JACQUES: Tyler, The Creator’s highly anticipated fifth solo album, 'IGOR' was released
without any listed features prompting an Easter egg hunt of sorts for it's collaborators.
JACQUES: To make things both easier and harder at the same time, on Sunday, Tyler posted
a photo with the names of the people on the project - and that’s where the fun began.
And while Genius News reached out to Tyler’s team for confirmation, here is who we think
is where thus far.
JACQUES: 'IGOR' opens with vocals from Philadelphia’s Lil Uzi Vert.
Tyler touched on the confusion over Uzi’s feature saying quote:
JACQUES: The second track “EARFQUAKE” features a verse
from Playboi Carti.
JACQUES: And Charlie Wilson on the bridge and possibly Jessy Wilson on the backing vocals.
JACQUES: Jessy tweeted that she was on five other records, “RUNNING OUT OF TIME, NEW
MAGIC WAND, PUPPET, GONE GONE/THANK YOU & I DON’T LOVE YOU ANYMORE” and as Genius
found, in some places it's backing vocals and full verses on others.
JACQUES: On “I THINK,” singer Solange Knowles can be heard throughout the chorus
- something Tyler confirmed over the weekend.
JACQUES: Comedian Jerrod Carmichael joins us for the interludes.
JACQUES: Carmichael notably interviewed Tyler after the release of 'Flower Boy.'
[JERROD] This album, um, when I first heard it and the more I hear it I feel like the
only appropriate question to ask you after listening to it is, are you ok? Is something wrong?
JACQUES: "RUNNING OUT OF TIME" features Jessy Wilson— not Frank Ocean, who doesn’t appear
to be on the album at all.
JACQUES: Singer Santigold's adlibs bounce around "NEW MAGIC WAND" with backing vocals
from Jessy Wilson.
JACQUES: There was some confusion as to whether A$AP Rocky was on the album, but Tyler
rebutted that with a tweet.
JACQUES: On “PUPPET” Kanye West’s joins Tyler for a verse.
JACQUES: British rapper slowthai can be heard talking over the sample on “WHAT’S GOOD,”
something he alluded to in a tweet over the weekend.
JACQUES: On “GONE GONE / THANK YOU” Cee Lo joins on the chorus.
JACQUES: Solange seems to be harmonizing on “I DON’T LOVE YOU ANYMORE,” along with
Jessy who confirmed she’s on it.
JACQUES: And Tyler’s inspiration, Pharrell, can be heard on “ARE WE STILL FRIENDS?”
JACQUES: There are several collaborations that we, and many other people remain unsure
of - like the vocals of English synth-pop singer La Roux, composer Kevin Kendricks and
Jack White.
JACQUES: This confusion extended to even the people who worked on the project.
NEAL: At any given moment I wouldn’t know who was on the record
because of how he would record the artist.
JACQUES: That’s Neal Pogue.
He was the mixing engineer behind 'IGOR,' 'FLOWER BOY' and a number of classic Outkast
records like ‘ATLiens’ and ‘Aquemini’ and ‘Speakerboxxx/The Love Below.’
Pogue says Tyler uses features in a unique way.
NEAL: He’d pitch it up or pitch it down, use it in a certain section more of like an
instrument than a vocal.
JACQUES: A note on 'IGOR’S' cover says that the project was produced, written and
arranged by Tyler, the Creator and it’s clear that he used the features as a tool
to craft a greater narrative.
JACQUES: Pogue says this is because Tyler wants the focus to be on the entire project
instead of just the features.
NEAL: My take on it, when he first played the demos for me, is I told him that it sounded
like an abstract painting.
JACQUES: In fact, Tyler tweeted these instructions for 'IGOR's' consumption saying quote:
JACQUES: So, who do you think is on which song?
Let us know!
JACQUES: I’m Jacques Morel with Genius News, bringing you the meaning and the knowledge
behind the music.
Peace!