By Chad Boswell
Staff Writer
On May 17th 2019, rapper Tyler the Creator released his award winning album “IGOR”. This project is an absolute masterpiece and shows how an album should be made. There is a lot going on in this project from amazing features, amazing production, and even the story behind the album. Tyler has 7 projects released in which are Bastard, Goblin, Wolf, Cherry Bomb, Flower boy, IGOR, and Call Me If You Get Lost, but IGOR is so far his best album. IGOR discovers the story of Tyler’s character which is named “IGOR”. This album also discovers the aspects of relationships and heartbreak as it tells the story of Tyler and the person he loved. IGOR is a very mixed feelings project; it goes from exciting and joyful and insane beats to sad songs with the mixture of the outstanding beats and the end of Tyler’s love towards this person. IGOR shows aspects of heartbreak as he struggles with these feelings and that shows the true beauty behind the album.
Things I found interesting and enjoyable about this album are the features but also the outstanding production and some of the best beats I have ever heard in a while. Examples of these beats are in the songs, IGORS THEME, EARFQUAKE, I THINK, NEW MAGIC WAND, A BOY IS A GUN, WHAT’S GOOD, GONE GONE / THANK YOU, and ARE WE STILL FRIENDS? All the songs on the album are amazing and I personally don’t think any of the songs are skippable, they all are unique songs and Tyler did an amazing job producing this album. There are a lot of hidden features in this album like Lil Uzi Vert in IGORS THEME, Playboi Carti in EARFQUAKE, and even Kanye West in PUPPET. These features are in the song titles but they are credited in the song details. This album is truly a masterpiece even though it’s hard to get into and I think that’s the only problem with this album and that’s when your listening to it for the first, second, or even third time it’s hard to enjoy the project because of how unique and different it is from Tyler’s other albums. This album takes a while to enjoy but once you get into it you will absolutely love it and see why this album deserved a grammy.
Speaking of the Grammys, IGOR did end up winning rap album of the year for 2019 which surprised a lot of people on social media. This is a huge highlight for Tyler because as he states in his speech that he wanted a Grammy ever since he was 12 years old. This is a moment you can’t be happy about especially since the Grammys have received backlash recently but In my opinion Tyler deserved to win this Grammy. The production of this album is beautiful and really shows how he dedicated everything to this album and how he really built the character of IGOR. Tyler had really out done himself with this album with the out of this world beats and the best production I have ever heard.
The story of IGOR also shows how beautiful and amazing this album is, it’s not just your standard rap album it’s actually a love story between Tyler and his love interest and as you keep listening to the album you learn more and more about the story and theme of this album. Let’s start from the point of this really isn’t a rap album, it’s more like a musical, a story even. This album is not like his other albums and is made for listening to in a happy place and set of mind. The intro track is titled “IGORS THEME” and this is introducing us to our character named Igor. This track is just introducing us to this man riding around on his bike feeling this type of love and way. As it states in the song “ridin around town they gonna feel this one”. The next track is titled “EARFQUAKE” and this dives deep into a theme where you are so shook to the core by another person they make your entire world shake which would be IGOR and his love interest at the time. This song captures the aspect of being so in love with someone your feelings are unheavy and it feels like your world is shaking in the act of romance. The next track is an important track and it’s titled “I THINK”. In this song IGOR confirms that our suspicions in the first two tracks were true and he is deeply in love with someone and his feelings are about love and this time it’s for real as it states in the chorus “I think i’m falling in love, this time I think it’s for real” and wondering what has come over him after his Earfquake. The next track is actually an interlude titled “EXACTLY WHAT YOU RUN FROM YOU END UP CHASING” and the lyrics are from a poem in which explains that one self’s feelings are correct and worth exploring. The next track after that is “RUNNING OUT OF TIME” in which IGOR Shows some toxic behavior towards his love and pleads that they don’t go and it’s his fault and throwing himself under the bus because he is a desperate lover and Igor must have them to be complete. He accepts that it is his fault the relationship is in a bad place but doesn’t accept that it should be over. The next track is titled “NEW MAGIC WAND ” and the narrator reminds us that sometimes to open a window you have to close a door and you need to close the door on a possibility you will never have to escape the burning building you are in. In this song Igor pleads for his lover not to leave him. The next song is titled “A BOY IS A GUN ” he pleads that his lover does not leave him and does not shoot him down and that Romantic relationships always have the chance to shoot you down and he pleads for a final chance. The next track “PUPPET” Igor sacrifices everything he has just to be with this person and be their Puppet. Sacrificing his own dignity and life if needed. In the song “WHAT’S GOOD” Igor starts to disbelieve everything around him, he is no longer under his lover’s spell and escapes from this toxic relationship and moves forward. Nearing the end of the album the next song is titled “GONE GONE/THANK YOU” Igor accepts that he has to move on and states in the song “My loves gone” showing that he can’t love this person anymore which leads onto the THANK YOU part of this track in which Igor thanks the partner for all the love and all the joy that they allowed him to feel. In the next track “I DON’T LOVE YOU ANYMORE” He states that he does not love this partner anymore and that he has moved on knowing that if he stayed the relationship would be more toxic and it would not work out. In the Final track of the album “ARE WE STILL FRIENDS?” Igor asks his lover after all the hardships and struggles they have faced if they are still friends no matter what.
Credit for the storyline: https://youtu.be/JuLbuxxnZQg
In my personal opinion this album is definitely a 10/10 and I would rank it higher and higher. This is my second favorite album of all time and not only the story aspect but the way you feel during this album. This album was not meant to be a rap album and can not really be tied to any genre as the songs are all different from each other and have a role in the story and theme of this album. This project by Tyler is truly a masterpiece of an album as it ties to topics people struggle with nowadays but also gives that upgoing vibe of what an album should be or at least when it comes to production. Tyler had really out done himself when making this album and I would recommend anybody this album no matter what. This album is beautiful and it deserves all the praise it gets. This project really shows how a project should be made and obviously not every album needs to be a love story but it has amazing production, beats, and themes that a real album should have. There are no more words to describe this album as it’s truly a masterpiece.
