Tyler, The Creator says Cincinnati looks like 'death outside' during Heritage Bank show

Tyler, The Creator said he is one of the "illest" and "most creative" artists in the music industry right now during his Cincinnati show on Friday. After witnessing his carefully crafted audio-visual experience, I couldn't agree more.
The Grammy-winning rapper dazzled the crowd at Heritage Bank Center as he brought his "Chromakopia" world to life during his 90-minute show on June 27.
He kicked off his set by performing his 2024 album's intro song "St. Chroma (feat. Daniel Caesar)" on a raised platform while wearing the same toy-soldier-inspired outfit featured in the album art and music videos.
AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R24ekkr8lb2m7nfblbH1» iframe AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R44ekkr8lb2m7nfblbH1» iframeHe then proceeded to rap (and dance) his way through the "Chromakopia" tracklist and a medley of other hits from his albums "Igor," "Flower Boy," "Call Me If You Get Lost," "Wolf," and more, as pyrotechnics lit up the venue.
As Stereogum wrote, Tyler, The Creator's one-man show "was a beautiful vision of aging into adulthood" as the rapper highlighted his transformation from a rebellious rookie to a polished, albeit exhausted, rap veteran with the use of some "stylish" costume and set changes.
Although he wanted audiences to witness his maturity, Tyler, The Creator still had fans headbanging and moshing in the pit in typical Odd Future fashion.
Here are four notable moments fromTyler, The Creator's Chromakopia: The World Tour show Friday in Cincinnati.
The 4 biggest moments from Tyler, The Creator's Cincinnati show
Rap duo Paris Texas during Cincinnati show: 'I like this energy'
I'll admit that I had never heard of alternative rap duo Paris Texas until they took the stage Friday night, one of two opening acts for Tyler, The Creator.
AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R2dekkr8lb2m7nfblbH1» iframe AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R4dekkr8lb2m7nfblbH1» iframeHowever, their unique mix of hip-hop, emo, grunge and punk sounds jolted me out of my seat as members Louie Pastel and Felix flailed around the stage performing their songs "Sean-Jared," "NüWhip," "Mudbone" and more. It's clear the crowd also loved their rap-screamo fusion as the first mosh pit of the night formed during their 2023 single "Panic!!!"
"Make some noise for your God d--n selves, Ohio," the Los Angeles natives shouted.
Lil Yachty urges fans to be kind during Cincinnati show

Unlike the first opening act, I was well acquainted with Lil Yachty, whom I've seen three times by coincidence. Although I've never set out to attend a Lil Boat concert, I always enjoy his rambunctious opening performances, especially when he includes college-era staples such as "Broccoli," "iSpy," "NBAYoungBoat" and "Minnesota."
But the highlight of his June 27 set was when he dedicated his final songs, which came from his 2023 album "Let's Start Here," to all the birthday folks and couples in the audience. He told the crowd to sit back and vibe out as the psychedelic rock and funk-inspired sounds took over the arena.
AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R2kekkr8lb2m7nfblbH1» iframe AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R4kekkr8lb2m7nfblbH1» iframeBefore he closed out his performance, Lil Yachty took a moment to spread some love to Cincinnati fans and remind them of the importance of being kind.
"There's a lot of hatred in this world. Make sure you be kind and be nice to people because you never know what someone else is going through. My name is Lil Yachty, and I love you so much, Cincinnati," he stated.
Tyler, The Creator takes his mask off during his Cincinnati show at Heritage Bank Center

Tyler, The Creator's Chromakopia concert in Cincinnati was a kaleidoscope of colors and moods as the California rapper performed all of his newest songs and some of his classic jams.
After opening the show by marching to "St. Chroma (feat. Daniel Caesar)," Tyler continued to bust several dance moves on stage that contrasted with the "rigidity" of his military costume, which included a mask that obscured his face, Stereogum reported.
AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R2rekkr8lb2m7nfblbH1» iframe AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R4rekkr8lb2m7nfblbH1» iframeHe then proceeded to rap his way through the "Chromakopia" tracklist, which included the songs "Rah Tah Tah," "Darling, I (feat. Teezo Touchdown)," and "Judge Judy."
Just as the crowd's excitement began to build, a floating catwalk descended from the ceiling. Tyler walked onto the suspended bridge as he performed "Sticky (feat. GloRilla, Sexyy Red and Lil Wayne)" and crossed the threshold during his rendition of "Take Your Mask Off (feat. Daniel Caesar and Latoiya Williams)." He then ripped off his physical and metaphorical mask and climbed onto a new set designed to look like a mid-century modern living room.
After ditching his "St. Chroma" alter-ego, he changed into a signature GOLF le FLEUR* outfit, per Stereogum. He rummaged through a box of records playing some of his most famous songs from platinum-certified albums such as "Wolf" (2013), "Flower Boy" (2017), "Igor" (2019), "Call Me If You Get Lost" (2021) and more.
Tyler then crossed the catwalk a second time, in full Golf Wang swag, to perform the second half of his 2024 project "Chromakopia." He gave the crowd another dose of fireworks, explosions and light displays while gliding around the stage utterly solo.
AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R31ekkr8lb2m7nfblbH1» iframe AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R51ekkr8lb2m7nfblbH1» iframeDespite all the changes throughout the night, Tyler's Cincinnati fans remained locked in during his show, shouting his provocative lyrics and moshing to his aggressive beats and call-outs.
"I was not expecting y'all to be so motherf-----g hype tonight," the "Yonkers" rapper said.
For his grand finale, Tyler turned the dial down to say goodbye to the Queen City while performing the "Chromakopia" outro, "I Hope You Found Your Way Home."
Tyler, The Creator says Cincinnati is a 'different breed'
As he was perusing his 16-year discography, a tired and out-of-breath Tyler, The Creator took a moment to talk about some of his first impressions of the Cincinnati area.
AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R37ekkr8lb2m7nfblbH1» iframe AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R57ekkr8lb2m7nfblbH1» iframeHe said that when he first touched down at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, he was surprised to find that the area looked like "death outside." Between the gray, overcast skies and rainy, 100-degree weather, Tyler said his towel was doing nothing to combat his profuse sweating.
He then added that he was also taken aback by the local residents, whom he described as a "different breed."
"I saw a white n---a with braids in a pick-up truck staring at me," he said.
He continued to reference this unusual encounter throughout his June 27 show. At one point, he even joked that he thought he saw this mysterious figure in the crowd, stating, "How did he get in here?"

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Tyler, The Creator tour: 4 'illest' takeaways from Cincinnati show