On Oct. 28, 2024, Tyler, The Creator, a popular American rapper and producer, released his eighth album, titled “Chromakopia”. “Chromakopia” consists of different musical genres such as hip-hop, jazz, and soul, as well as even featuring Zambian rock in his song, “Noid”, which is the third song on this album and was released as the lead single. “Chromakopia” conveys several different stories and messages from Tyler, The Creator’s personal life, and the album features over ten different artists.
While the album is still new and people have yet to dissect all the details, there are a few things in the Chromakopia that stand out. Junior Mattisse Giles talked about the elements that made “Chromakopia” stand out.
“It was tight,” Giles said. “It’s very introspective and fun at the same time.”
Arguably, the most popular song on the album is “Like Him”, which is about Tyler, The Creator’s father. He talks about how his whole life he searched for his father, under the impression that he wanted nothing to do with Tyler; however, in “Like Him”, Tyler reveals that this was a lie told to him by his mother, and he could have had his father all along, but the lack of his presence made Tyler who he is today.
Another popular favorite seems to be “Balloon”, which features Doechii, a popular American rapper and singer. “Balloon” is about Tyler’s hard work ethic and success, with lyrics such as “Why I work so hard? My soul profit”. Junior Miles Sweeney talks about why he likes the song.
“The beat is fun,” Sweeney said. It’s a fun song overall with just good vibes and I really mess with it.”
While a lot of positive feedback is being seen about “Chromakopia”, with people enjoying Tyler’s unique beats and elements included in his songs, as well as his meaningful themes and messages being displayed. There is also a lot of criticism against the album, especially regarding the song “Sticky”. Sophomore Darshen Raman talks about why he does not like “Sticky”.
“The whole song feels out of place compared to the rest of the album,” Raman said. “I don’t really like [the featured artist]. I feel like she doesn’t make sense on this song.”
There seems to be overall mixed feelings about “Chromakopia”, with some people expecting more out of Tyler and feeling as though his new album does not compare to his old ones, such as “Igor”. On the other hand, some people really enjoy the album, stating that songs like “Like Him” or “Balloon” are their favorite songs. Either way, the album is definitely worth listening to, because whether you enjoy it or not, it introduces unique musical elements and talent as well as portraying deep stories.
