Halloween is over, and hip-hop gave us one of its most stacked release weeks all year. As such, we rounded up the best of the best on our latest Fire Emoji playlist update, and there’s one artist who blew the game up at the top of the week. Tyler, The Creator dropped CHROMAKOPIA, his new album with very little lead-up but a powerful one nonetheless. It helps that it’s full of not just some of his most personal material ever, but also some of his hardest and most fun bangers across his career. If you haven’t already been bumping cuts like “Rah Tah Tah” and “Sticky” with GloRilla, Sexyy Red, and Lil Wayne, give it a shot to electrify your day.
Elsewhere on Fire Emoji, we have other hot new projects to talk about that fans have been waiting on for a long time. Freddie Gibbs finally returned with his new album You Only Die 1nce, and cuts like “Brick Fees” display why he’s one of the coldest rappers in the game. Also, Lil Uzi Vert went wild and unfiltered on Eternal Atake 2, and we’d recommend the energetic “Light Year (Practice)” as a solid taster. Finally, Westside Gunn actually dropped two projects this week, but the main event is Still Praying, on which “Free Shots” with DJ Drama and Conway The Machine is a particularly gritty highlight.
Meanwhile, Fire Emoji also contains the week’s hottest singles, including the “SOUTH OF FRANCE” remix with Future and Travis Scott. It was the version that fans originally wanted to hear on MIXTAPE PLUTO, so it’s great to have the wavy collab in our possession. In addition, JID and Ab-Soul joined forces for a menacing, lyrically dense, and wholly fitting collab, “Crazier.” The drums on here focus up the bars and add a welcome sense of suspense that both MCs don’t always tap into, but handle with skill.
Rounding things out is the Waka Flocka Flame-tributing “STILL IN THE PAINT” from Denzel Curry, LAZER DIM 700, and Bktherula. Finally, we wanted to shout out Central Cee for a passionate and confident performance on the song “One By One.” Let us know what your favorite Fire Emoji inclusion was this week, as well as what else we missed, down in the comments section below. Check the playlist out above and, as always, come back to HNHH for the latest great rap drops around the clock.
Somewhere between sadistic humor and a homophobic slur, Tyler, The Creator became the face of a generation of edgy internet kids. Through the Wolf trilogy, alter-egos and characters like Wolf Haley became vessels of his personality to varying extremes in ways that felt reminiscent of Eminem and Slim Shady. He struck a visceral reaction when he emerged with the video for “Yonkers” yet his subsequent efforts proved that the shock value remained secondary to his art. Still, misogyny and homophobia unintentionally became a focal point of his brand to the blind eye who, understandably, couldn’t overlook Tyler’s twisted juvenile humor for the sake of storytelling. But, as Tyler matured, so did the characters in his work including Saint Chroma, the most forthcoming alter-ego that the Odd Future frontman adopted for his new album, Chromakopia.
Roughly 15 years after Tyler transported us to his therapist’s office on Bastard, where his teenage angst and childhood trauma became the central force of the Wolf trilogy, the L.A.-based artist invites his mother to assist in this chapter of closure. Her voice rings out through the album as a guiding light of affirmations, echoing words of uncut positivity and tough love that stuck with Tyler through his formative years in Hawthorne to global stardom. More importantly, she becomes a gateway for a deeper exploration into who Tyler became. She’s the first person who speaks on “St. Chroma,” telling him, “Don’t you ever in your motherfucking life dim your light for nobody.” These words feel particularly close to home if you’ve seen Tyler’s transformation in the past decade, from employing dark humor and troll tactics as a character trait across his catalog to emerging on the frontline as one of the most ambitious artists of our time.
On Chromakopia, Saint Chroma, a persona who uses a mask to hide his paranoia, becomes a vessel to explore his own fears. There’s a clash between self-assurance and anxiety that peaks across the album. For example, songs like the electrifying Zamrock-influenced “Noid” find Tyler seemingly evokes Don Hogan Charles’ iconic image of Malcolm X peaking through his windows. “I can’t even buy a home in private/ Home invasions got my brothers dyin’,” he raps. “Notice every car that’s drivin’ by/ I think my neighbors want me dead/ I got a cannon underneath the bed/ Triple checkin’ if I locked the door.” If Call Me When You Get Lost was Tyler reaping the fruits of his labor as a rapper–checking the media and his peers as a fierce competitor in the genre’s ecosystem with numbers to match–then Chromakopia explores the pitfalls of his success and the impact it’s had on his personal life.
This sense of uncertainty extends to his views on relationships, anchored by his mother’s wise words to “never tell a b*tch that you love her.” And for an artist who has managed to maintain some control over his public image, songs like “Darling I” and “Like Him” bring further context to commitment issues. The former, with a gorgeous vocal performance from Teezo Touchdown and Neptunes-like bounce, delves into Tyler’s philosophy on monogamy, and the daunting reality of what forever means. “I love this girl, though, I hit the gold mine/ I’m thinkin’ new crib, I’m thinkin’ two kids/ Until I get infatuated with a new bitch,” he raps. Meanwhile, “Like Him” delves deeper into the matter as he reflects on the traits he inherited from his absentee father. This record, in particular, finds him coming to terms with the complexity of his relationship with his dad while his mother takes accountability for cutting off any potential communication between them.
This level of honesty and sincerity creates the foundation for Tyler’s most forthcoming body of work in his career. Moments like “Hey Jane” are deeply intimate, where he divulges on nearly having a child and the conflicting emotions that come with it. Flexing his storytelling abilities in full, he provides a wide scope from his lens and hers. Tyler’s attention to detail, from his storytelling to impeccable production across the album, allows this journey to unfold without skip, culminating in the album’s zenith, “Take The Mask Off.” It’s here where Saint Chroma sees himself in a trifecta of characters hiding behind their truths: a gangbanger from a privileged background, a closeted pastor, and a woman of three children whose depression hides behind a facade of a picture-perfect family. Tyler’s admissions of self-doubt and selfishness are rooted in his own aspirations–a paradox that fuels his shortcomings and success.
Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
A journey of discovering one’s self-identity ties his past and future together in ways that seep through his impeccable production and ability to harness the best out of his collaborators–a result of Pharrell’s evident influence across this project, no doubt. Doechii’s stand-out verse on “Balloons,” or ScHoolboy Q’s effortless cool on “I Thought I Was Dead” feel central to their respective songs without overshadowing Tyler. Even in the moments in between his plaintive thoughts that leap towards rambunctious beats and over-the-top flexes, the inclusion of GloRilla and Sexyy Red on “Sticky” turns the record into a quintessential banger in Tyler’s catalog, even if Lil Wayne’s verse feels subpar in comparison to their previous collaborations.
It’s the full portrait of Tyler that makes Chromakopia such a worthy listen, and as it stands, a strong contender for one of the most important hip-hop albums of the year. The evolution of Tyler, The Creator has been one of the most gratifying of any career among his generation of stars–outside of Childish Gambino, who also appears on the album. He’s always been daring in his approach to art, committed to pushing the boundaries and stretching his creativity beyond the booth. However, the honesty that he’s presented has sometimes been wedged between alter-egos. Chromakopia is an exploration of the artist behind the mask and it results in a beautifully personal body of work that digs into his new sense of liberation.
Tyler The Creator is riding the CHROMAKOPIA high right now, even if it comes at the expense of some pretty shocked casual listeners. With every new album cycle, a fresh set of folks new to T discover his controversial old lyrics, something he’s talked about and reckoned with a lot in more recent material. So much so, in fact, that he specifically called out Taylor Swift fans for their context-lacking criticism. “I got Swifties all mad at me with their racist a**,” the Hawthorne native joked during a short show in Boston yesterday (Thursday, October 31). “Bringing up old lyrics. B***h, go listen to ‘Tron Cat,’ I don’t give a f**k, h*e. The f**k, b***h? They gon’ bring out the old me.”
For those unaware, this probably came up because Tyler, The Creator overtook Taylor Swift’s No. 1 position on Spotify’s global Top Artists chart. It’s more of a battle between fanbases rather than between the artists, as Tyler was probably just generalizing a much larger group than Swifties here rather than calling out the superstar singer herself directly. Nevertheless, the commercial and critical success of CHROMAKOPIAmade a heavy mark, although it’s sad to see it result in fans bickering over their preference. More importantly, it minimizes actual dialogue and conversation about these lyrics, which have understandable and legitimate arguments on both sides.
But we know well that Tyler, The Creator would much rather talk about the quality of his music than these narratives. “At 1:54 of ST CHROMA, that siren and low end together feels like a blast wave after an explosion,” he recently tweeted about his favorite CHROMAKOPIA moments. “The ’20 thousand on me…’ part of RAH TAH TAH, the delivery is from a d*mb joke of mine but i couldnt get it outta my head, why not record it.”
With all this in mind, it will be interesting to see whether or not Tyler, The Creator or Taylor Swift actually speak on this in any direct way. They could either fuel their fanbases to be even more insufferably combative or show them the light. It’s a big responsibility to carry, but such is the state of Internet Stan culture these days.
Ahead of his Camp Flog Gnaw Carnival, Tyler The Creator performed in Boston on Halloween for a special “30 Minutes Of Chromakopia” concert. It’s exactly what it sounds like: 30 minutes of the former Odd Future member’s new album, Chromakopia. During the show, the “Sticky” rapper addressed certain Taylor Swift fans trying to “cancel” him over old lyrics after he (briefly) dethroned her on the global Spotify Top Artists chart.
“I got Swifties all mad at me with their racist ass,” he said. “Bringing up old lyrics, b*tch, go listen to ‘Tron Cat,’ I don’t give a f*ck. They gonna bring out the old me.”
Tyler has brought up Swift multiple times in his songs. On “Fish,” from 2011’s Goblin, he rapped, “B*tches running ’round down, p*ssy take a trip / Make her strip, got my d*ck harder than the unzip / Tyler swiftly slips his d*ck inside of Taylor Swift’s slit / Round trip in that p*ssy, here comes a ticket.” Earlier in the album, on “Nightmare,” he goes, “Love? I don’t get none, that’s why I’m so hostile to the kids that get some / My father called me to tell me he loved me / I’d have a better chance of gettin’ Taylor Swift to f*ck me.”
To see the dates for Tyler The Creator’s Chromakopia tour, head here.
Tyler, The Creator celebrates the release of his latest single, “Noid,” from the newly dropped CHROMAKOPIA album, landing at #10 on US Top Songs. His album also boasts “ST. CHROMA” at #14, while his 2017 hit “See You Again” featuring Kali Uchis resurges at #73, spurred by a viral dance trend that has placed it at #4 on US Top Songs on Shorts. Tyler currently ranks #23 among US Top Artists, further solidifying his chart presence.
“Noid” is the first official single from the album. It brings the harsh realities of fame and celebrity to both the single and video, where passersby continue to infiltrate Tyler’s creative space. Joining Tyler, the Creator, in the video is The Bear star Ayo Edebiri, who presents a transitioning iPhone to a gun. Additionally, Frank Ocean can be heard in the single’s opening.
Tyler, the Creator, is ready to fully immerse fans into the Chromakopia experience. With a new single out and the album on the way, Tyler has announced the Chromakopia World Tour. The tour will begin on Feb. 4, 2025, and will be supported by Lil Yachty and Paris, Texas.
2/04 – St. Paul, MN @ Xcel Energy Center *^ 2/06 – Milwaukee, WI @ Fiserv Forum *^ 2/08 – Kansas City, MO @ T-Mobile Center *^ 2/11 – Denver, CO @ Ball Arena *^ 2/14 – Los Angeles, CA @ Crypto.com Arena *^ 2/17 – Los Angeles, CA @ Crypto.com Arena *^ 2/20 – Los Angeles, CA @ Crypto.com Arena *^ 2/23 – Sacramento, CA @ Golden 1 Center *^ 2/24 – Oakland, CA @ Oakland Arena *^ 2/26 – Portland, OR @ Moda Center *^ 2/28 – Vancouver, BC @ Rogers Arena *^ 3/02 – Seattle, WA @ Climate Pledge Arena *^ 3/05 – San Francisco, CA @ Chase Center *^ 3/07 – Las Vegas, NV @ MGM Grand Garden Arena *^ 3/09 – San Diego, CA @ Pechanga Arena San Diego *^ 3/12 – Phoenix, AZ @ Footprint Center *^ 3/15 – Austin, TX @ Moody Center *^ 3/17 – Dallas, TX @ American Airlines Center *^ 3/19 – Houston, TX @ Toyota Center *^ 3/21 – Atlanta, GA @ State Farm Arena *^ 3/22 – Orlando, FL @ Kia Center ^ 3/24 – Miami, FL @ Kaseya Center ^ 3/26 – Charlotte, NC @ Spectrum Center *^ 3/28 – Pittsburgh, PA @ PPG Paints Arena *^ 3/29 – Columbus, OH @ Schottenstein Center *^ 4/01 – Washington, DC @ Capital One Arena *^ 4/25 – Antwerp, BE @ Sportpaleis *^ 4/27 – Paris, France @ Accor Arena *^ 4/30 – Milan, Italy @ Unipol Forum *^ 5/01 – Zurich, Switzerland @ Hallenstadion *^ 5/02 – Frankfurt, Germany @ Festhalle *^ 5/04 – Cologne, Germany @ LANXESS Arena *^ 5/06 – Oslo, Norway @ Oslo Spektrum *^ 5/07 – Copenhagen, Denmark @ Royal Arena *^ 5/09 – Prague, Czech Republic @ O2 arena *^ 5/10 – Krakow, Poldand @ TAURON Arena Krakow *^ 5/12 – Berlin, Germany @ Uber Arena *^ 5/14 – Amsterdam, Netherlands @ Ziggo Dome *^ 5/17 – Birmingham, UK @ Utilita Arena Birmingham *^ 5/19 – London, UK @ The O2 *^ 5/21 – London, UK @ The O2 *^ 5/24 – Dublin, Ireland @ 3Arena *^ 5/27 – Manchester, UK @ Co-op Live *^ 5/30 – Glasgow, UK @ OVO Hydro *^ 6/27 – Cincinnati, OH @ Heritage Bank Center *^ 6/28 – Cleveland, OH @ Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse *^ 6/30 – Chicago, IL @ United Center *^ 7/03 – Detroit, MI @ Little Caesars Arena *^ 7/05 – Philadelphia, PA @ Wells Fargo Center *^ 7/08 – Boston, MA @ TD Garden *^ 7/11 – Baltimore, MD @ CFG Bank Arena *^ 7/12 – Raleigh, NC @ Lenovo Center *^ 7/14 – New York, NY @ Madison Square Garden *^ 7/17 – Brooklyn, NY @ Barclays Center *^ 7/22 – Montreal, QC @ Bell Centre *^ 7/24 – Toronto, ON @ Scotiabank Arena *^ 7/27 – Newark, NJ @ Prudential Center *^ 8/18 – Auckland, New Zealand @ Spark Arena *^ 8/22-23 – Melbourne, Australia @ Rod Laver Arena *^ 8/26-27 – Sydney, Australia @ Qudos Bank Arena *^ 8/30 – Brisbane, Australia @ Brisbane Entertainment Centre *^ 9/04 – Perth, Australia @ RAC Arena *^
A couple of days ago, charting predictions for Tyler, The Creator’s CHROMAKOPIA were revealed. Overall, they were pretty shocking (maybe not to some given his stature), especially considering when the album arrived. Chart Data tweeted out that it’s on a chart-topping trajectory. However, they did not have sales projections available at the time of the update. Fans in the comments section were speaking their guesses into existence with some putting in some fairly safe answers. Some were claiming his seventh LP would move anywhere from 150,000-200,000.
Given how passionate Tyler’s fanbase is, we were honestly expecting them to overshoot. But thanks to an update from DJ Akademiks moments ago, they lowballed their guy. As it stands, CHROMAKOPIA is on pace to sell around 250,000 copies in its first week. Those sound on par with chart predictions and if that happens, Tyler will overtake Yeat’s LYFESTYLE next week.
The Oregon act moved 89,000 album equivalent units to vault to the top of the Billboard Hot 200. Even though his supporters were incorrect, they had nothing but praise for Tyler and his artistry, with one fan perfectly encapsulating it all. “That’s what happens when a great artist who has put out back to back amazing albums drops another great album exactly when he said it was going to drop with proper rollout,” a Twitter user writes. “Dude is a professional artist through and through.”
What are your thoughts on Tyler, The Creator’s sales projections for CHROMAKOPIA? Where do you rank this project amongst the rest of his discography? Which tracks are you messing with the most? What do you think the final number will be next week? We would like to hear what you have to say, so leave your thoughts in the comments. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the latest news surrounding Tyler, The Creator. Finally, stay with us for everything else going on in the music world.
Yesterday, GRAMMY®-nominated artist Doechii made a stylish appearance at the Golf Wang store in London to celebrate her feature on Tyler, The Creator’s newly released album, Chromakopia. The track, titled “Balloon,” showcases Doechii’s dynamic flair and lyricism, adding to the excitement surrounding her ongoing Alligator Bites Never Heal tour.
As she balances live shows across London, Doechii is also making waves with her fashion sense. She arrived at the event wearing a sophisticated tan Burberry suit, exuding elegance and boldness. The tailored outfit featured sleek lines, which she matched perfectly with open-toe tan stilettos, embodying both classic style and contemporary edge.
The Golf Wang gathering brought together fans and fashion enthusiasts alike, all eager to catch a glimpse of Doechii and celebrate her latest collaboration with Tyler, The Creator. Known for her vibrant stage presence and fearless approach to music, Doechii’s feature on “Balloon” marks another exciting chapter in her genre-defying career.
With her growing influence in both the music and fashion industries, Doechii continues to prove why she’s one of the most versatile and impactful voices of her generation. Her dual presence in music and style highlights her unique ability to connect with audiences on multiple levels, making her one to watch as she continues her European tour.
Roddy Ricch exploded onto the scene in the late 2010s. The rapper scored a number one single with “The Box,” but has struggled to maintain this high standard. His second album, Live Life Fast, failed to generate any hits, and it’s been years since he was even featured on a notable single. Roddy Ricch is planning to make a comeback, however. The rapper confirmed that his new album, The Navy Album, is on the way. and he promises that it will keep the West Coast winning streak of 2024 going.
Tellingly, Roddy Ricch build up hype for The Navy Album by referencing another West Coast artist. Tyler, The Creator took over the music world when he dropped CHROMAKOPIA on Monday. Ricch showed love to Tyler, while at the same time claiming to be the next artist up. “CHROMAKOPIA,” he wrote. “Tyler, The Creator. West up, my turn!” A few hours later, Roddy Ricch confirmed that The Navy Blue was arriving this December. “The Navy Album,” he tweeted. “The 6th of December.” The rapper has been hinting at the album’s release for most of 2024. He even told Grunge Cake that it will signify a return to his roots.
“I feel like I’m just getting back to my roots of taking my time, being real lethal with my injection,” Ricch stated. “Just trying to really just give it everything I got and being vulnerable as I can to my fans, allowing them into my life.” Roddy Ricch likened The Navy Album to a film soundtrack, and promised that it will be an experience that his listeners will be able to apply to their own lives. “I just always be creating,” he said. “That’s just my safe haven, a way to express myself and keep myself fresh.”
Roddy Ricch has more in common with Tyler, The Creator than West Coast origins. Both were onstage during the now legendary “Pop Out” show on Juneteenth. They performed some of their biggest songs and voiced their support for Kendrick Lamar in the Drake battle. Ricch humbled himself as a performer in comparison to the likes of Tyler and Kendrick, but he insisted that his music connects with fans on an emotional level. “I just try to give it up my all every time,” he asserted. “And even in the hype moments, I try to give my all.” We can’t wait to hear this effort on December 6.
We knew Tyler, The Creator had bars on “Thought I Was Dead.” The rapper dropped a music video for the song a few days before its official release, but only a fragment of the song was included. Now that the full CHROMAKOPIA album has arrived, we have the full song. And it delivers. “Thought I Was Dead” offers up one of the hardest instrumentals on the entire album, which is saying a lot. The song also gives fans a chance to bask in the Tyler, The Creator and ScHoolboy Q reunion we didn’t realize we needed.
CHROMAKOPIA is, in many ways, the culmination of Tyler, The Creator’s sound. It includes pieces of all his previous albums. “Thought I Was Dead” is a throwback to the aggressive, clipped bangers that were all over 2015’s Cherry Bomb. The beat is wonky and horn-led, while the busy drum pattern breaks up the rapper’s bassy delivery. The chorus is simple and catchy. ScHoolboy Q, who also popped up on a stellar Cherry Bomb cut, brings his typical hybrid of menace and energy to the table. He’s the perfect rapper to get on a beat this bizarre. If you pick up the vinyl version of CHROMAKOPIA, then “Thought I Was Dead” also has a guest verse from Playboi Carti. If that’s not incentive, we don’t know what is.
Let us know what you think of this brand-new track, in the comments section down below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the music world. We will continue to keep you informed on all of your favorite artists and their upcoming projects.
Tyler, The Creator Throws It Back With This Single
Quotable Lyrics:
White boys mockin’ this sh*t and y’all mad at me? Y’all can suck my d*ck Pull up old tweets, pull up old t-shirts, all that, I moonwalk over that b*tch T-T changed like the fit got dirty I was young man, then a n**ga hit thirty
As with every new Tyler The Creator album, CHROMAKOPIA is a lot to take in. That’s not just due to the manic, genre-fusing, and intricately layered production, but also because of how much his lyrics reveal about his current perspective and his impactful journey as an artist. While the Hawthorne native keeps things exciting with his performances, the thematic density of most tracks leaves a lot of open room for analysis and deep topical explorations. In other words, this new album can feel overwhelming at times, especially when we’ve only had it for a few hours. Furthermore, it’s impossible to define all of its themes succinctly in such a short time span.
But there are many verses on here that immediately stand out as some of Tyler, The Creator’s best writing, his most complete narratives, and his most compelling examples of keenly crafted nuance. Whether it’s about fatherhood (or his own father), Black hair, religion, or identity, the former Odd Future frontman’s pen reached some of its highest all-time peaks. As such, we’ve compiled the five best verses from CHROMAKOPIA that caught our ears in our first couple of listens. We’ll stick to the rapping performances on here for the sake of consistency, and to Tyler himself. Even though these are just early impressions, the statements and reflections on this LP certainly leave their mark the moment they hit your ears. We can only imagine what other treasures they hold, and these excellent verses could point the way.
“Darling I” Verse 2
Relationships, commitment, and fatherhood are big themes on CHROMAKOPIA, so it’s only fitting that Tyler The Creator would outline his feelings on romance on one of the album’s first tracks. With steady flows, he delivers one of his most blunt and direct verses on the album that explains why he’s not a fan of monogamy. First off, the “WHAT A DAY” creative compares partners to all the different cars that he loves for different reasons, which also calls to lingering themes of success and excess from CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST. This isn’t just a playboy anthem, though, as Tyler also points to his own flaws that prompt this perspective.
“Too many grooves, I’m too curious to try to be / Hiding things, feeling shame built inside of me / ’Cause honestly, T is not perfect / So how can I get everything from one person?” Tyler, The Creator raps on the cut. At the end of the day, he really appreciates his love-lorn bonds, but concludes that what will really provide him with long-lasting company is the art he creates. That feeling of love is what he chases and cherishes, even if it’s temporary.
Both verses on “Hey Jane” (named after an abortion-related healthcare company) speak about Tyler The Creator’s relationship with a woman and their unexpected pregnancy, divulging their personal insecurities about it and affirming their commitment to support each other no matter the woman’s decision. They’re both stellar narratives with cutting lines and tender details, but since the second one is from the woman’s perspective, we’d rather let potential mothers speak on that for themselves. Regardless, the Camp Flog Gnaw leader provides a balanced and mature assessment from both sides, and his story shines through beautifully.
Through lines like “We ain’t make it to love yet / Took a shortcut to forever, I’m upset” and “You got to deal with all the mental and physical change / All the heaviest emotions, and the physical pain / Just to give the kid the man last name? F**k that,” Tyler, The Creator swings on the pendulum of fear and fearless support with grace. He knows it’s not the perfect situation, but he’s ready to take accountability for his and his partner’s choices, prioritizing her wants and needs. From a narrative perspective, the letter-like framing of each verse makes this one of CHROMAKOPIA‘s most striking lyrical moments.
“I Killed You” Verse 1
Tyler The Creator is a rapper, not a poet, but the first verse on “I Killed You” blurs that line through a common literary device in both art forms: personification. Building off of themes of heritage and identity, he speaks about his hair and remarks on its importance in Black culture. Much like the rest of CHROMAKOPIA, there’s a masterful push-and-pull on display. On one hand, Tyler explains all the things that Black culture and he himself has done to adapt their hair to a society of white supremacy that looks down on them. “No finding out, a couple knots was a map / We escaping them routes” is a particularly cutting line that feels ashamed of trying to erase that history with chemicals, cuts, straightening, etc.
However, by the end of the song, Tyler, The Creator concludes that he could “never kill” his hair, flipping the first line from “If they see you on top of me, I got to leave” to “If they see you on top of me, then I’m at peace.” What was once a passing mention on CMIYGL turned into one of Tyler’s most skilled, proud, and culturally powerful statements as of late.
When Tyler The Creator gets rowdy on CHROMAKOPIA, it’s an exciting and perfectly matched pairing with his rambunctious bangers. “Thought I Was Dead” embodies this explosively, particularly the verse that begins with a double-down on his stance against white rappers (and probably fans) mocking hip-hop. The 33-year-old is unapologetic about his past, flaunting what people see as hypocrisy as personal growth and success. Lines like “I’ma crash s**t out ’til my hair white / I got too much drive, I’m a terabyte” indicate that his brashness isn’t gone from the early Goblin days. It’s just much more well-executed this time around.
In addition, we’d be remiss not to mention the seamless flow switches and dynamic deliveries on this verse. It’s the best and most hard-hitting example of Tyler, The Creator’s bravado on CHROMAKOPIA, one that takes just as much aim at an insufficient and uninspired rap game as it does at critics of his often unfiltered perspective. Obviously, the flips and one-liners help these shots land: “T-T changed like the fit got dirty / I was young man, then a n***a hit thirty / I was one mill’, then a n***a hit thirty / B***h, you ain’t Coco Gauff, you can’t serve me.”
“Take Your Mask Off” Verse 4
Through multiple verses here, Tyler The Creator calls out the pain that “masks” result in. He discusses fake street rappers, greedy and hypocritically bigoted preachers, and rich, unfulfilled partners. But the most interesting verse is the fourth one, on which Tyler seems to address himself, his insecurities, his negative energy, and what other people might criticize about him. Maybe it’s a reach, but there are specific references to hair falling out, home wrecking, fear of fatherhood, being rich at 19, and other details that he owns up to on other CHROMAKOPIA cuts.
Nevertheless, it’s still filled with gut-wrenching bars like “Your respect won’t get given ’til we posting your death / It’s clear you wish you got your flowers sent / You eating fertilizer to balance s**t.” Perhaps this is all about another rapper, but maybe Tyler, The Creator is taking off his own mask of high self-esteem, confidence, and consistency. There is always the looming fear of losing oneself and “falling off,” plus the fact that a boisterous and self-worthy soar to the Sun can lead to a crashing spiral down to Earth every once in a while. Tyler Okonma has incredible reasons to believe in himself. But we’re glad he feels comfortable enough to take the mask off without fear.
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