Tyler, The Creator’s eighth studio album, Chromakopia, was released Oct. 28, 2024, and has been on Billboard’s 200 chart for four consecutive weeks. Tyler, The Creator spent five weeks at No.1 on Billboard’s Top 100 Artists chart. Chromakopia has also spent three weeks as the No. 1 album on Billboard’s Top 200 Albums chart and Top Streaming Albums chart.
Chromakopia included features such as Daniel Caesar, Teezo Touchdown, GloRilla, Sexxy Red, Lil Wayne, LaToiya Williams, ScHoolboyQ, Santigold, Lola Young, and Doechii. Though not shown as a featured artist, Willow Smith helped provide background vocals to the song “NOID.” Childish Gambino also provided background vocals for the song “I Killed You.”
This album introduced Tyler, The Creator’s newest alter ego, “Saint Chroma.” Chromakopia comes from a character named “Chroma the Great.” It was from a 1961 novel, called The Phantom Tollbooth, by North Juster.
On Oct. 18, 2024, the Chromakopia Instagram page posted a picture of two trucks colored green with the word “CHROMAKOPIA” spelled out. These trucks were driven to multiple locations before the album was released to let fans visit these trucks and also promote the album. A day after the album was released, Tyler, The Creator had a show called “30 Minutes Of Chromakopia” in Atlanta, Georgia and tickets were sold for only $5.
“Tyler said that the mask is of his own face because what he was saying in the album was so real that he had to wear a mask of his own face to kind of like, cover-up,” said Xandrea Narine, a sophomore at FHHS.
Ariella Montalbon, also a sophomore says, “This album is really a mix of happiness and sadness because the transitions of the songs like in ‘Like Him’ how it transitions from a sad beat to like a upbeat kind of vibe towards the end.”
Sophomore Patricia Iordanescu added, “It’s like an emotional rollercoaster.”
This album has been a hit amongst the adolescent population across the country. “I think this album is like a mix between some of his previous albums. It has some Igor elements in there but this album has a lot more rapping,” Kevin Gaskins, Florida student says. “This album gives off like truthful vibes, like he’s being brutally honest about the music industry, how he thinks, his life. Then there is also kind of a military theme, with the bleak colors in the music videos and the album cover as well.”
Chromakopia shows a new side of Tyler, as the album reflects on his life. It focuses on core themes such as vulnerability, love, parental themes, anxiety, growth, and discrimination. Each song represents a different struggle that follows him as he grows into adulthood.
Tyler’s “Like Him” connects to his father despite not being in his life. Another song, “Darling, I” represents Tyler’s perspective on love. “I Killed You” represents racial identity. These songs are just a small example of how meaningful this album is. What makes this album captivating is its authenticity. Instead of shying away from difficult topics, Tyler embraces them.
It’s clear Chromakopia is more than just music; it’s an experience. Each track is mixed with a story or theme, listening to it feels like embarking on a journey through Tyler’s mind—the blend of lively and soulfulness balances perfectly within the album. Chromakopia serves as a statement–a heartfelt exploration of themes that fans relate to. Chromakopia is just one of Tyler’s many albums that remind fans of his ability to create music that’s innovative and relatable.
