Darling, I fell in love with the new Tyler the Creator album

1. “St. Chroma” (ft. Daniel Caeser)

Starting off strong, Okonma released a snippet of “St. Chroma” as a single a week before the drop and it got immediate traction. Sparking trends on TikTok and causing excitement, St. Chroma is an amazing single that made the opening track familiar. Daniel Caeser, one of my favorite popular R&B singers, brought stellar vocals to this track, making it stand out as one of the best vocal songs on the album. 

Standout lyric: “You are the light/ It's not on you, it's in you/ Don't you ever in your mother******* life dim your light for nobody”

2. "Rah Tah Tah"

A lively track that shows more of Tyler the Creator’s past music patterns. Truthfully, not my favorite song on the album, but a perfect hype song with an even more perfect transition into the next track. The end of “Rah Tah Tah” is the repetition of the same lyric mentioning being “paranoid,” leading into a beautiful transition into his next track “Noid.” 

Standout Lyric:  "If my ex is spillin' tea about me, don't you drink that"

3. “Noid”

Between the Spanish sample to the haunting lyrics- this track captures Tyler the Creator’s versatile nature to a tee. Oknoma discusses the feeling of constantly being watched due to his fame and how overwhelming it is. Not only do the lyrics capture the horrifying idea of being stalked, but the “Noid” music video starring “The Bear” actress, Ayo Edebri as a crazed fan shows an entirely new perspective on fame and obsession in the current age.

Standout lyric: “They wanna know where I close my eyes at, I keep my eyes wide”

4. "Darling, I" (ft. Teezo Touchdown)

A fan favorite track including this fan! This vivacious and slightly romantic song is destined to lift any spirit who listens. Oknoma’s lyrics discuss his cycle of falling in love too easily, imagining his life with this person, and then pulling away. This song is a romantic tribute not to a partner, but to music itself. Oknoma discusses his only true love, which is his work. 

Standout lyric: “Nobody could fulfill me like this music shit does/ So I'll be lonely with these Grammys when it's all said and done”

5. "Hey Jane"

A panicked track discussing him getting another girl pregnant. The vulnerability on this album is already at a 10, but “Hey Jane” and its calm beat juxtaposed to the panic attack represented in the lyrics unlock a new level of sensitivity. Themes like regret, fear, and unresolved trauma with Oknoma’s own father raise anxiety about being a father himself. 

Standout lyric: “I been losin' myself, it ain't no one to defend me/ I got a mini version of myself livin' in me

6. "I Killed You"

This track isn’t my favorite track, however, it deserves a 10/10 for its lyricism and vocals alone. Featuring Childish Gambino, “I Killed You” is an ode to the black community, talking about being forced to change themselves to be more digestible for others. Oknoma discusses the act of society trying to push relaxing/ straightening natural hair as a metaphor of trying to “comb” out the distress and “anger” in black people’s mind. It is a genius song that has already gone unnoticed in the album and deserves more traction. 

Standout lyric: “Your natural state is threatening/ To the point that I point at myself and self-esteem”

7. "Judge Judy"

A tropical-vibe track that makes you miss summer as well as Oknoma’s past tracks. With Childish Gambino on backing vocals, this track is serene bliss that paints a story about a relationship with a girl named “Judy.” Using a callback from one of Oknoma’s songs, “DOGTOOTH,” the familiarity creates a perfect lyric that listeners can sing back off the first listen. Though not my favorite on the album, this song without a doubt will make an appearance on my summer playlist!

Standout lyric: “I wasn't living right until they told me what was left”

8. “Sticky” (ft. GloRilla, Sexyy Red, Lil Wayne)

A standout track that has already grabbed attention online. The whistle at the beginning of the song creates a haunting yet hype introduction. Tiktok has been swarming with dances to this song and is praised for its amazing features. GloRilla and Sexxy Red have been rising to fame more and more over the years and having them as a feature was an amazing idea. All the verses undoubtedly enthuse Oknoma’s high energy, creating a stellar track. 

Standout Lyric: “Jack of all trades name a ***** that behind me”

9. “Take Your Mask Off” (ft. Daniel Caeser, Latoiya Williams) 

A beautiful song about embracing yourself and the troubles that come with trying to be something you aren’t. Oknoma is no stranger to this concept, expressing his bisexuality through the years of his discography and the internal battles he faced because of it. The song paints the story about different people, hiding their true identities to fit other people’s mold. Oknoma discusses the rejection, especially in males, of getting help and seeking therapy. He urges people to “take their masks off” because the respect they are seeking will only come after they’re dead, so why not live for yourself now? The lyricism in this track is inspiring and is an anthem for any person who has ever struggled with identity. 

Standout lyric: “Since a kid, you knew somethin' was up/ Had you thinkin' God would hate you so you covered it up”

10. "Tomorrow" 

A relatable song about the struggles of growing up. Oknoma’s mother opens the track by lecturing her son on giving her grandkids. With this, Oknoma unpacks the expectations that are put on people as they grow older and the overbearing idea of playing “catch-up”. To some degree, all, including me relate to this track and the pressures of following the typical ideals that come with age. Though being on the shorter side, I personally love this track and the message it ensues, however, in comparison to other tracks, it lacks in numerous departments.

Standout lyric: “Yеah, what's gotten into me? Nah, that ain't the energy/ That version of T that you knew is a memory”

11. “Thought I Was Dead” (ft. ScHoolboy Q, Santigold)

A track that touches on hypocrisy, hiding, and corruption within the music industry. Though it’s not my favorite track and I don’t have much to say about it- the message is still clear and important. The adage is- everybody is fake, everybody is copying each other and everybody is angry. Oknoma discusses his desire to disappear from it all and the anger he feels from the constant cycle of hate in the music industry. 

Standout lyric: “I don't wanna be found, I don't wanna be down”

12.  "Like Him" (ft. Lola Young)

This devastating track is arguably the best track on the entire album and the top on Okonma’s discography. Tyler the Creator throughout his albums has been very open about the absence of his father, but this track has been his first song dedicated to him since his 2013 song, “Answer.” In the 2013 hit, Oknoma opens up out calling his estranged father with no answer and how his life is progressing without him. The anger in the track is palpable, but in “Like Him” the sadness shines through. Oknoma discusses being constantly compared to a man who was never in his life and asking “Do I look like him?” What stuck out to me and other listeners, however, is the outro of the song that features his mother talking about Oknoma’s father. His mother shockingly reveals that Oknoma’s father had always wanted to be in his life, but she had pushed him away. This realization, so late in Oknoma’s life, had to be so entirely earth-shattering, especially because of his previous diss-track-like song on his father. Despite how deeply personal this is, Tyler the Creator decided to include it in the track, adding a new level of vulnerability and proving just how amazing of an artist he is. 

Standout Lyric: “Mama, I'm chasin' a ghost/ I don't know who he is”

13. “Balloon” (ft. Doechii)

One of the hardest tracks on the album with the best feature. I wasn’t familiar with Doechii, a rising star in the rapping industry, before this song, however she brings the energy to this track. The vibe match of these two artists is insane- making me question why they haven’t worked together before. This track genuinely just makes me want to dance and is the perfect buffer after such a sad track like “Like Him.” The lyrics make you laugh and the beat makes you sway- raising your spirits towards the end of the album. 

Standout Lyric: “ Why I work so hard? My soul profit”

14. “I Hope You Find Your Way Home”

Opening with great vocals and an incredible beat drop, this track is an amazing closer. Closers are often hit or miss for me, either they can wrap up the album perfectly or leave me unsatisfied. This one did its job perfectly. Though it lingers towards the bottom of my album ranking, it deserves recognition for its quality and its fit for a great ending. Oknoma uses another excerpt from a call from his mother where she emotionally states that he’s proud of him, solidifying the close of the Chromokopia chapter. 

Standout lyric: “Do your thing, just keep, keep shining”