This interlude track features Shane Powers, who did the radio vocals on Cherry Bomb’s “BLOW MY LOAD”. Plus, he drops a “Look, I smell like Chanel’, in reference to Frank, and it makes me happy. Having a musical icon unapologetically be himself despite the social limitations is inspiring for listeners, especially those who are particularly impressionable or are experiencing some dissonance in terms of who they believe themselves to be and who they feel obliged to be. ‘Where This Flower Blooms’ challenges the stereotypes pinned onto what masculinity entails, and as a black male rapper, a bar like “I never mop up with my manicured nails” is essentially revolutionary. Tyler compares himself to a flower to show his progression and growth as an individual, and even drops in a “n*gga making leaves, keep it in my branches family could eat” as an allusion to the wealth he’s acquired. It’s slow and steady and utilizes the metaphor present in the track and record titles. In addition to featuring Frank Ocean, whose ethereal voice and musical presence is ideal for the nostalgic vibe of this track, it’s essentially an origin story. Where This Flower Bloomsīy far one of my favorite tracks on this album. Despite it being presented as a “foreword” and not the main meat of a track or album, he drops a subtle political statement asking “How many slaves can it be til Nat Turner arrives? How many riots can it be til them Black Lives Matter?” Following his general trend of behavior when it comes to nonconformity, asking these questions almost allows (or encourages) his listeners to question things for themselves as well, promoting a conscious lifestyle ( “Stay woke”, anyone?). The rhyme scheme is noticeable but disjointed with a very gentle bridge, allowing you to ease into all of his questions, consequently becoming personally invested. Tyler tapped into a sweet spot combo of rhetorical questions and hypophora/anthypophora to question his motivation (or more often, lack thereof). This track, featuring Can & Rex Orange County, is a bundle of questions. So, without any further ado, let’s get to the breakdown. Musically, there’s a fantastic contrast between the smooth and mellow vibes of the instrumentals, the choir-esque backing vocals, and his somewhat gritty flow and deep, punchy voice. It delves into themes of loneliness, vulnerability, and the craving of affection while indulging the materialistic and transient nature of his fame and fortune lifestyle. The album is stirring up quite the storm, and after having listened to it in its entirety multiple times, there is a very clear personal and introspective vibe to it. Headlines all over the place (along with many Genius contributors) have been speculating non-stop about what the album will be like.
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