The ‘70s Zamrock song key to Tyler, The Creator’s latest pivot

Tyler, The Creator is tense and anxious throughout much of his new song “Noid.” “They wonder where I close my eyes at / I keep my eyes wide,” he raps, joining the chorus of musicians who have spent 2024 drawing clear and healthy boundaries between themselves and their most ardent fans. “Noid” paints a picture of true fame — a gilded cage filled with snapping paparazzos, opportunist thieves, and selfie-seekers. Yes, it’s another being-rich-is-hard, song but Tyler sounds sufficiently jumpy that it’s impossible to just dismiss the sentiment as millionaire problems. The caginess of the lyrics on this first song from the upcoming Chromakopia is matched by a vocal sample that filters through during the chorus. Paul Ngozi, of Ngozi Family, sings “Talking too much breeds gossip,” as Tyler explains why he keeps his circle tight and his NDAs secure.

Ngozi was a pivotal figure in the ‘70s Zamrock scene, a period in Zambian history when the influence of British radio and psychedelic rock idols such as Jimi Hendrix inspired a generation of young bands to go heavy with their phasers and wah-wah pedals to create a uniquely raw and kaleidoscopic new sound. Ngozi’s fuzzy guitar riff can be heard throughout “Noid,” which swirls and crunches as Tyler watches as the walls edge slowly towards his face.

It’s perhaps a little ironic that Tyler would turn to Zamrock for inspiration when writing about feeling trapped, as the sound grew out of a brief period of freedom in Zambian history. Having emerged from colonial rule under Kenneth Kaunda in the early ‘70s, the first president insisted that 95% of music on local radio must be of Zambian origin. This turbocharged the country’s music scene and gave Ngozi Family, as well as peers including Witch and Salty Dog, a platform to prosper. Taking inspiration from the grooves of African music, plus the likes of James Brown and the Rolling Stones, Zamrock was a wild and explosive moment in rock history. "Ngozi" quite literally means danger. Eventually, however, Kaunda’s self-imposed single party rule led Zambians into economic and diplomatic strife. When the country descended into poverty by the middle of the decade, Zamrock became the sound of rebellion and hope. It wasn’t until the late ‘70s, amid a wave of nationwide curfews that rendered live performances impossible, that the sound finally faded.

Zamrock has been archived in recent years with multiple compilations and reissues on crate-digger labels but “Noid” marks a rare mainstream moment in the spotlight. The sample also marks a return to Tyler, The Creator using rock aesthetics in his music. His 2015 album Cherry Bomb had a scuzzy garage rock feel, with songs like “Deathcamp” and “Pilot” perfect stage diving fodder. In 2012, meanwhile, Odd Future teamed up with hardcore band Trash Talk on the lacerating “Blossom & Burn.” Ngozi Family may have never sampled celebrity on a level that Tyler has but their driving and heavy sound makes a perfect backdrop for both his return to guitars and his descent into paranoid madness.