Admittedly, I’m a casual Tyler, the Creator listener, but after the visuals for “St. Chroma” came out, I knew I needed to do some preparation for the album release.
To do so, I dug into Tyler’s past discography, jumping between IGOR and CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST, and adding songs like “A BOY IS A GUN*,” “SIR BAUDELAIRE” and “MASSA” to my liked songs along the way. I started getting a deeper sense of Tyler’s beautifully intricate sound layering, humorous provocation, and powerful storytelling.
All of these elements come through on the artist’s seventh album, CHROMOKOPIA, as Tyler weaves through themes of fame, time, parenthood, and reflections on his relationship to his father.
CHROMOKOPIA is not a one-time listen album and deserves multiple listens to uncover each layer of meaning. Tyler’s choice to release the album on a Monday supports this with the artist stating that, during “that commute to work, that commute to school… [fans] have that hour or thirty minutes to really dive in and really listen.”
Tyler’s usual unapologetic swagger is in full force on tracks like “Rah Tah Tah,” “Sticky” and “Thought I Was Dead.” On my first listen, songs like these and “St. Chroma” stood out to me for their phenomenal production value.
Many fans have pointed out CHROMOKOPIA’s disjointed feel when compared to previous projects; Tyler jumps from self-aggrandizing lyrics to intimate vulnerabilities which can give the impression of a messy or incomplete album. However, Tyler’s reluctance to settle on a consistent theme struck me, especially when thinking about the mask imagery that is so present throughout the album.
The mask represents two sides of Tyler: the playfully arrogant, public-facing side and a lesser-seen more vulnerable side. As Tyler navigates through the album, he cyclically puts on and removes this mask of cocky bravado to showcase his fears and self-doubts.
The mask also serves as protection of Tyler’s privacy, which can be seen in the track “NOID” where the rapper dives head-first into the paranoia fame has instilled in him. Tyler joins a growing list of celebrities such as Chappell Roan, who are unapologetically setting boundaries when it comes to their personal space and privacy, and Narcissist is so here for it.
Along Tyler, the Creator’s ebb and flow between grandiosity and emptiness, we hear the voice of Tyler’s mother, creating a sort of conscience for the artist. During the CHROMOKOPIA listening party at Los Angeles’ Dome, Tyler explained that a lot of the inspiration for the album came from things his mother told him as a child that have begun making sense in adulthood. As Tyler stated, “now that I’m 33, all that stuff is like oh that’s what the fuck she was talking about.”
CHROMOKOPIA may be one of Tyler’s greatest projects to date, but that will be up for time to decide. It’s definitely one of the most listened to, setting a new Spotify record for biggest hip hop album debut of 2024 and earning more than 85 million first day streams. The album’s introspective nature and harmonious blend of synths, power chords, and more make it an action-packed yet honest glimpse into Tyler’s life.
Written by Nico Riley
Note: All images sourced from Tyler, the Creator’s Instagram @feliciathegoat