyler, the Creator released his eighth studio album “CHROMAKOPIA” on Monday, Oct. 28.
Throughout his career, Tyler, the Creator has established a consistent two-year album drop pattern that typically falls on an odd number year — a sort of indirect promise to his fans for new music that they will not have to wait forever to hear.
However, with “CHROMAKOPIA,” Tyler, the Creator decided to break that streak — in addition to deviating from the norms of new music Fridays — by releasing on a Monday.
Aside from those differences in the album rollout, there is also something else to note about this album: there is no color. To know Tyler is to know that he is an artist full of color, like a human kaleidoscope that you can view so many shades and patterns through.
He has oftentimes been florid, stimulating and as vibrant as an eternal rainbow, but with Chromakopia we see Tyler, the Creator tapping into a different, perhaps “grayer,” side that welcomes conversations that would not have flowed as smoothly within the bright tapestry of his past projects.
What I enjoy the most about this album, among other things, is that this is an exploration of Tyler’s experience as an adult with the assistance of his mother, who makes frequent appearances throughout the project, urging him to keep the “light.”
Being able to balance songs that carry a certain weight to them while also throwing in tunes that are great for blasting in your headphones is Tyler’s specialty in this project.
“Rah Tah Tah” has to be the crown jewel of the project. As an early part of the album, it gives listeners an invitation into his rambunctious side that stretches from his lyrics to production while also reminding faithful fans that they can always count on him to stay true to the eccentric, rowdy kid from long ago. It even features a striking proclamation from him to be the biggest artist from Los Angeles next to Kendrick Lamar.
Songs like “Hey, Jane,” a tale of a couple facing an unexpected pregnancy and coping by writing letters to one another, put Tyler’s raw lyricism and penmanship on full display. It is the same case with “I Killed You” and “Take Your Mask Off,” which detail the trials that come with understanding one’s identity and taking pride in it.
Tyler also delivered bold, energetic tracks like “Sticky” with the help of newcomers GloRilla and Sexxy Red and rap legend Lil Wayne. He also has proven his proficiency in tracks about his time in the music industry like “Balloon” featuring Doechii where Tyler takes inventory of his career, including his success in the industry and the superficiality he encounters from his peers.
Something important to know about Tyler is that his main objective is not to be catchy but instead to be conscious. “Thought I was Dead” is that type of song, where he drifts your attention away from the beat as he surveys the current state of the rap community.
For all of its highlights, “CHROMAKOPIA” is not an album that I would recommend to someone who wanted to be introduced to his music. This album feels like it was made with the folks who have followed him for years in mind and who can understand and appreciate the tonal shift of the content.
“CHROMAKOPIA” is a phenomenal record that further proves Tyler’s consistency as an artist to produce sound bodies of work. If he is trying to interrupt the oversaturated era of trendy TikTok mini-bites with a concept album centered around evolution and identity, Tyler certainly did it.
