Tyler, the Creator’s Chromakopia dives into sonic surrealism

In Tune is The NewsHouse’s weekly album review. Contributors Sarah Dorval and Annie Labarca cover new releases across genres.

Tyler, the Creator dropped his eighth studio album, Chromakopia, on Oct. 28, blending militant pump-up anthems and samples ranging from raw emotions to fresh sounds. The album was first teased 12 days before its release with a video snippet from the leading track, “St. Chroma.” The song, which features Daniel Caesar, now has over 63 million streams on Spotify, making it the most popular track on the album. Upon its initial release, only Tyler himself was credited for each song to hide featured artists, which include a slew of big names in the industry, including Lil Wayne, Doechii and GloRilla. 

Songs include samples from Tyler’s own mother and vocals from singers like Lola Young and Daniel Caesar, which allows for a cohesive narrative flow within the album. Whether beginning or ending the track with a voice note or the backup showing how Tyler had reflected on multiple versions of his younger self, the vulnerable moments in the album felt authentic. Mixed amongst his louder songs, the whiplash between emotional and energetic landed regardless of the mood each song gave, leaving listeners wanting to hear more of Tyler’s life story. 

Even with Tyler featuring plenty of celebrities in his work, he didn’t shy away from name-dropping those he admired across the album and establishing connections in the process. On “Rah Tah Tah,” he raps “Crib so damn big, I need a diaper and a sippy cup (wah)/Someone tell Zendaya, she my favorite ’cause she hit me up.” 

Zendaya recently played Tashi, a fierce tennis player turned coach in the film Challengers, which came out this past April. The film featured a threesome dynamic, subtly hinting at Tyler’s lean away from monogamy with his reference of the actress. The eleventh track “Thought I Was Dead ” featuring ScHoolboy Q and Santigold, played on another tennis reference, this time with arguably one of the most recognizable names in the sport: “B****, you ain’t Coco Gauff, you can’t serve me.” Gauff later reacted to the mention on X, formerly known as Twitter: “waking up to my name being mentioned in a tyler song…absolutely insane. thank you @tylerthecreator #Chromakopia.” 

“Playing tennis” not only refers to sexual acts but ties back into the collaboration Tyler had with French luxury sports fashion company Lacoste in 2019. The line was inspired by the 1980s and featured unisex clothing in the form of polos, bucket hats, tracksuits and more. Tyler made his feelings clear on inclusivity in “Sticky,” rapping “N****, give a fuck ’bout pronouns, I’m that n**** and that b****.” His queerness is comforting, a draw to his music that not many other rappers can boast as the industry shifts from its homophobic roots.

Each song has a distinct purpose in what it sets out to do, whether sharing a specific message or expanding on Tyler’s own feelings. “Noid” touched on being stalked by strangers, “Darling, I” featuring Teezo Touchdown references polyamory, “Hey Jane” is about getting a girl pregnant and being supportive of her choice. 

“Like Him” feat. Lola Young tells a haunting story, delving into the relationship between Tyler and his father which changed after his mother lied to him. The outro includes audio of Tyler crying as his mother apologizes for her past choices. This seriousness immediately dissolves as the next track comes on, as the first beat in “Balloon” sounds straight out of an electric circus, with rapper Doechii bringing the vigor back. The sharp contrast was true to the ups and downs of life itself, with negative and positive moments fluctuating throughout the album.

Chromakopia satisfied my craving for new music, delivering on a visual and musical level to metaphorically “peer inside the shipping container” that was symbolically used to represent the album. “Sticky,” feat. GloRilla, Sexyy Red, and Lil Wayne, “Thought I Was Dead” feat. ScHoolboy Q and Santigold and “St. Chroma” feat. Daniel Caesar are the songs that have reigned supreme after multiple listens, mostly due to their addictive rhythm. As a collective, Chromakopia is the feeling of sunlight in the middle of a mosh pit, perfect for listeners who need a soundtrack to find hope amongst the chaos.