I’ve never been a fan of rap. I’ve always gravitated toward an acoustic sound or an alternative feel, never giving hits by Lil Uzi Vert or A$AP Rocky a second listen. I seek a specific catharsis from the music that I’m exclusively selecting when curating my Spotify playlists, and I remain loyal to those select artists and genres for years. Basically, I’m not the most open-minded music listener. But I’ll never forget the random summer day in 2017 that I spent driving through town with a good friend in the passenger seat, who, at the time, was tasked with “jam control.” He threw on Tyler, The Creator’s album, Flower Boy, and begged me to “shut up and listen.” The rest is history. I became obsessed with the manner in which Tyler, The Creator was able to effortlessly conceptualize his work into something bigger than the genre of rap itself. He told his story unapologetically with every song and created an eccentric persona for himself with every album. His obvious growth as an artist and a person weaves its way throughout his discography, with his most recent album serving as a testament to that growth. Call Me If You Get Lost was released in 2021, and came with a brand new alter-ego for the rapper and producer: Tyler Baudelaire, a chic, pastel-clad international traveler, always seen lugging around stylish carry-on suitcases. With the help of iconically featured artists and the booming voice of DJ Drama, each song immersed you into Tyler’s journey, enthusiastically dragging you along for the ride. The album was a huge success, and the tour that followed allowed fans to experience Tyler’s vision first-hand through jaw-dropping sets and performances that brought the story to life. I couldn’t get enough of the album and everything it represented…at least, I thought I couldn’t get enough. That was until March 31st, when Tyler dropped The Estate Sale, a deluxe version of Call Me If You Get Lost, complete with unreleased songs and brand new music videos that left my eyes and ears hungry for more. With the release of The Estate Sale, the album’s story has come full circle, and we, the listeners, can now appreciate the masterpiece in its entirety.
The Estate Sale blessed us with eight new songs, all of which couldn’t find a home in the original 2021 album, according to Tyler via Twitter. The album opens with a short yet ethereal prelude of Tyler recognizing the accomplishments of CMIYGL (both the album and the tour) and, of course, thanking the fans who made it possible. Because The Estate Sale is composed of songs that just didn’t fit, it is only appropriate that Tyler titled this prelude “EVERYTHING MUST GO.” It’s almost as though he’s visualizing the kind of treasure trove you would stumble upon at a yardsale in a wealthy neighborhood. Following this prelude is “STUNTMAN” (feat. Vince Staples), a song that Tyler describes as “gold slug white tank top rag music.” The song is a classic flex piece, but the energetic beat is completely unique to his previous works. I can’t help but assume he was experimenting with this one, and I’m damn glad that he was.
One thing about Tyler, the Creator that hasn’t changed throughout his career is his ability to wear his heart on his sleeve. In the third track, “WHAT A DAY,” not only does he share his vulnerability, he celebrates it. He cherishes the idea of never fitting in; he takes pride in what sets him apart. He dumps everything that causes him stress into his lyrics and then twists them into an ode to the life he has and the person he’s becoming. To top it off, he doesn’t apologize for changing and growing: “After album five, I got syndicated, you want the old T? / Sorry G, that picture faded / Come get wit’ me.” The backing music is described best by Tyler himself via Twitter, giving us a backstory to the music behind the lyrics: “would skate home to this madlib beat as a teen. its so ethereal.” This iconic track is followed by my personal favorite song that the album has to offer, “WHARF TALK” (feat. A$AP Rocky). The production is nostalgic of Tyler’s 2017 album, Flower Boy, which served as the origin of my obsession, so naturally, I’m sentimentally biased. Yet, the lyricism in “WHARF TALK” follows the original album’s theme of exploring and getting lost on the journey. It’s a simple love letter written by a man who doesn’t “think [he’ll] fall in love again,” but is willing to take that chance. And I can guarantee that I’ll have trouble recovering from my addiction to this sunshiney beat. With every listen, I can feel my toes splashing in crystal waters as the sun beats gently against my back, and that’s not a sensation I want to give up.
“DOGTOOTH” is track number five, and once again, it seems to tip its hat to vocals and musical production of the past. The classic rolling piano accompaniment is Tyler’s forte, and the hook “She can ride my face, I don’t want nothin’ in return” certainly garners applause from listeners. The song itself reflects Tyler’s feminist ideals and reveals his expectations for a relationship. He seems to share his opinion on the ridiculous stigma surrounding “promiscuous” women through my favorite lyric, “Her body count and who she f*ck ain’t never my concern.” In conclusion, this song basically reinforces the fact that above all, Tyler, the Creator is for the girls and the gays. The track that follows is another personal favorite of mine because it demonstrates Tyler’s ability to illustrate a distant concept, a fantasy, even, and put that feeling into words that you never would have found by yourself. Tyler describes “HEAVEN TO ME” as a “highlight reel” of his life, and upon listening to it, it’s easy to experience that truth through the warmth of the lyrics and the beat. The sound as a whole is dripping with nostalgia and a sense of safety, undulating with happiness that one can only dream of achieving. And, in a way, the song seems to be Tyler making a promise to achieve that happiness for himself. The song truly takes your breath away.
“BOYFRIEND, GIRLFRIEND (2020 Demo)” (feat. YG) transports you to the early 2000s with an incredibly bouncy beat and might be another nod to Tyler’s bisexuality, which has been a major part of his identity as an artist. The song is pure fun and an easy listen, with a beat that, according to Tyler, is reminiscent of a joyfully chaotic childhood: “as a kid in la at my moms friends houses, kurupt or quik would be playing, dominos being slammed, plants in the air, running in and out the house, this sounds like that environment.” Once again, Tyler displays his immense talent for recreating specific memories and sensations through sound alone. Luckily for us, this song serves as a therapeutic fluffer, preparing us for the heartbreaking final track, “SORRY NOT SORRY.” The song is accurately named for Tyler’s long-winded apology, explaining away his thoughts and emotions with apologies to friends, fans, lovers, family members, and even ancestors. He apologizes for his arrogance, for his ego, for missed opportunities, and for lost relationships. He apologizes so much that my heart aches more and more with every listen. Yet, somewhere in his string of apologies, he becomes overwhelmed. The heavy drumming of the beat escalates, and as the anger builds in Tyler’s words, so does the volume of his voice. Suddenly he’s yelling, unloading raw emotion surrounding his reputation, his identity, and his struggle with using his platform for social justice until he’s no longer apologizing. The song ends with a sudden silence as Tyler raps “I got two words…f*ck ‘em.” The song ends with the original melody as DJ Drama’s booming voice vows that “another era is upon us.” The journey Tyler takes us on throughout the song is devastating, and the track itself is definitely some of his heaviest work. However, in a twisted way, the song is uplifting. It provides reassurance for us people pleasers in the world that at some point, we have to stop apologizing (you know who you are).
Overall, the way Tyler, the Creator has gone about releasing The Estate Sale is impressive; many fans are referring to it as his “victory lap.” Tyler inviting his audience into his creative process through Twitter is truly something special. He has been consistently giving us peeks into his train of thought with these new songs, explaining how the music production connects to CMIYGL, and what held him back when it came to including the songs in the original album. The album tells a story of heartbreak, self-love, redemption, bright futures, and most importantly, promises to listeners that there are still many new eras to come from Tyler, the Creator. While I’ll miss Sir Baudelaire dearly, I couldn’t be more excited for what Tyler has in store.