Music is something important to many. To the people who listen to it, it can be a gateway to get away from the real world, or a thing one can resort to when they need to feel a certain way. For those who make it, it can be a way to express themselves and their emotions effectively. As of recently, however, many have felt the music industry has been less about expressing themselves, and more about just making the trendiest ‘hardest’ song. Some artists even put on a persona and act differently just so they appear like they had a difficult upbringing.
Tyler Okonma, also known as Tyler, the Creator, is a 33-year-old artist who has been publishing music since early 2007 but has been making music for years beforehand. He uses a variety of genres in his 8+ album run, such as hip hop, jazz and rap. He found the industry’s way of music problematic, so he broke the normal traditions and cycles and dropped his newest album, “Chromakopia” at 6 AM EST, on October 28, 2024, only 12 days after the album’s announcement. This seemed like a risky move to critics, because it broke all the norms of the current industry, but the album dropped, earning many records.
The album:
- Earned close to ~300K sales in a week
- All songs were top 12 on iTunes in under a week
- All songs were top 12 on Apple Music in 100+ countries
- 6 million+ streams on each song on Spotify on release day
And I believe it deserves all of it.
The album is very personal, covering Tyler’s emotions and thoughts in the rawest forms. It focuses more on its message and purpose rather than streamability, and yet it was still #1. I don’t believe it’s perfect, but it still is my #1 of the year, with close to no competition. There isn’t a song on the album I dislike, however some have less strength than others.
Here are my short, non-spoiler (aside from features) reviews for each song on the album:
St. Chroma – This was the song used as a teaser for the album, and I feel it fits perfectly, and is one of his strongest openings to an album. Daniel Caeser’s background vocals along with Tyler’s second verse were the strongest parts, and overall, it held up to my expectations. (8/10)
Rah Tah Tah – This song is very raunchy! And that’s on purpose. It feels like many other of his songs with the same loud drums and high synths, and I really enjoy the lyrics throughout the whole song. “I’m a fish” (8.5/10)
Noid – Noid was the single that dropped early and had many mixed reactions. It’s very different from Tyler’s usual sound but I think that’s for the better! The sampled guitar mixed with the song’s strong message makes it an overall solid and enjoyable song. (8/10)
Darling, I – In contrary, this song feels very similar to his recent work. Teezo Touchdown features on this song with cool backing vocals which makes this track sound right out of Igor. (7.5/10)
Hey Jane – This song has one of the strongest messages I’ve heard in a song in recent years. It shows the perspective of both sides during the song’s situation and the feelings that stray from said situation. (8.5/10)
I Killed You – Metaphors!! Hooray!! This song is great and has a captivating and fitting style that’s hard to put into words. Its manic and repetitive patterns fit very well. (7.5/10)
Judge Judy – This song was described as Tyler’s favorite in a recent interview with Converse. He mentions how the cheesy chords and sound overall perfectly embody his music style, and I completely agree. It, along with most of this album, manages to incorporate storytelling into the songs, while still having the song hold up if you aren’t listening in on the lyrics. (7.8/10)
Sticky – This song is so much fun. Out of its many features, I think GloRilla has the strongest verse, with Wayne after her. I assume this will be the song that gets the most attention in the following weeks. (8.3/10)
Take Your Mask Off – This song probably will continue to be talked about for the next decade. It covers the real situation on how artists treat the industry, and how they should “take that mask off”. (8/10)
Tomorrow – This song is close to perfect. I love the way the second verse comes in and gives an ethereal / awakening feeling. I cannot think of anything to complain about aside from it being one of the only songs to not have more than two verses, and I would really love more. (9.5/10)
Thought I Was Dead – This song was perfect to be teased when Tyler teased it. It has one of the coolest features in the entire album, as well as an exclusive physical copy feature that holds up as well! This is my overall favorite song of the album. (9.8/10)
Like Him – There are heavy rumors over another artist, Baby Keem, doing adlibs on this song, but those aren’t confirmed; however, Tyler carries this song! This is probably objectively the best song of the album message-wise. (9/10)
Balloon – The only song I’ve seen more hate than love for is this one, which is strange because of how fun of a song it is. It has some beautiful lyricism (Thank you Doechii feature) along with a funny sample. (7.5/10)
I Hope You Find Your Way Home – I think this was a perfect way to end the album! Something I’ve not mentioned beforehand is the use of Tyler’s mom, Bonita Smith, as a narrator throughout the album, which I think is great and reminds me of Ctrl by SZA. I am very thankful for this album’s pure existence. (9/10)
Overall, I really do think this is the strongest album to come out of this year, and music this year has been comparable quality–wise to some of the better recent years like 2016 and 2018. I would highly recommend listening to at least two songs from this album, even if they don’t seem like something you’d enjoy.
