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Tyler, The Creator surprised fans on Christmas day with the release of his unofficial remix to Kendrick Lamar's Hey Now, a record included on the Compton native's chart-topping sixth studio album GNX.
Tyler's latest record, titled That Guy features the same West Coast-infused trap production, credited to DJ Mustard, Sounwave, and Jack Antonoff. The remix officially marks the rapper's first musical release since dropping his eighth studio album, Chromakopia, back in October.
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Tyler announced the release on X by responding to a fan's tweet who requested a "Hey Now remix," with the rapper reposting the link to his new record.
"Merry Christmas. Had fun with it," Tyler, The Creator tweeted.
Bar-For-Bar: Breaking down Tyler, The Creator's new single That Guy
Delivering the record alongside an accompanying music video, uploaded to his YouTube Channel, Tyler's visuals find him performing the track in various locations across his hometown of Hawthorne, California.
The music video features multiple scenes of Tyler and ODD Future brothers Jasper Dolphin and Travis “Taco” Bennett, alongside Lionel “L-Boy” Boyce, filming his performances across the city.
The track is filled with fun references like his appearance at Kendrick Lamar's "Ken & Friends Pop Out Concert," as well as the massive commercial success of Chromakopia, which marked his third consecutive No.1 album debuting at the top of Billboard 200.
Notable themes explored in Tyler, the Creator's That Guy include success, wealth, legacy, brotherhood, family, and relationships.
Disclaimer: This review is rated explicit. Reader discretion is advised.
(Chorus)
"Hey now, say now, I’m all about them bands / Sh*t I'm on, bit*h, you wouldn't understand / Hey now, say now, I'm all about my guap / AP, Richie, hmm, not on my watch"
After a brief introduction where he references lines from multiple records included on Chromakopia, Tyler draws listeners into his rendition of Hey Now's hook.
Similar to how Kendrick opens on Hey Now by stating he's "all about that Yen," Tyler's hook professes his affinity for massive wealth and success, emphasizing his dedication toward attaining financial freedom.
(Verse 1)
"Cause brodie said don't even press the issue / Yellow boogers in my ear lobe, I need a tissue / Oh my God, I'm really that guy, huh / Yeah, bit*h, I'm outside (Grr) / LaFerrari popping on the 40 with the 5 (Huh) / One ticket, two ticket, three ticket, four million"
Tyler, The Creator introduces his listeners to his first verse with a braggadocious cadence that seemingly targets people around him, highlighting why he doesn't adhere to their advice.
He continues to emphasize why he considers himself "that guy," before flexing his recently purchased LaFerarri, which received multiple shout-outs on Chromakopia.
"Put that lil’ Maybach truck in the garage, huh / Lil’ Bunny Hop out, you seen me at Thе Pop Out / Pandemonium screaming like thеy brought Pac out / Stop it with the chitchat, we airing out the kickback / Big stud energy the way I get my lick back, huh (Huh)"
After suggesting he spent over $4 million on his luxury car, Tyler downplays other luxury car companies like Maybach, before reminding critics of the massive support he received during his appearance at Kendrick Lamar's Pop Out concert.
He draws similarities between West Coast legend Tupac Shakur's fame and status when aggressively claiming to always get his "lick back" against critics and haters who dismiss his success and career.
(Verse 2)
"I'm the suspect, baby, I don't play victim / I’ll buy that n***a building just to evict him / What that Coachella pay like? It was eight figures / Why don't I fu*k with them guys? 'Cause I hate n****s"
After running back That Guy's hook, Tyler returns on the song's second verse fueled with outlandish bars and aggressive stances against criticism, with the rapper even claiming to buy someone's house only to evict them.
Tyler, The Creator even suggests being paid eight figures to perform at this year's Coachella Music and Arts Festival, where he headlined Saturday night performing hits from IGOR and Call Me If You Get Lost.
"Oh (Oh) my (My) God (God), I'm (I'm) really (Really) that (That) guy, huh / I got my Chuck Taylors on, but they look like loafers (Hey now) / I ain't sitting with you n****s, fu*k I look like, Oprah? / Rather put 'em in the ground, you n****s look like gophers (Hey now)"
From shouting out Chuck Taylor's shoes to claiming his massive success is evidence of him being "that guy" in hip-hop, Tyler highlights a massive difference in status between himself and those around him.
"Open doors for my n****s, bit*h, I look like chauffeur, huh / RIP The Ruler, keep it sewer / Stack the gouda, mind ya business, eat the cooter (Yeah) / Oh my God, I'm really that— (Man, turn this sh*t the fu*k up) / I was up at Westchester dodging all the high beams / Gardena swap meet, shopping bogus ice cream"
While Tyler, The Creator clearly states his willingness to avoid contact with those wishing to gain from his success, he does appear to prioritize "opening doors" for close friends and associates, jokingly drawing similarities between himself and a chauffeur.
He goes on to revisit his early day come-up, claiming to have purchased "bogus ice cream" at a Gardena marketplace, a possible metaphor for counterfeit or novelty items sold at what he refers to as a Swap Meet.
"I'm a Hawthorne baby, sh*t is not warm, baby / Four or five main bit*hes, I am not yours, baby / All these women is a habit / Boyfriends mad 'cause they thought I was a f— (Hey now) / Hey now, say now, get sticky like a hun bun / You will never be the main guy, you're a plus one"
From philandering to dating committed women, Tyler's bars here express a habitual nature to engage in non-exclusive relationships.
He appears to throw shade at these women's supposed "boyfriends," attempting to offend them by downplaying their relationship and claiming they would "never be the main guy".
"300k in four days, CHROMAKOPIA(Ugh) / Twelve days gold, I ain't even drop deluxe one (Ugh) / Sold a million tickets first day for that new stage (Bink, bink, bink, bink) / Want smoke? We can puff one (Ugh) / One whip, two whips, black bit*h, blue strips / Green face Grinch, Tyler on his Dr. Seuss sh*t"
Tyler, The Creator continues by highlighting the massive commercial success of his eighth studio album, referencing the 300,000 album-equivalent units he sold in four days, resulting in Chromakopia debuting at No.1 on Billboard 200.
Bars delivered here are drenched in themes of success and exclusivity, with Tyler claiming to have sold over a million tickets in a day for his upcoming World Tour. He ends the bar with a line that references his work on the soundtrack for the 2018 animated adaptation of "The Grinch".
"True sh*t, I can put a number where your roof is / Paranoid 'cause n****s beef curtains, they got loose lips / Oh my God (Oh my God), I'm really that guy / Hand claps? Congrats? Never said to me / Put him on a Pro Club, that n***a dead to me (Lose my number, n***a)"
Tyler proceeds by explaining his growing paranoia, which is an extremely notable theme explored on Chromakopia, as seen on records like Noid.
According to Tyler, he remains in a state of constant paranoia because of people's supposed affinity to beef with popular individuals by revealing secrets or spreading rumors about their personal lives.
"Stop with that fake sh*t, stop with that fake sh*t / Stop with that fake sh*t, just stop with that fake sh*t (Fake sh*t) / Le FLEUR got me fitted in my best / If you got a problem with me, n***a, get it off your chest (Woo) / N***a, what?"
After suggesting a violent disconnection from people he no longer considers friends, Tyler ends That Guy's final verse by addressing to inauthenticity he witnesses around him.
Tyler shouts out his own clothing brand, GOLF LE FLEUR, when speaking against haters, citing how all problems should be addressed directly with him, instead of comments over social media.
(Bridge + Outro)
"Get it off your chest / Get it off your chest / I am not a tough guy, n***a, get it off your chest / I'm the type to bust on her and just lick it off her breast, n***a, uh / I'm a freak, I don't beef / It's a bird, it's a plane, bit*h, it's T / Cuttin' n****s off, want the rope? Aight, come, get it / You don't love me, you love the optics that come with it / Uh, uh, bit*h / CHROMAKOPIA now"
Tyler, The Creator ends his verse with a bridge that builds on themes set throughout That Guy's almost 3-minute runtime.
From claiming to be a "freak" to addressing why he cuts people out of his life, the final bridge perfectly closes out Tyler's bouncy remix to one of Kendrick Lamar's most enticing records for the year.
Tyler, The Creator is currently gearing up for his "Chromakopia World Tour," which is scheduled to kick off on February 4, 2025, at Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul.
