“Chromakopia,” released on Oct. 28, is two-time Grammy winner Tyler, The Creator’s album for revealing his childhood to the world. “Chromakopia,” a highly-anticipated record, was Tyler’s first studio album since 2021, and the album has exceeded all expectations. The album, despite being 52 minutes long, manages to keep the audience engaged with its relatable story and its spirited beats. While keeping the main idea of the album alive, Tyler still incorporates many features and collaborations on his album, including collaborations with Teezo Touchdown and Daniel Caesar.

Tyler kicks off the album with “St. Chroma,” featuring Daniel Caesar, a unique introduction compared to his past openers. He begins with a voicemail from his mother explaining how Tyler should continue to “shine his light” and never “dim it for nobody,” which invokes the central theme of embracing and pursuing your passions for the album. 

In “St. Chroma,” Tyler presents himself as the character, Chroma the Great, from the 1961 novel “Phantom Tollbooth” by North Juster. Throughout the novel, as the conductor of the color orchestra, Chroma is tasked with bringing color to the world from sunrise to sunset. The sounds of a military drumline, chanting, and marching enforce this idea throughout the song. Tyler’s vocals reinforce conflict in the beginning as he whispers in an aggressive tone, almost as if he is being suppressed from sharing his true feelings. 

He references the central theme of his past album “Flower Boy”, where he is in constant self-doubt of his abilities and future; however, in “St. Chroma,” he finally realizes that he can do anything he puts his mind to. He demonstrates this by repeating, “I’m gon’ make it out/ promise I’m gon’ make it out.” 

In addition to his childhood trauma, Tyler introduces various other themes throughout the album. In “Darling, I,” featuring Teezo Touchdown, he talks about his fear of committing to a relationship and marriage. He doesn’t want to be “tied down” for the rest of his life, as he feels like there is too much to explore. He expresses his discontent with monogamous relationships, as he doesn’t believe it is possible to “get everything from one person.” 

Towards the end of the song, Tyler confesses that he doesn’t feel that it’s fair for someone to be stuck with him for the rest of their life because of this. In turn, he expresses how nobody can fulfill him like music has and will, even saying, “So I’ll be lonely with these Grammys when it’s all said and done.” He also talks about his fear of unplanned pregnancies in “Hey Jane” through two different perspectives. Tyler feels that he isn’t at a secure place in the relationship but was forced into the relationship. On the other hand, Jane is dealing with her own issues regarding self-image and regret. All of this can be accredited to Tyler’s general fear of growing up and having to deal with all the added responsibilities.         

Most of the tracks consist of the same opening — a voicemail from his mom slowly unveiling the life he chased as a child. In the song “Like Him,” Tyler’s mother opens the song talking about how Tyler looks exactly like his father, and he starts to ponder if the father he’s been chasing forever is real or just a ghost. This song adds on to Tyler’s niche of creating tracks with happy vibes and deep stories, just like his song “See You Again” on “Flower Boy.” In a world where most rap and hip-hop music is about women and money, having an introduction as such can be seen as bonus points for many listeners and critics. 

Despite its uplifting beats, Tyler’s album has an even deeper meaning: his childhood trauma. With the song “Like Him,” Tyler talks about his estranged relationship with his “absent father,” who we later learn wanted to be in his life, and how his mother played a pivotal role in his absence. Additionally, Tyler continues to reference the paranoia that comes with being a celebrity within songs such as “Noid” and “Rah Tah Tah.” This can be inferred through the transition the two sequential tracks have, with “Rah Tah Tah” ending with Tyler talking about how he is paranoid due to the strange behaviors of others, and how their actions may harm him mentally. In “Noid,” he starts the song with the word paranoid being repeated many times, emphasizing how many celebrities deal with paranoia.

In terms of production, Tyler took the lead as he usually does throughout his other projects. By blending diverse musical elements into a cohesive and well-polished album, it showcases his evolution as an artist. He continues to bend the stereotypes of the genre, similar to his past works, “IGOR” and “Call Me If You Get Lost,” implementing his signature style of synth-driven instruments, experimental beats, innovative arrangements, and expressive lyricism. His hallmark of “controlled chaos” is prevalent throughout the album, which can be seen in songs such as “Sticky” featuring GloRilla, Lil Wayne, and Sexyy Red. The incorporation of high-wailing whistles, constant tempo changes, unconventional percussion rhythms, jazz-inspired chords, animated background vocals, and high-energy verses work together to bring the song life, full of depth and volume. The high quality of production throughout the album allows the audience to fully immerse themselves the way Tyler intended, educating them about the complexities of relationships and adulthood throughout the album. While the album educates listeners about these meanings, it also manages to incorporate elements that would fit perfectly in a gym playlist. 

While the album is almost perfect, it could definitely improve in some categories. For example, Tyler would benefit from incorporating artists that are more apt for the album, such as André 3000, who is known for creating emotional music. Additionally, Tyler could also work on putting the tracks in a more dynamic order, as he does with “Rah Tah Tah” and “Noid.” 

Overall, this album is a 95/100, merely lacking some originality in its formatting as well as its features. Sure, Teezo Touchdown is a great artist, but he doesn’t really fit Tyler’s vibe and what he’s trying to introduce to the audience in “Chromakopia.” 

Tyler deserves a Grammy for his album, because of his creative introductions, as well as the emotional backstory behind the album. Putting aside the negatives, “Chromakopia” is a 52-minute tableau, carefully weaving together fragments of his childhood and early adulthood into a beautifully crafted narrative. Tyler’s way of telling his story definitely “takes his mask off” by giving us glimpses into his struggles and growth, making it relatable to many listeners.