"I came a long way from my past," Tyler, the Creator raps on "MANIFESTO," the defiant standout from his sixth album Call Me If You Get Lost. The song is a retort to so-called "cancel culture;" at once exhilarating and a little nostalgic, it displays a side of Tyler that we haven’t heard for a while. As he puts it on the lounge-rap cut "MASSA:""I’ve calmed down in front of cameras… I’m not that little boy y’all was introduced to at 19."
After telling everyone "not to expect a rap album" on IGOR, Tyler delivered exactly that with Call Me If You Get Lost. From the hard-hitting beats ("Lemonhead") to the guest features (NBA YoungBoy, 42 Dugg, Lil Wayne, and more) to the storytelling verses ("Wilshire"), Tyler has included something for everyone on his new album.
Blending in melodic moments ("Sweet / I Thought You Wanted to Dance"), Tyler calls back to IGOR, but parts of Call Me If You Get Lost can be seen as throwback to his early GOBLIN era. It's all about juxtaposing the grimier moments with flashes of beauty and tenderness — and in doing so, the record stands as an all-encompassing culmination of Tyler's ever-varying sound.
Listen to Call Me If You Get Lost below, and let us know what your top tracks are.