The Mycenaean

Tyler, The Creator

Alternative hip hop/rap creator Tyler, The Creator released his debut album Goblin in 2011, however his music career started much before that. Starting his music career in 2007, Tyler joined a collective of 10 music creators named Odd Futures. Shortly after, Tyler released his first single, titled Bastard, in 2009.

 At just 16 years old, Tyler began to gain popularity through his album Goblin, in which his single “Yonkers” helped him win Best New Artist at the 2011 VMAs. His 2017 album Flower Boy, however, is accredited as his breakthrough album in which he gained large-scale public recognition and .

Totaling at an average 47.9 Million monthly listeners, Tyler, The Creator has had an award-winning career and is a popular name in the music industry.

Chromakopia

At 52 minutes and 54 seconds, Chromakopia is composed of 14 tracks.

1. St. Chroma (feat. Daniel Caesar)
2. Noid
3. Rah Tah Tah
4. Darling, I (feat. Teezo Touchdown)
5. Hey Jane
6. I Killed You
7. Judge Judy
8. Sticky (feat GloRilla, Sexyy Red & Lil Wayne)
9. Take Your Mask Off (feat. Daniel Caesar & LaToiya Williams)
10. Tomorrow
11. I thought I Was Dead (feat. ScHoolboy Q & Santigold
12. Like Him (feat. Lola Young)
13. Balloon (feat. Doechii)
14. I Hope You Find Your Way Home

This album details his reflection on fatherhood and growing up. In this album, Tyler’s vulnerability and reflection on his relationship with his father throughout childhood as well as potential desire to raise a family of his own. 

Chromakopia is filled with emotional and introspective songs, reflecting on life and the future. Tyler is known for his notably unique music style, with a wide variety of genres of music between albums, and his recent album is no exception to this pattern. 

The opening track of the album, “St. Chroma”, features an unconventional approach to starting out the album through a whisper-rap style of singing with a loud, rhythmic beat playing overtop. The fast paced and rushed feel of this song catapults the listener into the second track of the album, “Noid”, with a seamless transition. 

“Noid” marks a shift to an introspective and vulnerable recount of paranoia that Tyler feels. He details his fears as a public figure, “living between cameras,” and constantly being watched. Beginning to detail his desire for a family and traditional life, he details his experience watching friends grow up and start families while he is plagued with paranoia of being hurt or injured due to his public presence, as well as his caution towards bringing potential children or family in harm’s way through association with himself.

Throughout the album, an omniscient voice of Tyler’s mother guides him, giving advice and commentary throughout the album. In the twelfth track of the album, “Like Him”, Tyler wonders if he will end up like his estranged father, however his mother states “He’s always wanted to be a father to you. … He’s a good guy,”. This input from his mother is significant due to its contradiction to the image of his father that Tyler has created, and instead Tyler’s mother takes responsibility for not allowing his father to raise him.

The progression through the album Chromakopia beautifully portrays the complex relationship Tyler faces with his family and growing up, as well as his critically acclaimed musical talent and profound skill for storytelling. The album is captivating, diverse, and is praised as one of Tyler’s best albums yet.43