Disclaimer: The lyrics of this album are explicit. Listener discretion is advised, and this article does not imply endorsement of such language.
Rating: 4 stars out of 5.
There is hardly any originality from rappers in rap music surrounded by shallowness and 808 & Heartbreak disciples. Yet there is nothing unoriginal about Tyler The Creator, who burst onto the scene defying sexual norms and stereotypes of rappers to create a persona akin to that of David Bowie’s androgynous “Ziggy Stardust.” The artist revealed his fears of commitment and unresolved issues with loved ones in his latest album since his Grammy win in 2022 for Call Me If You Get Lost. Chromakopia has dropped, and sadly, there was no Frank Ocean verse. It is Mr. Okonma’s most personal album yet, but is it his best?
In the context of re-listening to Chromakopia in preparation for this review, I couldn’t help but notice parallels to Mr. Morale. Both albums faced disappointment due to follow-ups to more commercially successful albums of highly touted artists. CCHS student Ben Giesemann says, “Since people were not expecting an album that differentiates from Tyler’s previous works, it might take a few years to fully be appreciated by fans.”
Perhaps that is why I have given it four stars out of five, as it could go higher or lower as the album ages with time. The album is a mix of different musical styles and themes. There are times when this works, from Swahili elements found in the single “Noid,” which is a severe critique of celebrity obsession, to sexually provocative lyricism in “Sticky,” which shows the greatness of Lil Wayne and the talent of Glorilla, whose verse is all too brief. Yet, sadly, this mixing of sounds is inconsistent at times. His critique of rappers using social media for fame in “Thought I Was Dead” comes off as hypocritical due to Tyler’s breakout coming on the social media app Vine as well as better songs covering the same themes of commercializing art itself.
Yet, though Billboard ranked songs “I Hope You Find Your Way Home” and “Like Him” below the top 10 due to the inability “to captivate as much as the album’s more disorienting entries,” it comes as a complete misreading of the intention of the album itself. The album is a look into a man’s mind at a crossroads in his life: in “Like Him,” it feels as if you are listening to a secret we wish was kept unrevealed. “Like Him ponders the topic of paternal abandonment, with the voice of Tyler’s mother informing him that it’s her fault he never met his father,” according to the Guardian. The closing moments of “I Hope You Find Your Way Home” are almost a regret for the life he has created for himself and a twisted nostalgia for a life he once knew. The final song is my favorite because it is a capsule of Chromakopia‘s larger message of Tyler’s uncertainty—a perfect closing to an otherwise near-perfect album.
Chromakopia has become a commercial hit and is entering the top 20 biggest Spotify debuts. As the Chromakopia world tour will soon arrive in San Diego at the Pechanga Arena in March, one thing is sure. Tyler The Creator is at the peak of his artistry. Time will only tell if he will continue to overcome his demons or become destroyed by celebrity culture, which has happened to many creatives in the past. As always, we music fans will have to wait and see.
