Album of the Week: Chromakopia

Owen Oliver, Staff Writer

January 29, 2025

Album of the week: “Chromakopia,” by Tyler the Creator

Featuring (in order of appearance): Tyler Okanma, Daniel Caesar, Teezo Touchdown, Childish Gambino, Glorilla, Sexyy Redd, Lil Wayne, Schoolboy Q, Santigold Doechii

Track Number: 14

Length: 52 mins

Released: October 28, 2024

Genres: West Coast Hip Hop, Experimental Hip Hop, R&B, psychedelic Hip Hop

Highlights: St. Chroma (feat. Daniel Caesar), Judge Judy, Like Him

Rating: 8.3/10

On October 16, the music world experienced a tremor, a surprise snippet from Tyler the Creator titled “ST. CHROMA.” The snippet would lay the groundwork for a following single, “Noid,” and various other inventive teasers that could only be drawn back to Tyler Okanma himself. From vibrant, animated billboards in Times Square to green box trucks embroidered with the word “CHROMAKOPIA” being sent across the country, the thunder of the album’s release accumulated from thin air in just under two weeks and echoed throughout the music industry. The two-time Grammy winner spent the build up toward the release by sharing cryptic messages on his social media accounts, which further fueled the mystery and intrigue around the project. Just about every industry giant from anywhere up the West Coast was rumored to be involved on the album. Artists like A$AP ROCKY, Kendrick Lamar and even Frank Ocean. To put it simply, all eyes were on Tyler Okonma. But did he deliver?

In my opinion, yes he did, but not in the way one would expect. Let me elaborate. In his eight studio album, Okonma puts the writing on the wall, exclaiming to the public space that this is not a metaphor, an entendre or a code – it’s a letter of transparency, an acceptance of identity and the fight to achieve it. “Chromakopia” is Tyler the Creator’s coming of age piece. It’s a look back, and a moving forward. In a 52-minute runtime, “Chromakopia” manages to plant listeners into the mind of the 33-year-old singer, rapper, producer and musician. The feelings of paranoia within the public spotlight, aging, attachment and family trauma are presented with unwavering transparency. The mask is removed. Tyler is no longer a character, but a reflection of himself. This is no metaphor, the mask is off.

On Chromakopia, Tyler explores these themes through a steller tracklist featuring a plethora of collaborators. The album is an absolute delight for longtime fans. Styles of the album reach back to Tylers beginnings, mending harsh, defiant lyrics and brash production reminiscent of his earlier work such as “Goblin” (2011) and ”Cherry Bomb” (2015), with the more intricate, introspective lyricism and lush instrumentation of his more recent work such as “CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST” (2021) as well as the grandiosity of the groundbreaking “IGOR” (2019).

Judge Judy

“Judge Judy,” which tells the tale of a one night stand that becomes an open and uncommitted relationship over time. The “Judy” that Tyler is referring to is a woman, or the idea of one that is a reflection of himself. Judy, like Tyler, has a troubled past with a history of different partners, a fear of commitment and deep feelings of loneliness. The relationship falls apart, but the two stay connected through letters. In the end however, Judy dies, severing the only real bond Tyler felt he had with another person, adding fuel to an already burning pit of failed relationships to preserve an ideal self reliance within Tyler. The song features gorgeous layers of mixing and lush instrumentation culminating for some of the best instrumental breaks in the year.

Like Him

My personal selection for CHROMAKOPIA’S best track is the album’s climax and narrative peak “Like Him”. The song opens with a manufactured speech from his mother, pointing out his likeness to his absent father. Then the song opens up to Tylers vulnerable voice filling the space with a single piano. As the song progresses, Tyler pronounces his longing for the figure who has eluded him his entire life, and for the one who has filled the gap his father left. As the song corrals into its peak, Tyler pleads with his mother to answer him: Is he a reflection of his father? And in the final voicemail of the album, Tyler’s mother admits to pushing his father away in a collapse of young love, and Tyler gets his answer. It’s a building climax with an ever satisfying release and an incredible display of pacing and tension.

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