Peeling Back the Mask in ‘CHROMAKOPIA’

Welcome to CHROMAKOPIA

CHROMAKOPIA is one of the most introspective and audacious releases of 2024, brimming with raw self-reflection and unfiltered musings on fame, love and identity. It’s, without a doubt, my album of the year. Tyler, the Creator has spent his career flouting expectations and breaking down barriers in both music and marketing, and with CHROMAKOPIA, he orchestrates a journey that’s as intricate as it is bold. Released at 6 a.m. on a Monday — an unconventional release that broke all the rules and still dominated the charts — CHROMAKOPIA doesn’t just make a statement about Tyler’s artistic evolution, it cements him as a visionary.

Track 1: St. Choma (ft. Daniel Caesar) 

The album opens with a delicate yet commanding voice note from Tyler’s mother: “You are the light. It’s not on you; it’s in you. Don’t you ever in your motherf*cking life dim your light for nobody.” These words aren’t just a prelude, they set the tone for the album’s exploration of self-worth and defiance. This idea takes full form in the track itself, a dramatic and transformative opener that introduces Saint Chroma, the masked figure on the album’s cover and a reflection of Tyler’s freer, more unrestrained self. As the heavy thud of military footsteps echoes in the background, Tyler’s verses move between defiance and self-reflection. Daniel Caesar’s stunning chorus, “Can you feel the light inside? Can you feel that fire?” builds on the spoken-word intro, delivering a gospel-like moment of transcendence. His voice, layered over shimmering synths and a pulsating bassline, feels like an invitation to self-discovery, as though Tyler is guiding listeners to find their own light.

Track 2: Rah Rah Rah

From here, we enter CHROMAKOPIA’s raw defiance. “Rah Rah Rah” kicks off with that signature Tyler energy — bold, brash and unapologetic. It’s a celebration of rebellion, a track that screams, “I’m here and I’m untouchable” through every beat. Tyler’s confidence is front and center, almost daring the world to challenge him. But just beneath the surface, you can sense the tension, the underlying vulnerability. With lines like, “She ain’t never met no one who talk like that / And if you hang up on a n*gga, b*tch, I’ll call right back,” Tyler gives us a glimpse of the emotional armor he’s built to protect himself from the weight of fame.

Track 3: Noid 

After the brash energy of “Rah Rah Rah,” Tyler plunges straight into the psychological abyss with “Noid,” where paranoia becomes the star of the show. The track feels like being trapped inside Tyler's mind, a swirling cyclone of doubt and suspicion, with the pounding drums relentlessly mirroring his spiraling emotions. Tyler exposes a layer of his psyche rarely seen, confronting his worst fears: the parasocial relationships that fuel his sense of being watched. 

“Someone's keeping watch,” he sings, haunted by the idea that fans, blurred by obsession, feel entitled to invade his personal life and critique his every move. The track underscores the unsettling realities artists face in the age of social media, where fans believe they have the right to demand every detail of an artist’s life. In many ways, “Noid” is a cautionary tale about the fragility of the artist-fan relationship and the pressure that comes with constant public scrutiny. It reveals a hidden, more vulnerable side of Tyler, reminding us that fame comes with an undeniable cost.

Track 4: Darling, I (ft. Teezo Touchdown)

This track really captures the complexity of modern relationships. Drawing a lot of parallels to “WHARF TALK” from Call Me If You Get Lost: The Estate Sale, Tyler opens up about his complicated feelings toward love and commitment. The song starts with his mom telling him, “don’t ever tell no b*tch you love her,” which feels almost like a warning but also a reminder of the casualness and sometimes complexity that comes with relationships today. 

As the track unfolds, Tyler drops the line, “Monogamy, that sh*t is not for me / One option for everybody? Don’t you lie to me,” and you can feel the inner conflict — questioning the very idea of sticking to one person forever. He’s admitting that long-term commitment doesn’t seem to fit into his vision of love, and it’s messy, but it feels real. Later, he says, “I’m thinkin’ new crib, I’m thinkin’ two kids / Until I get infatuated with a new b*tch,” which pretty much sums up the fleeting nature of his desires: he’s torn between wanting stability and the next shiny thing.

It’s clear that he’s not rejecting love or connection, but he’s very much exploring the tension between wanting something stable and the reality of his shifting desires. 

Track 6: I Killed You

This is one of my favorite tracks off the album, not just because of the raw energy, but because Tyler’s exploring something real about identity, beauty standards and how they're tied to self-worth, especially in the Black community. The whole metaphor of hair being killed is powerful — it’s not just about physical appearance, it’s about how society pressures us to erase parts of ourselves to fit in. The repeated line “b*tch, I killed you” isn’t about violence — it’s about the violence we do to ourselves when we try to fit into the mold, changing our natural state to be accepted. The Childish Gambino feature at the end adds an extra layer of depth to the track. His soft vocals in the outro, “you're so beautiful” feel like a reminder that we are worthy, despite all the conditioning. This track feels like a raw, personal moment, not just for Tyler but for anyone who’s had to fight against the forces that try to make them feel less than.

Track 8: Sticky (ft. Glorilla, Sexxy Redd, Lil Wayne)

If you weren't already convinced that CHROMAKOPIA is a masterstroke, just look at the lineup for “Sticky.” Tyler's genius comes to life here, and the features — GloRilla, Lil Wayne and Sexxy Red — take it to another level. Each guest artist injects their own raw energy into the track, amplifying the infectious vibe that Tyler has so effortlessly curated throughout the album. The beat itself is deceptively simple, but that’s what makes it so brilliant. It's the kind of rhythm you’d hear in a lunchroom where someone starts beatboxing, and suddenly everyone’s freestyling their best bars — unfiltered, unpolished and full of fire. You can almost feel the creative electricity in the air, as the track becomes a melting pot of personalities, each one adding a new layer to the bubbling energy that Tyler has sparked.

If you don’t get why this track is one of the most insane productions on CHROMAKOPIA, then you clearly just don’t get Tyler’s vision. This song is pure chaos in the best way. It’s a snapshot of Tyler’s world, a chaotic, spontaneous freestyle session where the boundaries of genre and ego dissolve, allowing for pure musical expression.

Track 12: Like Him

“Like Him” is one of the most emotionally layered and complex moments on this album. Tyler takes a bold step forward by confronting the pain and complexity of his relationship with his estranged father, a theme that has lingered in his music throughout his career. With the unassuming, yet heartbreakingly powerful line from Tyler’s mother, “He's always wanted to be a father to you... He's a good guy,” Tyler flips the narrative we’ve come to expect, exposing a side of the story we never considered. Here, Tyler strips away his public persona of the provocateur, allowing the son who still grapples with his father’s absence to come to the surface.

This moment feels like a raw confession, an almost painful blending of Tyler’s personal and public selves. The song’s impact is amplified by the presence of Tyler’s mother’s voice guiding him, providing a crucial perspective on the harsh reality of his father’s absence. For years, Tyler has been vocal about his father’s failings, but with “Like Him,” he begins to grapple with the more nuanced, less straightforward truth that maybe, despite everything, his father did care. 

Track 13: Balloon

On “Balloon,” Tyler taps into a new, playful energy, thanks to the swamp princess herself, Doechii, who injects the track with a whimsical, circus-like vibe. Her verse is an absolute force, delivering lines that are as bold and unapologetic as they are playful. “Aight, where the swamp is? Flyest b*tch up in the room, I need a cockpit,” she begins, immediately commanding attention with her unique swagger. Her flow effortlessly matches Tyler’s energy and the whole track feels like a chaotic ride through the highs and lows of fame, where self-reflection meets pure, unfiltered fun.

I can’t not talk about the iconic verse: “I’ll air this b*tch out like a queef / I’ll send your a*s back to the streets / I’ll spray your whole block with le FLEUR / He gon’ eat this p*ssy up ‘cause it’s sweet.” Like, okay, Doechii. I see you. 

Side note: if you’re not listening to Doechii, what are you even doing? She’s that girl, and her verse is a standout moment on “Balloon.” With her boldness and energy, she creates a synergy with Tyler that elevates the track, turning it into a playful yet profound commentary on fame, self-worth and the complexities of identity. 

Track 14: I Hope You Find Your Way Home

The final track “I Hope You Find Your Way Home” lands as a quiet, reflective punch that ties everything together. It feels like the emotional core of the album — Tyler, stripped down and vulnerable, looking inward while acknowledging that the journey to self-acceptance is anything but straightforward. After all the highs and lows of CHROMAKOPIA, this track serves as a moment of introspection, almost like taking a breath after a chaotic ride. It’s raw and real, a meditation on identity, growth and the challenge of finding meaning in the noise of life.

The line “No Met Gala, but I'm everybody’s mood board” perfectly sums up Tyler’s response to fame. He’s carving his own lane, recognizing his influence even if he’s not at the Met Gala or rubbing elbows with the high society crowd. At its core, this track reveals that Tyler’s worth isn’t tied to external validation. It’s about the journey, his growth and the way he impacts culture and those around him. It’s a fitting close to an album that’s been all about peeling back layers and wrestling with identity, fame and self-realization.

At its core, CHROMAKOPIA is Tyler’s exploration of his own psyche, a deep dive into the complexity of self-identity and the forces that shape it. CHROMAKOPIA plumbs the depths — no hiding, no filtering. And that’s what makes it so captivating. From the sweeping, cinematic intro of  “St. Chroma” to the reflective closing track “I Hope You Find Your Way Home,” Tyler blends lyrical vulnerability with sonic experimentation in a way that is uniquely his.