“The greatest thing that ever happened to me was being damn near 20 and leaving Los Angeles for the first time,” Tyler reflects on the intro to “MASSA,” which chronicles developments in his sound, lifestyle and attitude since turning 23. Whether he’s calling out Tyler’s list of alter-egos (including the newly-minted, Wes Anderson-styled protagonist “SIR BAUDELAIRE”) or chronicling their oceanic escapades, he holds the listener’s ear as Tyler searches for meaning across the shifting landscapes.Īs the travel-pass-inspired cover shows, freedom of movement (both metaphorically and literally) is essential to the album’s central message of personal growth. by fueling and guiding Tyler through diverse content. Since 2003, the mixtapes have hosted rap royalty, including Tyler’s idols Pharrell and Lil Wayne, who both appear on the record.ĭrama also acts as the album’s narrator, filling the role of characters like Dr. “I WANT A GANGSTA GRILLZ TAPE SO FUCKING BAD GOT DAMN,” Tyler tweeted back in 2010, and DJ Drama’s inclusion on the album grants that wish with all its regalia.
1 and taking Best Rap Album at the 2020 Grammys-Tyler’s been manifesting his biggest dreams into reality.ĭJ Drama, whose signature drops and yells place Call Me If You Get Lost in the lineage of the Gangsta Grillz mixtape series, realizes one of these personal goals. And as his accomplishments continue to mount-with IGOR going No. He took that theme even further on 2019’s IGOR, centered around the titular figure-represented by Tyler in a blonde wig-who embodies and reckons with heartbreak.īut where earlier projects used these characters to manage his music’s personal content, Tyler now speaks evenly to his audience through scattered asides. TC” on his debut mixtape, 2009’s Bastard, Tyler’s music has cathartically yet creatively addressed the frustrations, passions and inspirations of his personal life. Since introducing fans to imaginary therapist “Dr. Like much of his discography, the album devotes a healthy portion of its runtime to self-reflection. The record, a love letter to the DJ Drama mixtapes of the 2000s, finds Tyler reminiscing on personal histories and basking in the possibilities up ahead. Tyler, the Creator’s latest album, Call Me If You Get Lost, blends his unconventional early-days charisma with the warm melodies of later projects Flower Boy and IGOR.