On October 28th of 2024, acclaimed musician Tyler, the Creator released his eighth studio album, Chromakopia. The album itself, titled with a fusion of “chroma” (color) and “utopia,” represents a breaking free of the colorless boundaries that have been set in the fictional world he creates within the album. Chromakopia focuses on Tylers’ own fears and anxieties regarding aging, becoming a parent, and losing the ones he loves. Known for experimenting with diverse soundscapes, Tyler layers Chromakopia with genres that include hip-hop, jazz, and neo-soul, all aimed at establishing a sonic world unbound by conventional rules. This album is an extremely personal, especially in comparison to much of Tylers other works, and its emotional impact weighs heavy on the listener.
The track “Judge Judy” is a standout piece, featuring Donald Glover (Childish Gambino), in a collaboration that merges experimental hip-hop and vivid narrative themes. In this song, Tyler engages in witty banter with a woman aptly named “Judy.” He recounts how he met her, what she looks like, what she’s in to, and how her free spirit matched his own “frequency” (I lean voyeur, so it worked out / Our frequencies matched). Tyler emphasizes the playfulness of his relationship with Judy through the production of the song, which is made up of light and bouncy beats. The song mixes humor with intensity, and its lyrics reflect a blend of judgment, reflection, and critiques of societal standards and personal responsibility. The title itself, “Judge Judy” is a play on the real-life Judge Judy, who is known for humorous, over the top, and sensationalized court room cases.
However, by the end of the song, Tyler receives a letter from Judy after not hearing from her for a while. Judy apologizes, and says “Sorry that I haven’t been communicating much / This past year has been rough, its spreaded to my head / I knew it when we met, if you’re reading its too late / I’m on the other side, but I just wanna say / I wasn’t living right until they told me what was left / I’m wishing you the best / Thank you for not judging Judy” In this letter, Judy confesses that something has “spreaded to her head.” Now what has been spread is unclear, but it is some type of illness, whether physical or mental, that has unfortunately taken her life. She thanks Tyler for the time they spent together, and thanks him for never judging her. The track “Judge Judy” embodies a liberated and dynamic energy, by delivering almost judicial critiques of human shortcomings and expectations.
Good posting! I appreciate you writing about this fascinating musician/producer. We had a presentation in class on IGOR. It’s on my “music to buy” list on Amazon. Perhaps I need to add this one as well. Well written with good detail.