“Chromakopia” is Tyler the Creator’s 8th album and is jam-packed with artistic melodies and heavy symbolism. The album was released on October 28th, 2024, and is a follow-up to his 2021 album “Call Me If You Get Lost.” Fans have greatly enjoyed listening to and analyzing “Chromakopia,” sparking much fan discussion. I found myself surprised by how much I enjoyed reading and creating my own theories.

The name of the album is very unique and is fittingly the first topic of many listeners’ discussion. “Chromakopia” is a mesh of two words, “chroma” and “kopia.” “Chroma” is of Greek origin and is meant to describe the purity of color, free from added white or grey (Merriam-Webster). Fans have found a few different definitions of “kopia.” In Polish kopia means “copy” while in Greek it describes a toil or struggle (Cambridge Dictionary). Some speculate that “chromakopia” is meant to be interpreted as its composite, which would mean either a pure color being copied or a pure color in some struggle. Others believe the word is meant to be broken apart and be understood as two separate words or entities. Those who subscribe to this train of thought believe that “chroma” represents Tyler, the real person who we don’t get to see (which is what the “pure color” would mean). The “kopia,” these fans believe, represents the Tyler who we do see; the performing, influencing celebrity. Circling back to the definition, fans believe that this is what the “copy” would describe. The “influencer” side of Tyler is a copy of him, modified to appease the public. Perhaps the “toil or struggle” inherited from the Greek definition was meant to symbolize Tyler’s struggle to “be real” under societal pressures to perform and advertise himself constantly for public approval. Maybe Tyler is trying to communicate that he is struggling to portray his real self, but through this album is starting to break down the wall between influencer and reality. Let’s see if my top five picks will shed any light on the album’s meaning…

#1 St. Chroma – As the first track on the album, it’s fitting for this song to take my number-one spot. Some people may pin this as a basic take, but I’m prepared to defend it. This track is not only technically excellent in its basic sound, but its lyrics are filled with intense symbolism. The song begins with Tyler’s mother, whose voice can be heard in many other songs throughout the album, saying “You are the light. It’s not on you, it’s in you.” The light is a very strong motif in “St. Chroma.” The “light” seems to represent creativity, specifically Tyler’s creativity, and what it can produce. I really enjoy the contrast between the traditional singing portions of this song and the rap sections– showing a conflict between “real” and “fake” Tyler, more on that later. The inclusion of both styles further shows not only Tyler’s talent but also his passion for both singing and rapping. He has a commitment to continue to rap but not be stuck in a box where that is the only music he can produce. It keeps the song interesting and strikes a chord in me, which is especially pleasing.

#2 Rah Tah Tah – “Rah Tah Tah” is the second track on the album and sits fittingly in my second-place slot. I swear I’m not just ranking these in the order that they come in on the album; it’s not my fault that Tyler knows to put his strongest tracks first! Getting back on track (pun intended), this is just a song that makes you want to bob your head and tap your foot to the beat. It has a somewhat harsh sound and a strong beat, and fair warning is pretty vulgar. But sometimes you just need a song like that you know? The vulgarity is not just for the sake of cursing, however, as I believe we are meant to draw a connection between this choice of lyrics and fake Tyler–St. Chroma. I also noticed the interesting absence of Tyler’s mother’s voice in this song. Another aspect I love about this track is how it introduces the next song on the album, “Noid,” with the outro repeating “I’m paranoid now.” One strength of this album is how well each song transitions into the next. To fully enjoy this album, I highly recommend you listen to it in order (on your first listen if possible) for the full experience.

#3 Noid – The opening to this song is so attention-grabbing that it made me put this song in third place. Okay don’t get mad at me, this is not the only reason. The third song of this album follows two songs which I believe were sung by mainly real Tyler (in St. Chroma) and then entirely by his alter ego (in Rah Tah Tah). Thus I believe this song is meant to show a direct conflict between the “real” Tyler and the “fake,” with real Tyler feeling negatively (paranoid) because of St. Chroma. There is a more even balance between what I interpret to be St. Chroma and Tyler singing, in contrast with past songs. Through his “noid” feelings, he is discovering and/or communicating that a fake persona is extremely harmful. Tyler in this song is shown to be struggling with his fame and just wanting some privacy. I appreciate Tyler divulging his struggles with his fans, showing appreciation for his fame but also letting the public know that he too is human and needs boundaries.

#4 Sticky – In fourth place is the eighth track titled “Sticky,” another song that inspires me to tap my toes to the beat. I in particular adore the band interludes throughout this song and have greatly enjoyed hearing some real bands play this lick. Actually, Tyler was really happy to see videos of this and said it was somewhat his intention when he wrote the song! The backs of “Sticky” just make me think of a stadium with the chanting in the background and what sounds like fans stomping their feet in the stands. This is another song that I believe is sung by St. Chroma, due to the pompous, indulging, and somewhat vulgar lyrics. I personally feel like this would be a good hype song. Just be careful who you attempt to hype up with it though…

#5 Take Your Mask Off – The symbolism is pretty heavy-handed with the 9th track of this album, but after listening to some of these other tracks I do appreciate it. There has been a lot of thinking and analysis in the rest of the album so an intermission is nice. This song feels like a break amidst the rest of the busy album being more chill and reminding me of lo-fi or lobby music because of the backs especially. Tyler doesn’t take a break in lyrics or intensity (theme-wise), however. “Take Your Mask Off” is Tyler talking to his father, who left him early in his life, pressing him to take his mask off as Tyler has done. Tyler’s mask in part was created by his lack of a masculine role model. Because of his father’s absence, Tyler had to step up and fill the role. Tyler asks and “hopes” his father will take off his cowardly mask and face him. I love this song for its bluntness and authenticity. 

It does not have to be said that I enjoy this album– but I’m saying it anyway. I love each track not only for its general sound but also for its symbolism. I have gained such a deep appreciation for this album because of all of the analysis I did. I was in awe at times of how well-crafted this album was– with tracks referencing each other, motifs spanning over the entire album, and each deliberate and intricate choice of words and style. Each song can stand confidently on its own but they stand stronger together. I cannot recommend this album enough, it truly is something (but keep in mind some of the strong language, if that’s not your cup of tea). There are nine other songs each with their own strengths that I didn’t even talk about! If you’re not interested in this album then I encourage you to analyze an album close to your heart in this way. It’s truly rewarding and creates a new perspective on the media you’re consuming. There are many many many more theories about this album that I haven’t talked about– go find them! Get involved in the discussion of this album or one of your choice! Draw your own conclusions and be more mindful about the media you’re consuming. I promise it will make your future listening more fulfilling!