Tyler, the Creator turns his battles into a stunning display on CHROMAKOPIA

The post Tyler, the Creator Transforms His Struggles into a Dazzling Display on CHROMAKOPIA appeared first on Consequence.

Tyler, the Creator's solo catalog shows quite a journey. The enigmatic rapper started out as a kind of shock rap troll – he was banned from performing in certain countries, he used the image of piss-filled pants as his album cover and devoted himself to the edgiest side of his humor – the enigmatic rapper spent the second half of his life doing so His career proves how creative and surprisingly insightful he really is. It's like saying, “I can take this shit seriously and do it better than y'all.” His new album CHROMACOPY makes it clear that he really can do it.

If IGOR was Tyler's high-profile experiment and Call me if you get lost was the more accessible reintroduction of Tyler the Man CHROMACOPY lies somewhere in the middle. Produced entirely by Tyler himself, the album embraces the sonic ferocity of his 2019 character study and features verses as vulnerable as those on songs like “Wilshire.” He may be wearing a mask on the album cover, but the artist spends the album's 53 minutes doing everything in his power to take it off.

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After the braggadocios whispered intro “St. Chroma,” Tyler then explores various aspects of his psyche: the lust that drives him, his fear of an uncertain future, and the origins of his feelings and behaviors. With such a focus on his identity, it's no surprise that a fundamental inspiration for the album was the advice his mother gave a disinterested Tyler as a child and young adult.

“Now that I'm 33, all this stuff is like, 'Oh, that's what the hell she was talking about,'” Tyler said during the interview CHROMACOPY listening party. “'Oh, I'm not the same guy I was when I was 20. Oh shit, people are getting older, people have kids and families.' All I have is a new Ferrari, which feels kind of weird. I have gray hairs on my chest. Life is life.”

The motherly presence is felt throughout the tracklist as female voices impart wisdom like, “In your damn life, never dim your light for nobody.” “Whatever you do, never tell a bitch you love her.” and “Always, always, always wear a condom.” In “Tomorrow” she begs for a grandchild and in “Like Him” ​​she is impressed by how much Tyler looks like his father. You know, mom stuff that sounds cheesy to a 20-year-old and profound to a 33-year-old.

On the accompanying tracks, Tyler engages with such advice through stories and introspection, exploring his fears and traumas. On the rocking single “Noid” he deals with the paranoia that comes with fame, on the emotional, extremely vulnerable “Hey Jane” he describes an obvious pregnancy scare he experienced, and on “Take” he tells stories of people who are wrong Live your mask.” The latter even contains a pointed last verse that reads like a dissident against himself and reveals his innermost self-doubts and insecurities.

However, it's not just answers and experiences with clear lessons, as the wilder, lustful side of the rapper is also present CHROMACOPY. While the gentler songs portray sex as a consistent act of love and attraction, the wilder melodies revel in its excess and seduction.

The rapper admits he's unable to maintain a monogamous relationship on the lively, almost ironically romantic “Darling, I,” while “Judge Judy” serves as a sultry anti-kink-shaming anthem. “Rah Tah Tah” is loud, vicious and sinful, while “Sticky” is equally fun-loving and sex-obsessed CHROMACOPY gets, complete with a percussive, club-ready beat and guest verses from GloRilla, Sexyy Red and Lil Wayne. (Side note: Get ready to hear a lot of “You better find a mop, it's going to get sticky in this bitch.” This one's a slam dunk.)

Taken together it is these two sides CHROMACOPY Present the dichotomy of Tyler, the Creator. He's confident enough to know how to deal with life and love, but he's also introspective enough to wonder if he's always doing the right thing. The result is that sometimes we get the horny, self-feeling version of Tyler, and other times the pensive, post-crazy clarity. He could be a “bonafide faceseat” on one track and then just a few cuts later reflect on the impact of growing up without a father.

Meanwhile, Tyler, the producer, pulls out all the stops: there are hard-hitting, low-fi flirty bangers (“I Killed You,” “Thought I Was Dead”) and contemplative, melodic cooldowns (“Hey Jane,” “Tomorrow.” )”) and swelling theatrical numbers (“Like Him”, “I Hope You Find Your Way Home”). As eccentric and wide-ranging as the sounds are – from 808s to blaring trumpets to distorted guitars – no beat feels out of place. Perhaps the artist has successfully primed his audience to expect the unexpected, or perhaps he is just so goodbut whatever the particular appeal of a particular cut, it is undeniably the product of Tyler, the Creator.

All of this culminates in the final set of songs. “Like Him” tackles fatherhood and Tyler’s upbringing head-on, taking a particularly nuanced, empathetic perspective on the subject, before “Balloon” brings a much-needed sense of hope to the world of CHROMACOPY. The final track, “I Hope You Find Your Way Home,” says it all in its eponymous chorus. Seemingly addressing both himself and anyone else who will listen, Tyler concludes with a plea to live truthfully, honestly, and for yourself – a feat that Tyler appears to have just accomplished.

“Shit, I’m proud of you,” says a tearful female voice, as the song’s piano line matches the emotions. “You just never cease to amaze me – there are no words for how I feel. Do your thing, just stick with it, keep shining.”

Then, as the song fades away, the vocals of “Chromakopia” return, taking Tyler and the listeners back to the beginning, suggesting that growth is not a one-time process, but a constant cycle. Tyler may not yet know how he will endure watching the people around him settle down and start families while he sits alone in his new Ferrari, but he has at least begun to understand that he doesn't start his journey with the others have to compare. He is maturing in his own way and will do his best to take off his mask as he does so.

Tyler, the Creator turns his battles into a stunning display on CHROMAKOPIA
Jonah Krueger

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