Tyler, the Creator‘s newest album, Chromakopia, and his intimate perspective have many wondering about the meaning behind the new drop. From the first teaser of St. Chroma to the full release, fans and music lovers from across the globe have been captivated by the emotion and realities of Tyler’s lyrics and message.
Chromakopia is Tyler’s 8th album following “Call Me If You Get Lost” and his most popular album “Igor” from 2019. His fan base has been on a steady rise as his music becomes more known, incorporating a wider variety other than just rap to his discovery. Tyler, the Creator, has spoken out multiple times as being “More than a rapper,” he wants his music to be a reflection of himself. Often, his music reflects the trials that he is currently or has previously faced. Through this, he has sad, slow songs and almost a letter to himself or his family. He also has songs that blast the unacceptable and the problems in society. His music spreads truth without the worry of consequences. The Chromakopia album is no different. With a collection of styles, skills, features, and messages, Tyler can put years of his mother’s advice into 53 minutes of pure heart and soul. 
Almost every song in the newest collection mentions a fear or a worry of his life. From being paranoid, thinking that he’s being followed, to being afraid of commitment to anything but music, listeners everywhere get a small look into Tyler’s mind. The first initial understanding of the album comes from the cover. A mask that hides his face while it resembles the face that we all know to be Tyler. A small part of him feels as though he has to maintain this image of who he is “supposed to be” even though he has never been someone who conforms to societal norms.
Tyler’s first song, “St. Chroma”, focuses on this idea exactly. The idea is that society has come to accept only a limited version of the people we are or can be. One lyric jumping out at listeners is “Give a f**** about tradition, stop impressing the dead.” Tyler, the creator, is known for being unapologetically himself. He has always spoken his mind and done things in new ways outside the contemporary and accepted forms. He pushes the boundaries of music and he, along with many other artists, has impacted the movement of new music. Through his courage to step out of the comfort zone of hip-hop, he has begun to prove that music doesn’t always have to be made up of the same sounds and messages. He has created a community that centers around being the outlier, being the odd one out, and being weird, ending this song with a simple message, “Don’t you ever stop being who you are and dimming your light for any of these motherf ******* out here.” 
Throughout the album, the common theme of facing difficult choices is clear. The song Darling, I centers around Tyler’s first and only real love, music. Although Tyler has been in relationships before, fans have never seen him fully commit to one person; this song reflects that idea. A major part of this song focuses on the idea that nobody and nothing can satisfy him the way that making and producing music does, even saying ,“I’ll be lonely with these Grammys when it’s all said and done.” This line just proves that he feels that he will never find someone who can ultimately prove to be worth his time, especially not if they’re taking away from the path that he has been blazing in the music industry. However, even with this idea, he does state “It’s not fair just to be stuck with me.” Tyler may not feel that anyone is enough to fill the void that would be left without music, but he also feels like he won’t be able to meet and satisfy the needs of another without being himself and producing his music. Darling, I is a deep, personal song about the worries of his relationships and the true connection that he has with his music.
Chromakopia isn’t any different from his other albums, but it is nothing like his previous work. It follows his other releases’ pattern: personal stories and odd beats. This release is emotional, it’s deeper than the surface-level explanation of his past. Chromakopia has been in the top charts since its release and doesn’t see any drop in ratings or listeners. It was the biggest hip-hop album debut of 2024 according to Spotify charts, and continues to sweep the weekly top 10. Chromakopia continues to spread Tyler’s message of individuality, his call to be unapologetically yourself, and to remain confident, even as you face trials. The meaning behind the drop isn’t something we can analyze, rather, it’s something we feel in ourselves when we hear it. Why did Tyler, the Creator, make an album with so many stories in it? In the end, we can all relate to one of them; we can all relate to him.
