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An album review of ‘CHROMAKOPIA’, by Tyler, The Creator
Tyler, The Creator is often praised for his eclectic, high-energy alternative hip-hop. His
eighth studio album is no different. CHROMAKOPIA is a masterclass in pushing boundaries
and exploring identities through production and lyricism. Tyler fuses genres to create a
diverse, dynamic blend of sounds, mixing jazz, funk, and pop with his speciality experimental
rap. The result is an emotional whirlwind of an album in which he opens up about fatherhood
and family, negotiating fame and his career, self-identity, evolution, and growing older.
Throughout ‘CHROMAKOPIA’, the ‘mask’ is a recurring image: he can be seen wearing it on
the album cover and the ‘Noid’ music video. In this, he creates a distinction between the
constructed character, and his true feelings, fears, and desires, the repression of which he
expresses as a form of self-betrayal. In this album particularly, we witness an honesty and
vulnerability in Tyler’s music we have never really seen before, allowing us to explore his
feelings regarding fame, his craft, and his future.
In ‘Take Your Mask Off’, set against a lo-fi, jazz-inspired track, Tyler introduces a
cast of characters, living inauthentically, and exposes their true selves, taking off their
‘masks’ and putting them under the microscope. He addresses gang culture, religion and
homophobia, as well as the repressed ‘trad-wife’ motif. Then, Tyler shifts the microscope
onto himself, revealing that he too has been wearing a ‘mask’. He raps introspectively about
his feelings of self-doubt, paranoia, and inadequacy, and criticises himself for pretending
otherwise. ‘CHROMAKOPIA’ is an album to which you must listen especially close, as Tyler
removes his mask and reveals his most personal, honest lyrics yet.
Despite the vulnerability of his lyrics, the album still has an exceptionally fun and catchy
sound. The soul/lo-fi/pop fusion with which you could classify many of Tyler’s most popular
songs -- think DOGTOOTH, ARE WE STILL FRIENDS? and 911/Mr Lonely -- can be found in
'Judge Judy', a more stripped-back rap about refusing to judge a woman for her sexual
desires, and 'Like Him', a heartfelt track about Tyler’s absent father, and his relationship with
his single mother. Here, all the Tyler, The Creator trademarks are present: the light piano,
the soft and distorted synth sounds, the melodic flow, and the respective TikTok trend.
The 'Noid' music video features Ayo Edebiri as a crazed fan, erratically waving a phone that
transforms into a gun in certain cuts, encapsulating the fear Tyler deals with as someone in
the public eye. Directed and produced by himself, it is the perfect visual accompaniment to
the message of the song, and to ‘CHROMAKOPIA’ itself. In 'Noid', Tyler, The Creator
explores his Zambian heritage and his father’s culture, something he comes to terms with
throughout the album. He samples African vocals alongside heavy, distorted guitar and soul
music accompaniments. Thundercat features on bass. The video itself is filmed in ways
reminiscent of a vintage Hollywood noir -- slightly static black and white, expressive facial
acting, and an almost unnatural speed of movement. Tyler really showcases his artistic
abilities, from songwriting and performing, to fashion, acting, and video production.
‘CHROMAKOPIA’s cohesive, introspective narrative makes it not just an album, but an
experience, in which Tyler reveals the more private workings of his mind to us. Elements
from his previous albums culminate in a musical tour-de-force: the melodic synths and
compelling storytelling of 'IGOR', the flow of 'Flowerboy', the rock instruments of 'Cherry Bomb',
and the ‘in your face’ hip-hop beats of 'CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST'. It is clear that, by his eighth
album, ‘CHROMAKOPIA’, Tyler, The Creator has refined his craft. He dips his toes
into several genres with equal proficiency, combining components from each to create a
unique, experimental sound. The album not only appeals to rap/hip-hop fans but presents a
creativity that attracts music fans of all kinds and calibre. If you find yourself with a spare
hour, perhaps at the gym or the library, I cannot recommend enough listening to this album
in full, in order, to truly appreciate its vulnerable genius.
Words by Isobel Irwing, she/her
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