Fans of Tyler, the Creator are buzzing with excitement after the artist dropped an album announcement, a creative festival crossword puzzle, a new single, and a world tour announcement. Just a day after teasing us with a snippet of “St. Chroma,” on October 17, he unveiled his eighth studio album, Chromakopia, a highly anticipated follow-up to Call Me If You Get Lost three years in the making.
While specific details about Chromakopia remain scarce, fans are piecing together the breadcrumbs Tyler has been dropping. A unique standout, the announcement for the Camp Flog Gnaw ten-year anniversary festival lineup was presented as a crossword puzzle on October 18. I took my time deciphering the crossword, blown away by the talent. The festival will feature a diverse lineup of amazing artists, including Playboi Carti, Orion Sun, Faye Webster, Blood Orange, and many more, with a special tribute to MF DOOM.
As the excitement built, fans were met with another surprise on Monday morning: the release of “NOID,” the first single from Chromakopia. Accompanied by a paranoia-filled music video featuring Tyler and Ayo Edebiri, the video offers a glimpse into Tyler’s perception of public life like never before; a somewhat matured version of his track “Colasas” from the album Wolf.
A particularly interesting moment in the music video features Ayo Edebiri, who plays a frantic fan rushing to Tyler with a phone in hand, seemingly asking for a picture. The scene shifts dramatically when the camera flashes, revealing the phone transformed into a gun held by Ayo, now sporting an eerie, almost demonic expression. This transformation powerfully illustrates how admiration and obsession from fans can quickly turn into dangerous and invasive behavior.
Another notable scene captures Tyler driving down a secluded road in a white Ferrari, his eyes glued to the rearview mirror in fear of being followed. A car appears behind him only to vanish as the camera pans out, illustrating Tyler’s pervasive paranoia. The choice of the white Ferrari and the release date of the single, which coincidentally happens to be Frank Ocean’s birthday, has sparked speculation among fans about a possible collaboration with Frank Ocean, no matter how fanciful that might be.
The rollout continued on the morning of October 23rd as Tyler announced his Chromakopia World Tour. A cinematic video, styled similarly to St. Chroma, showed Tyler checking the passports of experimental rap group Paris Texas and Lil Yachty, officially revealing that they will join him on the tour.
As we approach the highly anticipated release of Chromakopia on Monday, October 28, the excitement continues to build. Chromakopia delivers much to look forward to, offering new stories, personas, and cinematic experiences through its music videos. Fans are eager not just for an album, but for a deeper understanding of Tyler’s evolving narrative and the complexities of fame, as well as his connection and love for music that deepens with every project.