Tyler, The Creator’s “Chromokopia Green” (Pixabay)

Almost every other year, Tyler Okonma–better known as Tyler, The Creator, or just Tyler to fans– reinvents himself entirely: a new name, new style, a new album, and a wholly new sound.

Tyler released his newest album, Chromokopia, on October 28, and it has been the biggest release of his career, securing more than 7 million streams in its 24 hours and 31.4 million streams across his entire discography. These numbers are only rivaled by his album Igor (2019), which earned him his first Grammy for Best Rap Album of that year. 

Chromokopia’s theming centers around Tyler’s ideas of fatherhood and masculinity while balancing his public image and the music industry’s perception of him. The songs “Hey, Jane,” “Tomorrow,” and “Like Him,” in particular, discuss Tyler’s struggle with the idea of becoming a father without knowing his father. In contrast, “Balloon,” Thought I was Dead,” and “Sticky” bring Tyler’s distinctive lyricism and impressive features to round out the album. 

Tyler pulls his new persona, St. Chroma, from the classic novel The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster, with his character being named after Chroma the Great, who colors the world with his music in the book. This subtle nod to the book is also seen in the album teaser, with the video transitioning from black and white to color once the first beat-switch of the album starts.

Tyler is taking his music to Columbus on Saturday, March 26, at the Schottenstein Center, with tickets and limited edition merch already being sold out in anticipation. Still, Chromokopia and all of Tyler, The Creator’s discography is available to listen to on Spotify, Apple Music, and most streaming platforms.