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.
Tyler, The Creator is a once-in-a-generation type of artist. Whenever he drops a single or an album, the hip-hop world pauses for the California native. He’s a massively influential talent who inspires his contemporaries with his fashion and musical trends. Without a doubt, he’s easily a face of the genre (whether you like it or not) and he’s not going to let anyone really stop him of doing what he feels is necessary to push the rap boundaries. For example, if he thinks rappers and artists in general should go back to dropping new music at the beginning of the week, he could start that wave again. After hearing Tyler, The Creator’s charting projections for CHROMAKOPIA just moments ago, his competition may just consider it.
He put out his seventh album this morning at 6 a.m. local time and in just that short period, he’s potentially looking at a chart-topping debut. This information comes courtesy of chart data via X. No sales predictions are available just yet though. HITS DAILY DOUBLE will drop their estimate sometime tomorrow morning, so be sure to stay tuned for that update.
With this in mind, some fans are making their own projections. Some are saying he will move around 150,000 and others even claiming 200,000 will be the number. Overall, this a stunning and very spectacular accomplishment (most likely) for Tyler. In terms similar competition for this week, Megan Thee Stallion, G Herbo, Jean Dawson, and Yeat are some of the bigger names to watch out for. Overall, though, things are kind of in Tyler’s favor here if you ask us.
What are your thoughts on Tyler, The Creator being expected to go number one with CHROMAKOPA even with the Monday release date? Is this one of his best or the best record from Tyler? Which tracks are you messing with the most? Who has the strongest guest performance? 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.
Does Tyler The Creator have kids? The question has arisen again on social media thanks to the California artist’s new album Chromakopia. On the song “Hey Jane,” Tyler dramatizes a conversation with a romantic partner who has just discovered their potential parenthood, prompting fans to ponder whether the rapper is secretly hinting that he’s joined the unofficial hip-hop pops club that includes peers like Big Sean, Drake, J. Cole, Kendrick Lamar, and Pusha T.
In the first verse, Tyler sums up the cause of his panic at the possibility, rapping, “We still learnin’ each other, I don’t know all you / And you don’t know all me, how am I to live with / That is not a good foundation to have kids with.” However, in the second, which is rapped from the perspective of the woman, she rebuts by asserting, “I can do this alone / My mom did it, your mom did it, this ain’t a pride thing / This a more ‘I prefer to have peace of mind’ thing.”
The last time the question arose, shortly after the release of “Dogtooth” from the deluxe version of his last album Call Me If You Get Lost, T was quick to shoot down the rumor, writing on Twitter, “i dont have kids and dont plan on it hahaha.”
From Tyler’s lyrics on the Chromakopia closer, “I Hope You Find Your Way Home,” though, it doesn’t sound like he’s changed his mind. “Almost had a mini me, I wasn’t ready / And she wanted it with me, I’m talkin’ heavy,” he recalls. “See, that’s my interest, so as of now, raisin’ a child is not on my wish list.” So, it sounds like Tyler is not a father yet.
Tyler, The Creator fans are thriving right now as he has just come by with CHROMAKOPIA earlier this morning. The 14-track album features loads of talent such as ScHoolboy Q, Sexyy Red, GloRilla, Teezo Touchdown, Childish Gambino, and more. However, there is one other big-ticket guest that has fans talking. Tyler, The Creator and Playboi Carti have had some big hits before such as “Telephone Calls” and a hidden appearance on “EARFQUAKE” off of IGOR. Overall, though, it’s been a little while since we have heard these two together as both artists are always changing the sounds and approaches to their respective material.
But on CHROMAKOPIA the dry spell has ended… sort of. Right now, there is a snippet from the vinyl version, better known as the (TEST PRESSING VERSION). On the 11th cut “THOUGHT I WAS DEAD,” the DSP version of the seventh studio project contains a feature from ScHoolboy Q. But on this exclusive physical copy, fans will be treated to some Carti vocals instead. So, yes, you need the (TEST PRESSING VERSION) which now officially sold out. It was available for $30.00 USD.
In terms of how fans are feeling about this, the reactions are all over the place. Some people are confused and upset. “Nah that’s crazy that’s so fire it should’ve been on the main album.” “Shit was so good why scrap the features mannn.” However, there are others are fine with it being on the vinyl only. “The song was better without him.” Then, there are people in the middle who appreciate Tyler for making buying physical versions worth it. “Tyler is making buying physicals fun again.” For those who got their hands on the special edition, we envy you!
What are your thoughts on Tyler, The Creator only including the Playboi Carti feature on the CHROMAKOPIA vinyl? Does this make you want to buy a physical copy even more or less? Is this the best feature on the album? 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 and Playboi Carti. Finally, stay with us for everything else going on in the music world.
On an early Monday morning, fans awoke to a brand-new album from Tyler, The Creator. Breaking his stingy album cycle, the California visionary dropped off his eighth studio effort CHROMAKOPIA. So far, the reception has been astounding, as his loyal fanbase has been labeling it as a “masterpiece.” It will take some time for everyone to digest it and rank it amongst the rest of his discography. Overall, though, the project definitely continues his incredible run since 2017’s Flower Boy. Tyler is taking the album on tour early next year, but he treated a massive and rambunctious crowd to a listening event last night.
The atmosphere at the arena in Los Angeles looked to be amazing, as fans have been sharing their experience from it. One of those supporters was North West, as she posted a cute and goofy video to social media expressing her excitement for CHROMAKOPIA. Kim Kardashian was there alongside her eager teenage daughter, as she hilariously came across as a mom who promised to take her kid to a concert she had no interest in. Throughout the clip, North West repeats the album’s title over and over again while Kim acts fake excited while on camera.
At the end of the day, as long as the kids have fun, that’s all that matters. North West showing her love for Tyler is nothing new. Since embarking on her own musical journey, she has borrowed a lot from the eclectic multi-hyphenate. Her outfit at the show (overtly large glasses and a nerdy aesthetic) has lots of Tyler inspiration and in interviews such as the one above, she has cited him as one of her favorite artists. With someone as talented as he is, maybe North West will be destined for similar success later on in music.
What are your thoughts on North West and Kim Kardashian showing up to Tyler, The Creator’s listening event for CHROMAKOPIA? Are you reacting the same Kanye West’s daughter is right now to the album? What are your favorite songs so far? 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 North West, Kim Kardashian, and Tyler, The Creator. Finally, stay with us for everything else going on in the music world.
Tyler The Creator’s new album Chromakopia is out now, and thanks to its early-morning release, fans have been digging in all day to see what the album offers. Ahead of its release, we got a taste of Tyler’s paranoia on “Noid,” the defiant “Thought I Was Dead,” a super-stacked posse cut in “Sticky,” and even a surprise Childish Gambino cameo on “Killed You,” a featuring a range of topics from hometown pride to Tyler’s hair.
On one song in particular, “Take Your Mask Off,” Tyler addresses the ways in which people hide their true selves and the ways that this can hurt them and the people around them. While the first verse speaks to a local gangbanger, the second addresses a down-low pastor, and the third examines a stay-at-home housewife, the fourth verse is more vague, and some fans might be wondering who he’s talking to. However, hints throughout the verse seem to suggest that it’s Tyler talking to himself. While he’s never openly talked about some of the references he makes in the verse, such as having hair loss or dealing with anxiety, lines like “Tryna sell them weird-ass clothes, nobody buyin’ that” and “Your beats ain’t placin’, them songs ain’t slappin’, your raps ain’t rankin’” sound like he’s speaking to a performing artist with a clothing line — which applies to Tyler himself.
Tyler also drops a couple of references to other songs on the album, like admitting to being “scared of bein’ a parent” — a topic he raps about on “Hey Jane.” Because Tyler’s writing is so metaphorical and deliberately vague, it’s impossible to say for sure he’s talking to himself — but it seems the likeliest, until Tyler himself offers an alternative explanation.
Earlier this week, I wrote about Tyler The Creator’s new album Chromakopia potentially bring back Tuesday album releases, but as it turns out, the entire rollout has been an extended exercise in how artists can benefit from putting fans first. Since announcing the unusual release date, he also announced a listening event at Intuit Dome in Inglewood for $5, where he would play the album and “perform.”
When you think about it, it’s hilarious that Tyler The Creator, who was seemingly so antisocial at the outset of his career, has become a paragon of “fans-first” thinking in hip-hop. After all, this was the destructive dynamo that told us, “Kill people, burn sh*t, f*ck school” along with his merry band of misfit troublemakers, Odd Future.
But that was where the unbreakable bond between Tyler and his fans first started. They related to his mischievous brand of anti-establishment mayhem because they recognized — instinctively, if not intellectually — that it came from Tyler’s own fandom. The Hawthorne native was as much one of the kids who tuned into everything his favorite artists did as he now is the artist fans tune into.
While older hip-hop heads might not have understood this, Tyler’s rage against the machine came from a place of genuine love for the art of hip-hop, and a frustration with the way corporations have stripped it of its adventurous, rebellious spirit in favor of cashing in on formulas and algorithms designed to make the most money.
He’s still rebelling on behalf of fans; the Monday release flies in the face of the Friday release convention, which benefits certain streamers but not those of us who want to discuss and dissect new music with the people we see most often, like coworkers and classmates. While this could have an adverse effect on his streaming metrics, losing three counting days of the sales week, and dropping at 6 AM, the release allows fans to wake up to a new release, rather than having to stay up all night to be among the first to hear.
The listening session makes his performance accessible to fans who probably can’t manage hundreds of dollars for tickets, let alone Ticketmaster’s ridiculous, tacked-on fees. Even billing the concert as a listening event feels a bit like Tyler thumbing his nose at a certain other so-called genius who’s taken to “performing” in a mask while simply playing his records and walking around arena floors and festival stages. Tyler seems to be saying, “Hey, if you’re going to do that, at least tell folks what they’re getting up front.” Meanwhile, he seems to be saluting another West Coast rap standout who recently put on a big show for the fans, acknowledging that it’s a good idea, but there should be some value added — like getting to hear an all-new album before its release.
Tyler even made the vinyl test pressing available for purchase, rather than forcing fans to wait for months for the finalized pressings as has become common these days. In addition to being reasonably priced, these records also come with detailed specs for vinyl collectors. That’s the sort of quality fans have come to expect from the purveyor of the GOLF collection.
Meanwhile, from the announcement of the album to the surprise concert to the Camp Flog Gnaw Carnival lineup reveal, the rollout has been unassuming, not demanding the spotlight for months as T rolls out singles to see which one sticks.
And that lineup? What a lineup! I called Camp Flog Gnaw one of America’s best festivals last year, and a huge part of that was the attention to detail in the artist curation. It’s eclectic, but there’s still a vibe. It’s underground, but adds enough stars to make it worth the price of admission. It prominently features Tyler’s friends and collaborators, but also showcases what The Creator himself has found inspiring and influential for the past year or so, highlighting once again how much of a fan he is. In an increasingly crowded festival space, Flog Gnaw sets itself apart by focusing on music discovery and love for the art rather than metrics.
That’s why Tyler The Creator has entered the conversation as one of the top names in not just hip-hop, but music overall. Because he’s a fan of music — not just one genre or artist, but the process of finding and enjoying music — he knows what fans want, and can give it to them. In return, they give him the accolades, the appreciation, and yes, the payouts that major labels and promoters have been struggling to achieve with their ongoing obsession with efficiency and profit growth. Tyler has laid out the blueprint for the future of music. As it happens, it’s just the oldest, most basic strategy, one his peers and contemporaries never should have gone away from: Put the fans first.
Tyler The Creator’s new album Chromakopia just dropped this morning (October 28). The project is full of features, but none of them are credited on the tracklist, so fans have been having fun figuring out who guests on the album.
Glover also joined Tyler at his Coachella set earlier this year. There, Tyler spoke about the rags-to-riches nature of their relationship, saying, “You know what’s sick? I used to hate that n****. Seriously, I don’t know why, I gotta go to therapy to figure it out. But then this n**** put this song called ‘Urn’ out, U-R-N. It was so undeniable, n****, I was at conflict with myself. I’m like, ‘F*ck, how could a n**** that I hate so much be so good?’ And now, the tables have turned and this n**** barely returns my calls. Donald, I f*ck with you. Thank you for putting out sh*t that exceeds expectations or the perception that n****s like us should make. I love you, thank you for existing, and thank you for coming out.”
Listen to “I Killed You” above and “Judge Judy” below.
Chromakopia is out now via Columbia. Find more information here.
This Monday morning is a bit unusual, as music fans had something to look forward to at 6 a.m. ET: The release of a high-profile new album. Tyler The Creator just dropped his new project, Chromakopia, this morning, but not at midnight as is usual. As he explained, “YOU CAN LISTEN TO IT WHEN YOU WAKE UP, YOU DONT HAVE TO DEPRIVE YOURSELF OF SLEEP FOR SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO BE THERE WHEN YOU WAKE UP.”
Well, people have woken up and listened, and one track many have been immediately struck by is “Sticky,” due to its tremendous star power.
The songs, as displayed on streaming platforms, do not have credited featured artists. But, credited as songwriters on the track, according to the song’s credits as seen on Spotify, are GloRilla, Sexyy Red, Lil Wayne, Timbaland, and Young Buck.
Others have noted that artists also featured across the project include Childish Gambino, Daniel Caeser, Teezo Touchdown, ScHoolBoy Q, and Doechii. Tyler hosted a listening party for the album last night, but as for actual performances, he has a tour that is set to kick off in February 2025.
Listen to “Sticky” above.
Chromakopia is out now via Columbia. Find more information here.
