Well, that was quick.
And I mean that both in the sense of me writing another album review and that Tyler, The Creator releases another album just 9 months after Chromakopia and a few weeks after he appeared on the latest release from Clipse. And just like his last album, this was released on a Monday with only a few days notice.
At a glance, this new record is only 10 tracks, there’s minimal features, a runtime of about 28 minutes, and no concept whatsoever. So this should be an easy review to write, right? RIGHT!?
Well, the first words of the opening song set things off with:
Number one, body movement (Funky)
No sitting still (Dance, bro)
Number two (Hahahaha), only speak in glory (Yeah)
Leave your baggage at home (None of that deep shit)
Number three (Nigga), don’t tap the glass
Yeah, with Tyler showing his vulnerable side and his baggage on Chromakopia, this is more of his pumped-up, energetic, braggadocios side, giving us a bunch of bangers. The album proper starts with “Big Poe,” which could be Tyler’s new alter-ego, and it’s him letting loose and go off, landing some good lines on here such as “I hate lightskin niggas, on my mama / I like darkskin bitches like my mama / I like lightskin bitches like my daddy / You ain’t like that line? Not my problem.” That last line was referring to him having his controversial lyrics brought up from mostly Swiftie fans. We also have Pharrell in his verse, bragging about his flashy life in Paris (well, because he’s the Men’s Creative Director for Louis Vuitton).
“Sugar on My Tongue” has this bouncy and energetic vibe that’s almost like a Humanz-era Gorillaz track, and it’s mostly about sex (oral to be precise). Once again, it’s a bop because let’s be honest, all of the tracks in here are bops. “Sucka Free” has a smooth vibe going on with him rapping about his come-up and talking about how much money he’s earned throughout his career.
Pockets full of chili like it’s hot sauce (Uh-huh)
Niggas actin’ silly just to pop off
Hop off my dick, there’s some hoes in here
Odd Future, Wolf Gang, all the bros in here
You niggas bums, you never really figured it out
You the type to let a bitch wear a shoe in your house (Hah)
You the type to buy a chain before some furniture, couch
And you the type of nigga never had a fist hit your mouth (Bink-bink-bink, huh)
“Mommanem” is… well, what I like to call, an anime intro track. Not because of anything anime-wise, but mostly due to the length being fitted for an anime opening. It leads to another high-energy track “Stop Playing With Me,” where he states not to downplay his status in the world, again flashing his success and doing his braggadocios shit effortlessly. We still get some emotional, romantic Tyler in the track “Ring Ring Ring,” recalling a girl that he’s broken up with that he’s not exactly over. Then we get to one thing that Tyler albums are known for but was missing on Chromakopia and that’s the ” / ” track. Yeah, the one track with multiple songs that’s usually on the 10th track but here is on the 7th. Well, in this case it’s the title track “Don’t Tap The Glass /Tweakin’.”
Again, Tyler is delivering some great bars throughout, and once it got to the “Tweakin'” part, he got even crazier with it.
Michael Jordan eyes, neck yellow, look like bing, baow
If it’s feelin’ weird, pull the beam out like bing, baow
King Kong, baby, chow down on that Me-Mow
All these niggas wanna be me nowCall my mama, 4-5
Six nights at Crypto
Shit, I should have did SoFi
I’m an old soul, I’m a 38 Special
Feel like Detroit, red forty-one mecha
Blacked-out prom night, hair, I’ll press you
Shit goin’ up like granny blood pressure
About that guap, about that guap
About that guap, about cha-ching
About that guap, about that guap
About that bread, about chili
Feel like Slick Rick, neck look like when you stare in the sun too goddamn long
I fucked her and her friend, her friend, her nigga, and his bitch, I know I’m wrong (Goddamn)
“Don’t You Worry Baby” features Brooklyn-based soul artist Madison McFerrin (yes, the daughter of Bobby McFerrin — yes, that Bobby McFerrin), and it’s really her song since she has the chorus, bridge and the only verse in there, and she did a stellar job on the vocals (it’s also very explicit). Speaking of great vocals, Yebba was stellar in the following track, “I’ll Take Care Of You,” which has the distinct mix of her vocals, production that is very similar to early drum ‘n bass and the featuring sample of Crime Mob’s “Knuck If You Buck” (reading more into it, the drums have been sampled from his 5th album Cherry Bomb).
The closer “Tell Me What It Is” is another emotional Tyler track with the theme of being skeptical when falling in love with someone and not knowing what to bring to the relationship, and it has that soulful touch that ends the album spot on.
I got to say that this was a good listen: 28 minutes of Tyler not only having some great bangers (while not fully being a concept album) but also having some little moments here and there as well. Not really much to overthink but hey, Tyler put out an album like that and knows when to end it well. I got to give props for that.
FINAL VERDICT: Buy It. Don’t tap the glass, but tap the button to get it on your record collection, music library, etc.
But, seriously, don’t tap the glass. People tend to get annoyed when you do that.
DON’T TAP THE GLASS is on Columbia Records and is available on CD, vinyl, digital download and on streaming services. Link to buy is RIGHT HERE.