Chromakopia: A New Album With Meaning

Overview

Rapper Tyler, the Creator has recently released a new album, titled Chromakopia. This is his eighth project, marking a major breakthrough in his career as it is one of his most innovative and ambitious albums yet. Chromakopia follows a similar trajectory and style of expression to his prior works such as Igor and Call Me If You Get Lost. All fourteen tracks were written, produced, and arranged by Tyler himself. Tyler has blended rap, jazz, and hip hop together in this project. The result is a unique sound and style that’s very on brand for the California-born rapper. Popular artists such as Daniel Caesar, Doechii, Childish Gambino, Sexyy Red, GloRilla, and Lil Wayne are among the various features on this album, and they all blend together with Tyler, creating a new and different feel and sound. Another factor that makes this album stand out is the short clips of Tyler’s mother featured on certain songs throughout the album. These clips consist of her talking about various personal topics such as Tyler’s father and uplifting statements towards Tyler himself. Tyler has been known for implementing deeper meanings within his songs, and the Chromakopia album is no exception, so I have decided to analyze three of his new songs from this album. To listen to each song, click on the title.

Like Him

The song “Like Him” explores Tyler’s relationship with his absent father. This song's significant lyrics and sorrowful melody show Tyler’s ability to create emotion using music. The lyrics “Mama, I'm chasing a ghost, I don't know where he is. Mama, I'm chasing a ghost, do I look like him?” express Tyler’s sadness and confusion about his father, stating Tyler’s search for his father is similar to “chasing a ghost.” Tyler is asking his mother if he looks like the father who left him, which is heartbreaking and highlights the reality for a lot of children who grow up with absent parents. 

Noid

The third song on the album, “Noid” also expresses deeper themes. This song explores Tyler’s feelings about being a celebrity and the lack of privacy between celebrities and the public, using an almost rock element and loud beats, which provide an element of tension and frustration. The lyrics “living between cameras and recorders, I want peace but can't afford ya” show how Tyler desires to live a private, peaceful life, but is undermined due to his popularity and fame. 

I Killed You

Along with these other songs, “I Killed You” is a song that shows a reality for many. The signature Tyler production and lyrics express the struggle and self-hatred many Black people experience with their hair in its natural state, and then the eventual acceptance and love some adopt. The lyrics “Jheris and Mimis, I burnt you, I cut you, I filled you up with chemis, force you to relax, you was thick, you was beauty, couldn't take the heat, so you gone when they see me now” talks about how many Black women in the past have chemically treated and harmed their hair and forced it to stay straight, just to achieve a certain standard. The lyrics “Just as beautiful, I didn't mean to, you're so beautiful, just as beautiful, just as beautiful” expresses the acceptance and eventual love of one’s natural hair, and also the regret for the former hatred and regret for the harm done. 

Conclusion 

Overall, Tyler the Creator's new album Chromakopia expresses Tyler’s deep feelings towards certain subjects in his life, and this just makes this album more special and unique, due to the sense of depth and intensity it gives. I would give this album a 9 out of 10. It's highly innovative for Tyler.  It is unlike any other work he’s created recently, and while I do think it’s extremely good and showcases his talent amazingly, I do believe this album falls short compared to his past work, for example, his 2013 album Wolf. Therefore, I would not give this album a 10 out of 10 just comparing it to his level of talent, but I would 100%  recommend this album to anyone who is a fan of music with meaning.