CHROMAKOPIA Takes the Charts
Tyler, the Creator, Sony Music Entertainment, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Released on October 28, Chromakopia has spent three weeks at number 1 on the Billboard Hot 200.
The album was released by two-time Grammy winner Tyler, The Creator, and has been met with both critic and fan acclaim. With features of well-known artists such as Glorilla, Lil Wayne, Daniel Caesar, and more it’s no surprise that the album is such a hit. On the album, Tyler provides insight into his experiences and feelings that fans haven’t heard about since his last full album, “Call Me If You Get Lost”. On “Chromakopia”, Tyler has produced and written all the songs, which further intensifies the messages throughout the album.
Throughout the album, Tyler’s mother helps guide the listener with her words. On the first track of the song, she explains the meaning of the song, “St. Chroma”. She opens the album with, “You are the light, it’s not on you, it’s in you. Don’t you ever in your life, dim your light for nobody.” This opener foreshadows how the album will showcase how Tyler presents his “light” to the public, as well as how he feels about having this light and his doubts about it. Throughout this song, he expresses how he has risen to the level of fame he has today and how confident he has always been in himself. Although his confidence has always been strong throughout his music career, here in this album, he expresses how he has been doubting himself lately.
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Straying away from this message, on “Like Him”, his mother provides a piece of evidence that shocked most fans. Throughout this song, he wonders if he truly looks like his father. At the end of the song, she reveals that Tyler’s father, who has been absent for all his life, wanted to be a part of his life. “…cause he always wanted to be there for you…But he’s always wanted to be a father to you.” Throughout Tyler’s work, he has expressed how his father has been absent and how angered he is by that. For example, in his song “Answer” from his 2013 album “Wolf”, he expresses his anger with his father for being absent and how much he resents him for it. “‘Dad’ isn’t your name, see ‘F*****’ a little more fitting.” Tyler’s expressive lyrics that expose his feelings are something his fans know and love him for, and in his newest work, he doesn’t shy away from this signature of his.
In the track, “I Killed You”, Tyler expresses how Black people have to “tame” their natural hair to be seen as professional by other people. He also describes how Black people themselves will judge each other based on their hair. This theme of hair in the song reflects how Tyler has been wearing his hair during his album run. In an unnatural-looking afro, the song reflects how people might judge his hair, but he makes it clear that he believes that all types of Black hair in all forms are beautiful.
In another expressive track, “Tomorrow”, Tyler reveals his fears of aging and all the experiences that comes with this. His fear of having children is emphasized within this song, “The thought of children, it brings me stress.” He also contemplates his fear of being in a fully committed relationship, which is previously discussed on the track, “Darling, I” stating, “Will I flip the switch and finally settle down?”
On his final track, “I Hope You Find Your Way Home”, Tyler reflects on his experiences. He reveals his annoyance with people who constantly negatively speak about him, and his accomplishments, along with reflecting on his personality and how he presents himself. At the end of the track, fans get to hear the last voice message from Tyler’s mother. “I’m proud of you, bro. Like, you just never cease to amaze me. There's no words to express how I feel. Do your thing, just keep, keep shining.”