Tyler, The Creator’s “Chromakopia” tour has officially hit Pennsylvania as of March 28th in the city of Pittsburgh. In honor of Tyler’s Pennsylvania debut, we will be reviewing his song “Take Your Mask Off”, which features Daneil Caesar and LaToiya Williams. The album, Chromakopia, is a hip-hop/rap album. As a whole, it explores Tyler’s views on society, childhood, sexuality and fame. During an event on October 27th, Tyler spoke on the creation of his album, stating “The album just kinda turned into me taking a bunch of stuff my mom told me as a kid.” This also builds more reason as to why he samples his mother’s voice in almost every song on the album.
“Take Your Mask off” in particular dives into the frustrations Tyler has towards society. It holds a message of influence, attempting to impact listeners and convince them to show their true selves. Or, as per the common saying “take your mask off”, hence the name. This is relevant to mankind as a whole, for we as people have become so used to following societal norms that we are not being our most authentic selves.
The song starts with an electronic and vocally melodic intro. The first verse follows, hitting hard with the idea of the societal pressure put on men from a young age to be “tough”. He makes it known through his lyrics that it doesn’t have to be like this. He states “And none them face tats gon’ hid that you sad, bruh / You ain’t a thug, you was in drama club, you’s an actor”. This acts as a metaphor, showing how one is hiding who they truly are behind a persona due to their upbringing. Then follows is the chorus, stating the iconic “And I hope you find yourself / And I hope you take your mask off” lyrics, which reinstate the theme of the song.
The second and third verses hold similar values of how stereotypes and figurehead roles push down your identity. The second verse digs up the relationship between religion and sexuality. It almost interprets as a story of a preacher hiding his sexuality, saying “gotta hide how you live, what you really enjoy,” then later “trade it all to be free and shine bright like the sun.” The third verse then speaks on the stereotypical loss of identity within females, specifically maternal roles. Making claims such as how her body hasn’t been the same, how postpartum is a lengthy process and how her “identity is gone”. Tyler hits the nail on the head with the lyrics “Mama your first name, the lost one got changed / They dream about your nest but you crave flyin’ alone”. This then turns into a message from his mother, she passionately speaks of keeping this “one hundred” with yourself, stating “you don’t have to put on no costume.” The final verse is an inward look at Tyler himself, he gives an honest take on his doubts as an artist. Putting a personal touch and empathizing with listeners.
Instrumentally, Tyler makes use of the piano in E major throughout the song. This gives the tune an almost ballad like take. This fits with the story-telling lyrical composure, as a ballad tends to be a narrative.
As the song ends, he wraps up with the chorus, putting emphasis on the “I hope you take your mask off” line. It’s a song of empowerment. Tyler really encourages fans not to hide themselves behind the masks they have created to “fit in”, as that isn’t truly living. You see this play through the stories he tells in each first. This song truly preaches to break out of social norms, and to be yourself.
