Tyler, the Creator blooms with new album “Flower Boy”

September 23, 2017

This summer, Tyler, the Creator released his fourth album, “Flower Boy.” The album, released on July 20, made waves on the charts within the hip-hop community.

The star-studded album included fourteen unique tracks with features from Pharrell Williams, Lil’ Wayne and Frank Ocean.

On the cover of Tyler, the Creator’s Flower Boy, Tyler is portrayed as a person with a bee covering his face. The covered face is a metaphor for hiding his identity, a recurring theme throughout the album.

From the tracks “Who Dat Boy” to “See You Again”, it’s obvious that Tyler’s production skills have been refined. Tyler uses 80’s inspired synths and bass-heavy samples, which pay tribute to his previous projects.

The combination of the synths and the samples creates a new genre dubbed “Jazz Rap.” Tyler draws influence from jazz legends like Roy Ayers to create colorful instrumentals, which gives his tracks a nostalgic feeling, making it easy for the audience to connect with the album.

Tyler also heavily uses clever wordplay to channel his emotions. In the song “Foreword,” the first track on the album, he explores suicidal thoughts and his standing as a rapper in the media.

“How many raps can I write ’til I get me a chain?/ How many chains can I wear ’til I’m considered a slave?”

Tyler’s new project isn’t the only project making history. While the music production is definitely a standout classic, Tyler decided to use this release to talk about some more personal issues. On several of the tracks, Tyler hints at his sexuality.

One line that stood out to fans was the line, “Next line will have them like, ‘woah’ / I been kissing white boys since 2004,” in the eighth track, I Ain’t Got Time!

Many fans have been skeptical about these lines because of Tyler’s past. Originally known for his crude lyrics and harsh song themes, this album shows the softer side of Tyler, which is a contradiction since he has been known to use homophobic slurs.

Originally the leader/part of the music collective, Odd Future, the group rose to fame with their out-of-the-box approach. The collective was often criticized for its lyrics being insensitive to women, LGBT, and other groups. In addition, they were also criticized for having redundant sounding pieces and passing their artistic peak. It’s apparent that this is no longer true for Tyler.

Tyler, the Creator’s new album proves that he hasn’t only reached his potential, but he has a lot more to offer his fans. The tracks are catchy, heartfelt and classic. Overall, this album will prove to be one of the top albums of the year. This project won’t disappoint.

Contact the writer, Chenoa Tyehimba, at [email protected]

Photos courtesy of Creative Commons.