Album Review: CHROMAKOPIA by Tyler, The Creator

"Loop around the block, eyes glued to the rearview / Rather double back than regret hearing, 'Pew, pew,'" raps Tyler, The Creator on Chromakopia's lead single "Noid." It's a bravado-tinged reflection on the paranoia of being a rap superstar in the 21st century. Peers a whole decade younger than 33-year-old Tyler have met the wrong end of a gun, while the epidemic of rap murders has also claimed the lives of TakeOff, Nipsey Hussle, PnB Rock and countless others in recent years. By Hip Hop standards, the Odd Future founder is now a wise old veteran.

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One day you're an outspoken, rage-filled teen with the world at his feet, and before you know it, your friends have kids, and your mantle is filled with awards as the walls close in. Indisputably, Tyler, The Creator has cemented himself as a visionary over the last few years. Between his chart-topping albums, 2019's IGOR and 2021's Call Me If You Get Lost, and establishing himself as a fashion brand with Golf Wang and Golf Le Fleur, the tides have changed.

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And what could be more mature than considering whether to have a child, a matter that provides the thematic through-line of his eighth full-length project, CHROMAKOPIA. It's not a linear narrative, exactly, but Tyler traces a clear emotional arc -- there's a pregnancy scare, some very raunchy celebrations of commitment-free sex, and, most crucially, a consideration of Tyler's family lineage and his own absent father. Tyler's mom Bonita Smith, a familiar figure in his music, serves as a narrator of sorts, popping in with interstitial remarks to warn her son to wear a condom, plead for a grandchild, and admit her youthful mistake in pushing Tyler's dad away.

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An uncompromising honesty lies within this snapshot of an artist willing to share his chaos When Tyler, The Creator teased Chromakopia, it looked like he was setting fans up for a new chapter: a masked character named St. Chroma, mysterious visuals, cryptic posts. The world was primed for yet another bold persona, a continuation of Tyler's David Bowie-esque tradition – Igor's blonde-wigged angst, Sir Baudelaire's wandering elegance in Call Me If You Get Lost.

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From the moment the first notes echo, Chromakopia reveals itself as a meticulously crafted auditory journey, laden with raw emotion, and seamless yet unpredictable transitions that pass by almost unnoticed. The opening line, spoken by Tyler's mother, Bonita Smith, sets the album's tone: "You are the light / It's not on you, it's in you / Don't you ever in your motherfucking life dim your light for nobody." Her words become a mantra, capturing the essence of Chromakopia in a powerful refrain. Guided by "Chroma the Great", Tyler's self-affirmed persona of self-discovery, the listener, taking on the role of "Milo", is drawn into a world where every song flows into the next with chaotic precision.

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The ‘Estate Sale ‘ is over. Back in 2023, rapper-producer Tyler, the Creator packed up shop and quickly dispatched of his slain alter egos in favour of a stiff mental reset in the visuals for 'Sorry Not Sorry '. Seeking solace, clarity and closure, the track saw Tyler shed his artistic skin. In retrospect, it served as a eulogy for his established musical status quo, too.

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Tyler, the Creator occupies a rarefied space within mainstream music as a multi-hyphenated, critically acclaimed hip-hop artist in the mold of idols Pharrell Williams and Kanye West. His bona fides have been well established through a series of carefully constructed projects, but he continues to raise the stakes, ostensibly driven by an inherent need to prove his artistry, his eclecticism, or his relentless urge to push any and all boundaries. Tyler's seventh studio album, Chromakopia, is another intentionally messy exploration of tumultuous emotions, this time grappling with the complexities of an early midlife crisis in the public spotlight.

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