Tyler the Creator is one of the most popular rappers of the last 15 years. Releasing his first album Goblin in 2011, Tyler has been active in the music scene frequently collaborating with artists like Frank Ocean, Kanye West, ASAP Rocky, Domo Genesis, and many others. He is well known for his unique style and albums with each one sounding completely different from the rest. He dropped his latest project Chromokopia on October 28 so I thought it would be fun to rank my favorite songs of his.
- “CORSO” (Call Me If You Get Lost)
The second song on the album is an absolutely explosive track featuring an almost stress-inducing piano line and bars about Tyler’s lavish lifestyle. The main theme of not only this song but also this album is the celebration of the success that he has achieved at this point in his career. Luxury items are frequently referenced with Tyler bringing up his multitude of boats, cars, and mansions. This style of rap coupled with ad libs from the album’s narrator-like voice by DJ Drama makes for an early highlight on Tyler’s second most recent album.
Favorite line: “I be talkin that fresh **** I don’t need gum”
- “Lone” (Wolf)
The last song on what I consider to be his best album Wolf is probably his saddest song that he has ever written. The song is split into two parts with the repetition of the chorus separating them. In the first half Tyler talks about the struggles of popularity and success while still grappling with the financial situations of his family members and his feeling of isolation from the rest of the people he sees in his everyday life and people only viewing him as a thing that they entertain themselves with. The second half is a retelling of the night his grandmother passed away and how he just wished he had more time with her. The somber themes of the song along with the beautiful saxophone sample creates a lulling atmosphere that you can’t pull yourself away from.
Favorite line: “I started off with disposables now I have an assortment, and I’m using these negatives to develop a portrait”
- ”OKAGA, CA” (Cherry Bomb)
Once again an outro track “OKAGA, CA” is one of his most well composed songs, with excellent instrumentation and beautiful vocals from Alice Smith, Leon Ware, and Clem Creevy. Tyler in a pitch filter accompanied with backing vocals sings about wanting to move to California with someone and how it can save their relationship if they just change their scenery. The end of the song begins with a distorted drumbeat and continues the theme of leaving but this time to outer space with the distortion ending and the beating looping back to its beginning.
Favorite line: “Wings on my back so we ain’t gotta cop a ticket nah, nah, nah”
- “SMUCKERS” (Cherry Bomb)
Track eleven on this album features verses from Kanye West and Lil Wayne which provide some of the most insane flows on one of Tyler’s best beats. Every time each verse switches they go together so seamlessly that the only difference from artist to artist is their voices. This is probably the ultimate aux track and when this song comes up on shuffle it always excites me. But how could you not get delighted to hear Tyler, Kanye, and Wayne back to back?? This song always switches from my first and second favorite and it really depends on the day.
Favorite line: ”But I feel like Micheal Jordan, Scottie Pippen at my wedding“
- “Rusty” (Wolf)
Song fourteen on Wolf, “Rusty” is the most well written song Tyler has ever made. I have yet to mention the story line associated with the album Wolf. It is set around the theme of Tyler’s character “Wolf Haley” spending time at a summer camp where he is rivals with someone named Sam who is dating a girl that Wolf has feelings for. While this song doesn’t mention that much, Sam can be heard in the back of Earl Sweatshirt’s verse talking about wanting to find Wolf and hurt him. The flows on this song rival those on “Smuckers” with Domo’s verse, Tyler’s, and Earl’s all making my ears want to cry out of pure satisfaction. Tyler raps about his feelings of being underappreciated in today’s culture with all that he does for his fans and trying to appeal to each part that people like about his music. Overall a perfect track and my favorite of Tyler’s entire discography.
Favorite line: “I’m harder than DJ Khaled playing the ******* quiet game”
