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The Source

The African Influence on CHROMAKOPIA


Like disciplined clockwork, Tyler, The Creator is back on the scene for another album. Consistently on top of his two year schedule, the man somehow always finds a way. On October 16th Mr. Okonma treated fans to a taste of track one of his next project, CHROMAKOPIA. Cryptically captioned “1. st chroma” on social media, the teaser makes use of all of its one minute and 25 seconds with its symbolic imagery and striking creative direction. Upon the hilly plains of a not-yet disclosed area, a masked Tyler is seen marching a single file line in uniformity. As they’re led into a shipping container marked with the album’s title, Tyler remotely detonates the cargo as the color gradient rapidly shifts with the Cherry Bomb-esque drop. 


He later followed it up on the 21st with the full release of his single "NOID". With nods to Kanye’s "Runaway", the music video is a neurotic trip through Tyler’s justified paranoia as he navigates crazed fans and illusions of threats to his life. He even eyes a tail in the rear view mirror of a car resembling the classic Rolls Royce of the Call Me If You Get Lost Era, like looking into his own past. From the seat of his LaFerrari, which itself is reminiscent of his storied Mclaren present in the "Who Dat Boy" video, you can see the imagery of Tyler’s different eras being played at. 



Similar to the iconic blonde wig of IGOR, the most striking change to Tyler’s look for this roll out is what appears to be a traditional African haircut. Known as Amasunzu, the style has been intrinsically linked with the rich history of Rwanda, more specifically with the Tutsi people. It is fashioned with angled cuts into the hair to form peaks and crescents and then left to grow. In pre-colonial Rwandan culture Amasunzu transcended mere aesthetic and could represent status such as wealth, power, or even virginity and marriage women. Although its modern practice is rare, the creativity of the tradition has been kept alive by some small pockets of Rwandan youth today. 




With this look, along with his sample of an obscure Zambian psychedelic rock track, Tyler could perhaps be exploring his roots. The melanin-toned mask he dons, which oppositely mirrors the white stitched-on face he wears in "Who Dat Boy", is another reflection on identity.



The cryptic nature continues on the CHROMAKOPIA website. Along with your ordinary promotional material essential to any album roll out, you can find the CHROMAKOPIA “trucking company” map that details a route through the southern U.S. The phone number from his CMIYGL billboards now directs you to the trucking company. So far five stops are listed in order: Roswell, New Mexico, Dallas, Tyler, and Houston, Texas respectively, and Atlanta. Roswell, of course, being a nod to its infamous little incident in 1947. And fans are clamoring for clues that these stops have to do with where his featured artists will be from, especially ATL and Playboi Carti.



With the blink and you’ll miss it rarity of a UFO, there actually has been sightings of CHROMAKOPIA semi trucks in these locations, with some fans tracking it and making road trips to catch a glimpse. It seems the over-absorbing nature of Tyler, the Creator’s fanbase that he lays out on NOID is a self-fulfilling prophecy. 


Just thoughts from The Source. Where my fellow Tutsi's at? Umunsi Mwiza.


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