Tyler, the Creator is 33, and you can tell. Proof that the rapper has settled into the fourth decade of his life can be found throughout ‘Chromakopia’, a record that is just as textured, challenging, exciting and rewarding as that period of time can be.
The frenzy of artistic expression and trend-bucking singularity that accompanied the announcement of his seventh album felt like a perfect representation of how fast life can come at a person, with the LP, three singles and a world tour all confirmed in the span of just seven days.
Chromakopia centres around the character of St. Chroma, who endures paranoia (Noid), unplanned pregnancy (Hey Jane) and balancing his ambitions with a life of stability (Darling, I).
Mirroring these turbulent times, the record has a penchant for wandering into new genres. Elements of hip-hop, R&B, neo-soul, jazz and rock are all present alongside suites of synths and orchestration to keep listeners guessing at every turn.
Tyler’s ability to mesh the dirty south sensibilities of Sticky with the soulful Take Your Mask Off and delicate Tomorrow in a mid-album run of highlights is second to none. Features from Lil Wayne, GloRilla and ScHoolboy Q, meanwhile, give further boosts to his already impressive stock, while tracks such as I Killed You make clear the influence Eminem has had on Tyler’s talents.
But while ‘Chromakopia’ is a spectacular achievement, it’s also the first record in Tyler’s career that doesn’t really push his sound anywhere new. Instead, it’s a patchwork of everything he’s done before, from the off-kilter keys and gang vocals that peppered ‘Goblin’ and ‘Bastard’, to the sensitive soundscapes that he built on ‘Flower Boy’ and ‘Call Me If You Get Lost’. The result is a record that is undoubtedly, unequivocally Tyler — there’s nobody else out there right now who could make this work — and also a prompt to wonder what he might do next.
Tyler, The Creator Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows:
Sat May 17 2025 - BIRMINGHAM Utilita Arena
Mon May 19 2025 - LONDON O2 Arena
Wed May 21 2025 - LONDON O2 Arena
Thu May 22 2025 - LONDON O2 Arena
Sat May 24 2025 - DUBLIN 3Arena
Sun May 25 2025 - DUBLIN 3Arena
Tue May 27 2025 - MANCHESTER Co-op Live
Wed May 28 2025 - MANCHESTER Co-op Live
Fri May 30 2025 - GLASGOW OVO Hydro
Sat May 31 2025 - GLASGOW OVO Hydro
We don't run any advertising! Our editorial content is solely funded by lovely people like yourself using Stereoboard's listings when buying tickets for live events. To keep supporting us, next time you're looking for concert, festival, sport or theatre tickets, please search for "Stereoboard". It costs you nothing, you may find a better price than the usual outlets, and save yourself from waiting in an endless queue on Friday mornings as we list ALL available sellers!
