Tyler, the Creator has always been an artist in motion—evolving, experimenting, and reshaping himself with each album. On the opening night of his Chromakopia Tour at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, he didn’t just put on a concert; he staged a metamorphosis.
Gone was the mischievous, shock-driven provocateur from his Goblin days, though traces of that energy still flickered. Instead, Tuesday night’s sold-out show saw Tyler balancing his past and present, blending introspection with spectacle in a way only he could.
A Theatrical Opening
The stage was set—literally. Green shipping containers stacked like a dystopian maze filled the arena’s main stage, concealing the night’s headliner in shadow. The show began not with a bang, but a slow reveal, as the haunting overture St. Chroma played, featuring a voiceover from Tyler’s mother: “You are the light. It’s not on you, it’s in you.”
Dressed in a sharply tailored green coat, a plastic mask obscuring his face, Tyler emerged to a roaring crowd. He barreled through Rah Tah Tah and Noid with an intensity that made it clear—this wasn’t just a concert, it was a statement. The Chromakopia material, packed with themes of identity, fame, and personal reckoning, dominated the first act.
A Shift in Tone
Then, in an act of storytelling brilliance, the concert took a turn. Tyler crossed an elevated walkway to a B-stage, stepping into what looked like a retro-styled living room, complete with a couch, a record player, and a sense of nostalgia. The transformation wasn’t just physical; it was artistic. The mask came off. The green coat was replaced with sneakers and casual streetwear.
Using the record player as a portal through time, he flipped through different phases of his career—spinning vinyls of Igor, Call Me If You Get Lost, and even Goblin. With each album cover appearing on the big screen, fans cheered in recognition before he performed select cuts, including Earfquake and I Think.
At times, he played into the idea of feeling disconnected from his earlier work—flopping onto the couch in exhaustion during IFHY or shaking his head after delivering bars from Dogtooth. Yet, despite his theatrical reluctance, he delivered those classics with fire, feeding off the audience’s energy.
Closing with Power
Returning to the main stage for the final act, Tyler didn’t just perform Chromakopia’s closing tracks—he embodied them. I Thought I Was Dead stood out as one of his most masterful, gut-punch performances to date. His delivery carried echoes of Kendrick Lamar—fierce, poetic, and deeply personal.
By the time he reached Find Your Way Home, the night had shifted from an explosive rap show to something more profound—a journey through growth, nostalgia, and self-discovery. But before signing off, he offered one final nod to his past, sending fans home on a high with See You Again.
A Mixed Bag from the Opener
Opening act Lil Yachty brought an unpredictable, chaotic energy that didn’t always land. Sporting a Prince-inspired glyph jersey, he meandered through a 45-minute set that often felt detached. While tracks like A Cold Sunday and Pardon Me struggled to keep the crowd engaged, the room finally lit up when he performed his viral hit Minnesota.
For Tyler, however, this wasn’t just another tour stop. It was a theatrical reintroduction, a deliberate clash of past and present, all packaged within a performance that proved why he remains one of hip-hop’s most compelling artists.
Original reporting credit: Chris Riemenschneider | Minnesota Star Tribune