Tyler, the Creator and MUSIC

ALBUM QUICK THOUGHTS 

If there’s one thing Tyler, the Creator can do well is inspire people to do something because oh boy will he yell at you on a track about it. 

So here I am, giving you my quick day one thoughts on CHROMAKOPIA Tyler’s brand new project that dropped this morning. Great idea I know! Don’t worry I’ll keep spinning the record.

With a week’s worth of rollout material, I didn’t have much time to sit and digest the single NOID and snippets Tyler released on instagram and youtube. Off rip, NOID as a single left me wanting more and gave me a curiosity about the themes and messaging Tyler would delve into on this latest album. Rapping about being rich and the issues that come with being rich didn’t really hit home for me. The visuals were cool, but the messaging left me leaving the song like “Okay, interesting, how does this play into the greater album”. Now that I’ve gone through a couple of full listens, it started to make sense.

The first thing that stands out to me is that Tyler has softened the “characters”. Sure, he’s got the costume, the mask and green motifs, but the outright characters of past albums like an IGOR and or a Sir Baudelaire are gone. Instead Tyler goes full personal throughout the album, echoing tracks like WILSHIRE off of Call Me if You Get Lost. He’s rapping in a stream of consciousness about topics that impact him directly, his love interests, his paranoia of fame and fears of fatherhood, and of course his wealth. I think it’s a welcomed change of perspective. It’s T.

The themes of fatherhood and being a dad are explored on “Like Him”, “Hey Jane”, “I Hope you Find Your Way Home”. On “Like Him”, Tyler is chasing a “ghost” that can be interpreted as his Dad, who he never got to know. On “Hey Jane”, Tyler talks about a love interest and the scary thoughts about raising a child and at the end of the song, he leaves it on a cliffhanger, does Tyler have a kid, or does he not? Throughout Tyler’s discography, he’s told listeners about growing up with his mom in a single family home in LA. All these themes can be analyzed further and you get the understanding how these events shaped Tyler’s worldview with himself, women, love interests, friends, and family. It’s beautiful writing and there’s some really great performances that are deeply personal and heartfelt.

Woven into the album is Tyler’s smooth production ranging from jazz, soul, and rap beats. My stand out track has to be “Sticky” where Tyler brings Glorilla, Sexyy Red, and Lil Wayne to rap over a marching band anthem, showcasing his talent to bring so many elements together into an entertaining listen. I love this one. His dreamy piano chord progressions mixed into his thumping drums, Tyler really has perfected his wacky style. 

Another stand out is “Judge Judy” where Tyler crafts a smooth love song. His voice inflection changes and keeps his flow bouncy and rhythmic, telling a sweet story about being with a partner. This just shows how the raw beats shown on Cherry Bomb can be collected into a sweet song, with a listener friendly structure with a bridge, melodies, and clear ending. Tyler is not afraid to boast his composing skills …Ugh, this song really makes me appreciate songs like Blow My Load even more… 

Like Tyler says on “I Hope you Find Your Way Home”, “I’m too selfish, contradiction”. He’s grown but immature at the same time. With beats that will melt your heart or make you jump, Tyler will leave you scratching your head and wiping tears from your eyes with his raps and singing. Tyler is a contradiction and that keeps listeners coming back for more every album cycle.    

QUICK MUSIC ROUND UP – SONGS AND ALBUMS I’M LISTENING TO AND LOVING 

Sticky – Tyler the Creator 

Club Classics featuring bb trixkz – Charli xcx & bb trickz

BERETTA – 454 & Pig the Gemini

NASCAR – J.U.S & Fat Ray (The Lebron bar goes crazyyyyyy) 

ALBUMS

Elite Vessel – Lexa Gates 

Demon Days – Gorillaz 

Culture – Migos

Sli’merre – Young Nudy & Pi’erre Bourne

Que Sigan Llegando Las Pacas – Chino Pacas