“I don’t know who he is.” These lyrics from Tyler, the Creator’s new song “Like Him” where he captures his internal struggle with his identity being shaped by his absent father. The song appears on his newest hp hop and rap album, “Chromakopia” where Tyler expresses his troubles with women and his difficult childhood.
“Chromakopia” is a hip hop and rap album where Tyler the creator expresses his relationship with women, and his life as he is growing up. The inspiration of the album name came from a character named Chroma the Great from Norton Justers’ classic children’s book, “The Phantom Tollbooth.”
Tyler, the Creator began his career by publishing his music on a social media platform named Myspace which led him to socialize with other artists. This allowed him to start a band named “Odd Future.” This band would help Tyler the Creator boost his career to become the famous artist he is now.
Tyler, the Creator started becoming known as a rapper artist and published songs that the public started to show interest in. According to the Spotify charts, Tyler’s top three most popular songs are “See You Again” featuring Kali Uchis, “Earfquake” featuring Playboi Carti, and “New Magic Wand,” which is a single. “See You Again” and “Earfquake” both received over one billion streams.
“I feel like all Tyler’s albums are so different. They each have a different alter ego,” said Darla De La Cruz, senior.
Tyler, the Creator was born on October 6,1991, in Hawthorne, California. Tyler was raised by his mother, named Bonita Smith, who has never left his side. On the other hand, Tyler never got to meet his father.
In many songs, such as “Answer” and “Inglorious,” Tyler expresses how his father left as soon as he was born. In the song “Answer,” Tyler shares his desire to connect with his father and his frustration and disappointment with his father’s absence.
“I would definitely recommend listening to Chromakopia because this album combines music and beats to Tyler’s hardships in his life, “said Kelly Cubias, a sophomore.
The album “Chromakopia” displays Tyler’s vulnerability and emotional growth, which has led to many fans to be able to relate to the album.
“I would recommend the albums to other people because Tyler not only raps but he also sings so there is bound to be a song in his albums that everyone would like,” said Makayla Goode, senior.
In the first three days of coming out, Chromakopia received 212.55 million streams. In the first week, it reached number one on the Billboard 200 according to the Huntington News.
“’Chromakopia’ by Tyler the Creator is such a creative and unique album. It’s got some amazing beats and thought-provoking lyrics. Every album has a different vibe and this one has a lot of different emotions,” De La Cruz said.
Tyler, the Creator has used similar beats from past albums which fans enjoy hearing again. Tyler’s constant ability to influence and connect to his audience has earned him fans all over the world.
When asked to list their favorite Tyler the Creator songs, each student who was interviewed answered differently, demonstrating the artist’s versatility.
“My favorite song has to be ‘I Killed You.’ The reason I like this song is because it talks about how many people of color straighten or ‘kill’ their hair, how their curls can become an issue,” Cubias said.
“My favorite song is ‘Like Him’ because the song isn’t too heavy on the ears and it’s softer than other songs in the album which I like,” Goode said.
“My favorite song is ‘Tomorrow,’ De La Cruz said. “It is about reflecting on the future and the uncertainty that comes with it. Tyler explores themes of growth, change and the passage of time.”
If you’re a fan of “Chromakopia,” you may also want to listen to Rauw Alejandro’s new album entitled “Cosa Nuestra.” It debuted number 1 on billboard’s top Latin Albums and Latin Rhythm Albums charts. Listeners connected with Rauw’s relatable lyrics which have to do with lust, love, heartbreak and closure as we can see by the large numbers this album received.
