Tyler The Creator was born March 6, 1991, as Tyler Gregory Okonma. He grew up in Ladera Heights, California. He is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, music video director, fashion designer, graphic designer. The albums which he has put out are Bastard, Goblin, Wolf, Cherry Bomb, Flower Boy, and Igor. Following is a review of Tyler’s latest album, Igor.  Igor was produced entirely by Tyler. There are features on the album from Playboi Carti, Lil Uzi Vert, Solange, Kanye West, Jerrod Carmichael. And there were backing vocals on the album from Santigold, Jessy Wilson, La Roux, CeeLo Green, Charlie Wilson, Slowthai, and Pharrell. Igor was released May 17, 2019 and distributed by Columbia Records. It fits into the genres of Hip/Hop, Funk, R&B, Neo Soul, and it is 39:43 minutes long. Although this was not my favorite of all his albums, it was a creative and interesting take on a love album.

“Earfquake” is written by Tyler and Jordan Carter, and featured Playboi Carti and Charlie Wilson. This song is our first clue of this being a love album. In this song Tyler sings about a lover who broke his heart, but who he needs. In the song Tyler sings about his heartbreak: “Riding around, your love be shakin’ me up, And it’s making my heart break/ ‘Cause you make my earth quake.”. And in the lyrics “Don’t leave, it’s my fault, ‘Cause when it all comes crashing down I need you,” He tells us he still wants this lover that may not want him back.

“A boy is a gun” was written by Tyler, Bobby Dukes, Bobby Massey, Lester Allen McKenzie. In this song Tyler sings about his sexuality, and how he is possibly bisexual, speaking about his lover as a gun, and a boy is a gun: “You so m*********n’ dangerous/ You got me by my neck (A boy is a gun).” He also sings, “Cause this parka is Comme, you’re my favorite garçon,” this is making a play on the brand Comme Des Garçon while also pointing to Tyler’s lover being a man, as the meaning of Garçon in french is a boy or young unmarried man. 

“Puppet” was written by Tyler, Kanye West, Mick Ware, David Smith, and features Kanye West and Jerrod Carmichael. This song depicts the controllingness of a relationship: “What do you need?/ Do you need bread? Do you need this?/ Do you need a hug? Do you need to be alone?/ I could wrap this up and get the f*** away instead/ What is your wish? It can be granted”. In these lyrics Tyler says that he would do anything for his lover. He again says this in the lyrics “I’m your puppet, you control me/ I’m your puppet, I don’t know me,” this is the chorus of the song “I’m Your Puppet” by James and Bobby Purify released in 1966. In these lines Tyler speaks of how he is being emotionally controlled by the actions of his lover, such as a puppet is controlled. This is an important song in the album because it shows the obsessive and protectiveness of a relationship or of being in love. 

“Gone, gone / thank you” was written by Tyler, Cullen Omori, Alan O’Day, Tatsuro Yamashita, and features CeeLo Green and Jerrod Carmichael. In the “Gone, Gone” first half of the song, Tyler speaks about how he is losing his love for his partner. He sings this verse: “Whether it’s rain or shine, I know I’m fine for know/ My love’s gone, my love’s gone.” This is where Tyler finally moves on from his lover and accepts the fact that they will not be together again. In the second half of the song, which is called “Thank You,” Tyler thanks his partner for all the good times they had in their relationship and for their love that they have given him: “Thank you for the love/ Thank you for the joy/ But I don’t ever wanna fall in love again/ Thank you for the time/ Thank you for your mind, mind/ But I don’t ever wanna fall in love again.” He expresses in these lines that the heartbreak that he got from the ending of the relationship have hurt him so greatly that he feels that he can never love again. 

“I don’t love you anymore” was written by Tyler. This song according to the title talks about how Tyler has gotten over his last relationship: “I don’t love you no more/ Tell me where to go/ Can I have my heart back?” The song actually shows us that Tyler is lying to himself over and over again that he can’t get over the relationship ending. In the last song on the album, “Are We Still Friends?” Tyler admits he is still chasing after this person which used to be his lover, with the last words on the album being “Can’t say goodbye.”

I loved this album; I’m a huge fan of Tyler, The Creator, although it tells just about the same story all other love albums tell about loving someone and then moving on, he did although sing about each stage of the relationship in more detail and more openly than other albums. My favorite songs on the album were “New Magic Wand” and “A Boy Is A Gun.” I hope you enjoyed this review on Tyler, The Creator’s latest album, Igor.