By Michael Purtell
After being nominated for his last three albums, Tyler, the Creator has thrown his hat into the ring for his third Rap Album of the Year Grammy with his newest release, “Chromakopia.”
Tyler’s eighth studio album hit streaming services worldwide Oct. 28, nearly three and a half years after the release of his last album, “Call Me If You Get Lost.” The break was the longest since he began releasing music in 2009. “Chromakopia” was well worth the wait, as Tyler’s sound and emotional prose is as sharp as ever.
Chromakopia’s sound overall can be described as very polished. The album feels like a full realization of Tyler’s songwriting style, albeit it is distinctly lacking a rawer edge that his previous work had been acclaimed for.
While this has turned some fans away, I believe the polish brings a consistency across all 14 tracks. No single song stands out as weak.
Thematically, Tyler is as emotionally affluent as ever. “Chromakopia” explores Tyler’s relationship with his mother, his lack of relationship with his father, his disdain for monogamous relationships, his aversion to parenthood and how these personal struggles impact his creative process and life as a musician.
It would not be inappropriate to say the album feels like you are listening to the 33-year-old rapper navigate a midlife crisis.
Despite leading a very different life from Tyler — sadly, I have yet to receive my first nomination for a Grammy — his vulnerability over the album’s 52 minute runtime resonated with me. He paints a very clear picture of his struggles and how he has grown through and around them.
“Chromakopia” can be separated into two distinct parts, as Tyler assesses his life first with insecurity, and then later with more self-assurance. The flip in perspective occurs during the ninth track of the album, “Take Your Mask Off.”
These parts are made more distinct in the videos for each song, in which Tyler dons a dark mask until reaching the second part of the album, where it is absent.
“St. Chroma” is the album’s opening track, and is one of the album’s highest points. Tyler both sings and raps phenomenally as he ponders whether it’s worth it or not to continue living his life the way he has been and frames his words around his mother’s words of inspiration.
Daniel Caesar appears on this song, singing alongside Tyler on the chorus. Their voices work phenomenally together.
“Noid,” short for paranoid, is the third track on the album. It is also the single which preceded the album’s release. Tyler raps about fearing something going horrifically wrong in his life because he’s so successful as a musician.
His verses are slow at first, and the song builds to a beat-drop that never comes, much like how paranoia builds expectations for something bad to happen, when nothing is coming.
Track number five, “Hey Jane,” is a contemplative, consistently paced emotional gut-punch. Tyler contemplates an accidental pregnancy, first as himself, and then as Jane, the woman he impregnated. He has yet to comment on if this story is anecdotal or fictional.
The song transitions immediately into track six, titled “I Killed You,” a hard, loud track about changing himself — specifically his hair — due to insecurity. The placement of the two songs is not incidental, and the juxtaposition of two very different tracks creates a strong impression of each.
“Sticky,” is going to be everywhere, I’m sure of it. The song is a feature-fest, with GloRilla, Sexxy Redd and Lil Wayne making appearances. Each is featured on a short verse and one turn of the chorus each, but all of them eat down.
The song is fun, and uses a marching band-style sound in its production, almost giving the song a roll-call feeling. Every verse is quotable and memorable.
“Take Your Mask Off” is an emotional high point in the album, three distinct verses tell three similar stories of people living in dissatisfying roles in their own lives, before Tyler takes a critical look at himself to end the song.
The production on this track is some of my favorite on the album, with a deceptively simple sound that is incredibly strong.
TikTok is already running wild with the album’s eleventh song, “Like Him.” The song is about Tyler identifying, willingly or not, with his absent father. Tyler is joined by Lola Young on the track and the pair combine to provide a sweeping and emotional sound.
Baby Keem also makes an uncredited appearance on “Like Him,” with only three ad-libs. Fans have already begun speculating that it could mean a full feature is in the cards in a deluxe edition. This gains more traction as a theory when you consider the Playboy Carti verse on “Thought I Was Dead” which was released on the album’s vinyl.
The album is produced top-to-bottom in a way I can only describe as inspiring. As Tyler jumps around morose topics he faces in his always advancing age, his songs push an undertone of hope.
Synths sing in long, romantic tones, vocalists push their will into each note and the rap verses are passionate.
“Chromakopia” is a five out of five album in my book, and quickly shot up the ranks of my favorite albums with every relisten. If you’re looking for bangers, emotional introspection, sorrow or joy St. Chroma has gifted it to us.
