By Daegan Waagmeester
Staff Writer

Tyler, the Creator released his seventh studio album, “Chromakopia,” just in time for Halloween. With its fitting eerie themes and frightening aesthetic, Tyler continues to push the boundaries of hip hop with another classic. Tyler is one of the most fascinating and musically diverse artists in the world right now due to his focus on narratives and unique production. His latest album still keeps his name at the top, regardless of a few moments that aren’t for me.

“Chromakopia” is a look into who Tyler is as a person; the first three songs on this album are a perfect example of that. We open with “St. Chroma,” a pledge of him following his dreams as he repeats “I’m gon’ make it out, promise I’m gon’ make it out” throughout the song until the chant releases into a bright and powerful vocal performance by Tyler and Daniel Caesar, almost making listeners feel like they made it out themselves.

Following that with a smooth transition into the track “Rah Tah Tah,” a track where Tyler is arrogant and proud of his fame with lines like “Crib so big, I need a diaper and a sippy cup.” His pride is on full display and he is not ashamed of it. With its punchy bass and hype energy, this lands as one of my favorite tracks on the album.

Immediately following that, the holes in his pride are shown in the track “Noid,” where he goes into detail on the downfalls of making it. His social anxiety and introverted side still exist even through the fame, which humanizes him. It reminds us he’s a person just like the rest of us and doesn’t like being pestered by the press. The lines “Living between cameras and recorders” and “No cameras out, please, I wanna eat in peace” illustrate a clear picture of this for the listener. These three songs show us who Tyler is very vividly. This leads the way for Tyler’s thoughts on some deeper subjects on following tracks.

Tyler, the Creator stands in a crowd in the “Noid” music video. Screenshot from “Noid” music video.

“Hey Jane” is a standout on the album narratively. It shows a dialogue between Tyler and a woman whom he accidentally got pregnant. It’s a heavy song but has a phenomenal message of being safe in relationships and vividly describes the mental toll of such a life-altering mistake. It is not an easy listen, but that’s the point. It’s supposed to be uncomfortable and make you think, which is rare in modern hip hop. Featuring heavy lines like “This ain’t about kinfolk, this our decision with a small window” and “It’s a voice inside me begging me to keep it, I’m 35 and my ovaries might not reset,” it’s not something to play at a party, it’s a warning from Tyler to the listener about the dangers of unsafe relationships.

Luckily for the listener the album is certainly not all serious. The track that comes to mind in that way is by far “Sticky.” While by no means groundbreaking, and even with its drawn out and grating whistling intro, it’s still a turn up, mindless, swagger filled, ego booster of a track once the verse starts. With very “interesting” features by Sexyy Red and GloRilla and a great verse by Lil Wayne, it’s certainly an enjoyable listen regardless of some of its low moments.

Tyler rapping a verse on the front of a plane. Screenshot from “Thought I Was Dead” music video.

“Chromakopia” is certainly a unique project for Tyler. With its wide range of subjects and variety in song styles, there’s something for everyone. Even with the occasional over repeated sound or a few harsh vocal moments, that’s just being nitpicky. With standout bangers like “Thought I Was Dead” and “Rah Tah Tah” while balancing it out with somber serious tracks like “Hey Jane” and “Noid,” “Chromakopia” does nothing but solidify Tyler, the Creator as one of the best.