Hidden under the guise of the titular “Igor,” Tyler, the Creator finally vocalizes the anxiety, growth, and confusion that often encompasses queer identity. IGOR is a cornerstone of modern queer art; the 2019 album is one of the most realized concept albums of recent history, with each track serving the underlying narrative of the tragic, unrequited love Tyler has for a man. The production of the album encapsulates the abstract nature of his emotions—Tyler’s love does not fit classic societal norms, and thus, the music does not either. Through funky distortion as well as whirling chorus-piano riffs, IGOR walks a fine line between music’s most intense and most beautiful moments. Tyler’s inspirations are clear and glowing; he balances Kanye-esque chipmunk sampling with the groove and soul of Stevie Wonder.
For most of the album, Igor is caught in a balancing act.
The album’s main theme can best be reflected in its short, to-the-point spoken word interlude, as Jerrod Carmichael foreshadows that “exactly what you run from, you end up chasing.” Igor is running from a lot of things: the truth of his sexuality, the innate vulnerability that accompanies love, the hope to live his truth and “come out.” Though his queer infatuation plays as the driving force behind the album, he is constantly caught running away from his reality.
Being in the closet is the constant push-and-pull of wanting to embrace your true self while also trying to preserve the normality you have already achieved. It’s hoping that this one secret is not the deciding factor of your life, and that coming out will not change how the entire world views you. Constantly, queer people are caught in the crossfire between what they want and what they think the world wants. We run from something we end up chasing.
Igor’s unnamed love interest refuses to tackle his own emotions and accept the shared love between them. Throughout “RUNNING OUT OF TIME,” Igor repeatedly asks the boy, “are you living to pretend?” Later, Igor refers to the woman his lover chooses to date in public. She acts as the referred “obstacle” in the album; Igor is quick to unveil his anger and aggression towards her in later tracks. In fact, “NEW MAGIC WAND” alludes to Igor killing the woman as quickly as magic. The “magic wand” refers to a gun, which is presented in the first act of the album and is later shot in the second act—a nod to Chekov’s gun, the belief that every detail in a story serves a purpose to the overall narration.
The true darkness and vulnerability of IGOR, reveals itself in album highlight “PUPPET.” Tyler discloses the codependency he feels with his lover, moments after their split in “A BOY IS A GUN*.” Softly, he admits “‘Cause I’m your puppet (puppet, oh)/You control me (puppet, control me)/I’m your puppet (puppet)/I don’t know me.” Due to having to hide his love, he feels that a part of him is hidden as well. The use of the metaphor, “puppet,” implies that there is a lack of free will. Tyler is now just a pawn and prop to his lover.
It isn’t until “WHAT’S GOOD” that Igor finds clarity in his relationship and identity. Though considered one of the more intense tracks on the album, it ends on a softer, more welcoming note. Tyler samples another line from Carmichael, and the song ends with a piece of realization: “I don’t know what’s harder, letting go, or just being okay with it.”
This is something that many young queer people are forced to reckon with. It’s hard to let go of normalcy in favor of coming out and self-achievement, but the flip side is confusion and despair. Even more, the people in your life that don’t accept your sexuality—and in Igor’s case, love—are simply not worth being in your life. These are hard, cold facts, but the dichotomy of choice is inherently a give and take.
It’s only until “GONE, GONE/THANK YOU” that Tyler finds solace within the push and pull battle. In this split song, he finds appreciation and value in his failed relationship and opts to learn rather than suffer from its consequences. In the “Thank You” half, Chekov’s gun is finally pulled—the background’s drums feature a sequence of a gun being loaded, aimed, and then shot. Tyler’s feelings are finally being explored and articulated, but rather than fiery rage they come in the form of a logical, cohesive understanding of his identity and sexuality. “ARE WE STILL FRIENDS?” provides another example of the running theme, this time Tyler is instead chasing a continued friendship with his partner, something he had been running from in the past.
IGOR is abstract, anxious, and ambiguously beautiful—much like the modern queer experience.