Tyler, the Creator - Chromakopia
Hip hop – Released October 28, 2024 – 14 songs, 57 mins
LUNDI
2024 has been a down year for rap music, at least from TSR’s perspective. Our only review to dive into the genre was Eminem’s return which was primarily nostalgia driven and the biggest story out of hip-hop wasn’t a great album or a wildly acclaimed tour but a feud between two of genres biggest personalities. The popularity of rap hasn’t really dwindled due to a devout fan base but from a critical perspective the quality of output is lagging well behind the rest of the music industry. This week’s entry, and final review of the year, won’t save hip hop from a down calendar but perhaps Tyler, The Creator’s Chromakopia is a sign of what’s to come in 2025.
“I’m gon’ make it out” Tyler whisper raps to open the album, begging the listener to lean in as he has some new things to say. Chromakopia is a new era in the rapper’s already illustrious career. The album is chaotic and bodacious as we’ve come to expect from Tyler, but this time around his brash unapologetic lyricism is traded in for a more personal and infectious hubris. An over arching theme of taking a mask off to reveal your true self hovers over the tracks. He remains confident and inspired but is more insightful and aware than ever opening up about his childhood, fatherhood, career and sexuality. When it’s suddenly more acceptable in the political landscape to be the former Tyler, he pulls a one eighty. How quickly things change, once a candidate for cancellation could now be seen as one of the more appropriate role models in the great country of America.
Tyler builds on his already expansive methods of lyrical delivery showing more versatility than ever. The aggressive raspy rapper is majorly present but is often accompanied by a suave R&B like vocal. At points throughout the album it’s even downright surprising to find out it’s actually him delivering the lyrics, and not a feature. It works when he sticks to the mask off mantra and does so over more firm sonics but points on the album like Judge Judy and Tomorrow come off as tongue in cheek and corny rather than the serious impact he was going for. Even then though it’s hard to blame the rapper for diversifying the album, a trait often lacking in popular music.
Like his vocals, the production is wide array of sonics with beat foundations formed from a mixture of traditional sampling and musical instrumentation. Balloon feels ripped out of a video game while the Deep South grime oozes on Noid. Acoustic guitars and bongos form I Killed You while album standout Take You Mask Off is a more common jazz sampling mixture. Ultimately the album is very diversified lacking a single genre but finds its footing within industrial noise rap. It’s clear Tyler really took the reins on the albums production to filter through its many subtle and critical elements. Even if certain arrangement don’t click, it’s difficult to find ways to critique his effort outside personal taste.
Chromakoptia is far from perfect but it lands enough of its grand ideas to push Tyler, The Creator to the rap mogul podium alongside Kendrick and Drake. It ultimately falls far from the traditional rap music tree, which is likely why it’s personally enjoyable, but his talent as a hip-hop triple threat writer, rapper and producer is impossible to ignore.
Overall Rating: 8.3/10
Favourite Song: Take Your Mask Off
ROZ
How fitting it is that TSR’s final written review of the year would turn out to be from the artist who made my #1 album of the year in 2021, Tyler, the Creator, in the form of his eighth studio album Chromakopia. Through the past 15 years of listening to Tyler, I felt as though the man could not disappoint me even if he tried (I even enjoyed his least acclaimed of the assortment, 2015’s Cherry Bomb). Critical darling, cultural darling, massive fanbase – Tyler has earned every accolade he has received, even as he leads us into what may be his most ambitious effort yet. Now, it’s time to join in on the soldier’s march that stomps across the opening track St. Chroma and onwards into the track list.
There are some artists who churn out the same sound album after album and there are some who make the decision to take a different trajectory each time in order to stay fresh. For Tyler, Chromakopia accomplishes both, as it shows him hand picking stylistic and sonic choices from all of his past studio efforts. A heavy hitting, brash, industrial-like sound akin to Tyler’s last few albums such as Call Me If You Get Lost and Igor echoes throughout tracks such as Rah Tah Tah and Thought I Was Dead. Songs such as Hey Jane, Like Him and I Hope You Find Your Way Home harken back to the older soundscapes of Flower Boy and Wolf. This album truly is an amalgamation of the artist’s tastes and overall evolution as a one-of-a-kind musician.
Influence wise, shades of Pharrell’s production style shines through on Darling, I, giving off vibes akin to Snoop Dogg’s Drop It Like It’s Hot while also displaying tinges of Kanye West’s Graduation era sound. Speaking of Ye, regardless of the man’s excommunicado status, many parallels could be drawn between Tyler and the faded star in both creativity and musicality. Much like Ye, Tyler displays a masterful meshing of synthesized sounds with neo-soul, R&B and jazz while having the semblance of a unique individual who seems to have control of any and all things related to both his sonic and visual aesthetic; a clarity of vision that very few artists possess.
Chromakopia is by and large a concept album, with Tyler seemingly playing a caricature of himself while also having his own mother narrate intermittently as he navigates an array of personal topics. These range from his upbringing, his ever-growing fame and his day-to-day experiences and thought processes that a man in his thirties would typically go through. He puts out a boastful tone in some instances (Rah Tah Tah) only to turn around and allow himself to become vulnerable and introspective in others (Darling, I, Like Him). He deliberates on the thought of being a father (Hey Jane, I Hope You Find Your Way Home) and shudders at the consequences of fame (Noid). He sings about quitting music and settling down (Tomorrow) while at the same time goading those who oppose his success (Thought I Was Dead). It is as if throughout Chromakopia’s entire run time, Tyler all but ensures that no intrusive thought is left unexposed.
Sometimes our greatest undoing is what we have laid behind us, and this rings true for Chromakopia. In a vacuum, this album is very good. With that being said, it doesn’t hold a candle to much of the artist’s existing catalogue. What could cause something like this? In my mind, I feel as though Tyler is at his very best when hyper-focusing on one specific sound, message or theme, whereas Chromakopia loosely ties too many concepts together. The album takes big swings, and while it connects for the majority of the time there are rare exceptions that is does not; the laughable Judge Judy and the overfilled cacophony that is Sticky, for example. Regardless of this, you cannot discredit his ambition – that is what makes him who he is, after all.
Chromakopia accurately paints Tyler, the Creator as the musical auteur that he is while adding yet another jewel to his discography crown. His method of combining all of his past styles not only makes for a dynamic, high-quality album but also doubles as a fantastic crash course for any new or potential fans.
Overall Rating: 8.1/10
Favourite Song: Noid
REID
Tyler, the Creator joins a shortlist of artists to get two written TSR's. CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST (2021) was my introductory deep dive into the already well-established American rapper/producer. His unique, exuberant style has evolved over a decorated discography and he is widely known as one of the most influential musicians of the 2010’s to current day. CHROMAKOPIA is his eighth studio album and in typical Tyler fashion, he beat to his own drum by releasing on a Monday. Does he continue his prime run?
At thirty-three years young, Tyler has taken every opportunity to push the envelope and this record is no different. The fourteen-song compilation is jam packed with innovation. He released the following teaser video to give his fans insight into his process. Truly a genius at work.
Like his previous work, CHROMAKOPIA has a true album feel with seamless transitions and pace control. Lyrics are sung, whispered, rapped and harmonized with multiple features placed efficiently throughout. Tyler mixes an endless array of sounds ranging from tribal-like chanting, piano, maniacal horns, bombastic drums, rangy synth and as the video shows, whatever he desires, for additional flare. The overall production quality is off-the-charts impressive, even if it is a little ambitious for my own personal taste.
CHROMAKOPIA’s subject matter is quite different from Tyler’s past as he’s much more personable and honest. Polygamy is a common theme as he boasts his desires for a continued carefree lifestyle as a famous single man and a forewarning to current and future partners. Another recurring topic is fatherhood as he touches on timing and practicality of becoming a father. As a man also in my mid-thirties, I can’t help but wonder if he’s wrestling the idea internally, wondering if it’ll ever be his time. Themes stretch from serious and emotional (Hey Jane and Like Him) to downright silly (Judge Judy and Sticky).
The features list is stacked with legends and up-and-comers. Daniel Caesar, Teezo Touchdown, Doechii, Sexyy Red, ScHoolboy Q, Lola Young, GloRilla, Lil Wayne, Childish Gambino and Willow round out the impressive catalog. It represents an artist looking to boost his own product but also grow the next wave, a true testament to Tyler’s love for the present and future of the artform. How about the influence of Nikki Minaj on Doechii? On initial listens I had to double back to confirm it wasn’t her. Those 2010-influenced protégés are on the rise but I still haven’t heard anyone quite like Tyler.
Tyler’s back with his trademark boisterous production style on CHROMAKOPIA. With a healthy blend of playful jubilation and subtle confessions, the tracklist depicts an artist in his prime reflecting on the trials and tribulations of adulthood.
Overall Rating: 7.8
Favourite Song: Judge Judy