Tyler, the Creator Shares New Stories in Chromakopia

Image courtesy of Pitchfork

By Ethan Nott

Within his highly anticipated new album, Tyler, the Creator grapples with who he has become as well as who he believes he should be in the future. These themes are explored effectively in a nuanced, mature, and mostly polished artistic work.

Tyler, the Creator (aka Tyler Okonma) releases Chromakopia at the culmination of an unconventional and unique artistic trajectory up to this point. Tyler co-founded the hip-hop collective Odd Future to start off his career, but soon after, would focus on his solo projects. His early albums are marred with an aggressive, angsty, and intentionally unrefined sound; however, his highly acclaimed 2017 release Flower Boy marked a radical change in style with a pristinely produced and conceptual work of art. His following albums would continue this trend, and Chromakopia is no different. 

Throughout this work, Tyler is constantly grappling with the person that he sees when looking in the mirror. He wants to strive to be the best person and artist that he can be, but he also discloses that he must reckon with past mistakes and potential regrets, such as an unexpected pregnancy that made him question whether he’d be happy raising a family. He also expresses a desire to remain genuinely himself amidst his success; while he enjoys the fruits of his fame, he doesn’t want to be defined by them.

To kick the album off, Tyler plays back a recording of what is assumed to be his mother. Within it, she urges him to never “dim [his] light,” pushing him to strive for excellence in every aspect. This sets the tone for the rest of the album. Recordings of Tyler’s mother are also something that is prevalent throughout the album as an aural device. Tyler consistently intersperses such recordings throughout his music, adding a personal and effective emotional touch to the tracks. 

In addition, Tyler’s heavy neo-soul inclinations lend themselves well to this introspective tone. With soaring vocal harmonies and a beautiful mending of acoustic and electronic instrumentation, a suitable vehicle is provided to successfully portray such lofty ideas.

In contrast, many of Tyler’s less conceptual pieces employ a rougher, more aggressive aesthetic. The second track for instance, “Rah Tah Tah,” consists of Tyler spitting over distorted and blown-out drums complete with a menacing synth line and dizzying percussion. Within this track Tyler outlines the many ways that he enjoys his wealth, employing some rather lewd albeit clever quips to portray them. 

These hard-hitting tracks are fun and provide some thematic context for what Tyler would be giving up if he settled down with someone. Without providing substantial thematic material beyond this, however, they can distract from the overall emotional progression that Tyler tackles throughout the album. 

He is most effective within vulnerable and heartfelt dialogues that paint a complex picture of him. His down-to-earth delivery in tracks such as “Like Him” allows for a multi-faceted understanding of his experiences to be impressed upon the listener. Within this track, Tyler asks his mother if he turned out like his father, whom he never met. It appears Tyler knows that this is an unfair or irrational question as “everything worked out without him;” regardless, the fear remains all the same. 

The album concludes with Tyler making the ultimate choice to stay his current course. He aims to continue his work as an artist, fully aware of the isolation that comes with it and the possibility of missing out on a family or meaningful relationships. What Chromakopia does so well is that this conclusion is reached through a synthesis of Tyler’s past, present, and future insights. He acknowledges his upbringing and how it influenced his hunger for success, and fully understands his wants and desires within his current circumstances. By analyzing his position, he can make a choice for how he proceeds in the future. This simplicity is what allows Tyler’s experiences to be related to the listener so well.

Overall, Okonma’s latest project recounts his original and profound musings to the listener exceptionally well. The thematic arc of the album is expertly executed, and the juggling of neo-soul and abrasive hip-hop leanings provide a varied listening experience. Chromakopia is a worthy addition to Tyler’s recent offerings, and he will surely continue to show evolution as an artist in his future works.