Tyler The Creator’s DON’T TAP THE GLASS might be his most fun project yet.
Hidden in plain sight during his CHROMAKOPIA tour, Tyler announced the surprise record just 48 hours before its release. At just 10 tracks and 29 minutes touting part-time assists from Pharrell, Baby Keem, Daisy World, Killa C and Princess, Tyler’s ninth album is concise, vibrant and naturally made to move. So move your GL-ASS.
“This album was not made for standing still,” he wrote in a message ahead of the album. “Any type of movement is recommended to maybe understand the spirit of it. Only at full volume.”
Here’s 5 takeaways from Tyler’s ‘DON’T TAP THE GLASS’
5. The rollout was hidden in plain sight
In the midst of his nationwide CHROMAKOPIA Tour, no one expected a new Tyler album. But during a recent show in Brooklyn, Tyler announced DON’T TAP THE GLASS through abstract statues and a hidden vinyl planted in his collection. His set design, which is modeled after a living room, features him sifting through vinyls onstage each night, broadcasted live on the arena’s Jumbotron. The vinyl for GLASS had been there in Brooklyn (was it there the entire tour?), and fans didn’t catch on until after the show. In just two days, DTTG arrived, as Tyler delivered his swiftest and slyest rollout yet—a move only he could pull off.
4. This is the shortest wait between Tyler albums ever
Tyler broke his own pattern again. Known for a two-year gap between releases since Bastard (2009), he’s now dropped projects in three consecutive years: Call Me If You Get Lost: The Estate Sale (2023), CHROMAKOPIA (2024), and DON’T TAP THE GLASS (2025). And just like CHROMA, he dropped this one on a Monday morning—continuing to reject the Friday music cycle. “I think music should be released on Tuesdays,” he told Nardwuar when CHROMAKOPIA dropped, citing how weekend distractions lead to “passive listening.” GLASS dropped 266 days after CHROMAKOPIA. It marks the shortest wait in his catalog, as Tyler continues to feed his fans and prioritize the quality of his music with a consistency that’s unmatched.
3. Tyler’s production keeps evolving
In typical Tyler fashion, the Hawthorne-raised artist is credited as the sole producer of all 10 tracks on DON’T TAP THE GLASS. It feels like Tyler takes a step forward here—not just incorporating sonic elements heard on past projects like CHERRY BOMB, IGOR and CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST, but elevating them entirely. Releasing a heavily-inspired dance record (and no, it’s not EDM, techno or house), Tyler’s production is not only experimental, but crisp and unapologetically his own. It’s loud and full of personality. You can spot Tyler’s signature sound from a mile away, and DON’T TAP THE GLASS is a calculated juxtaposition of hard-hitting raps, pitched melodies and late-90s, early 2000s nostalgia; these beats just feel alive. His take on “dance” music is not only refreshing, but is quintessentially The Creator.
2. It’s one of the most fun first listens in Tyler’s catalog
Tyler doesn’t take up too much of your time, and leaves no room for error on the 29-minute project. Prioritizing quality over quantity, DON’T TAP THE GLASS is a prime example of an album with no skips—there’s no fluff here. It begs to be replayed, and with 10 tracks barely reaching three minutes each, it’s clear Tyler found a lot of joy making this project; his passion is unprecedented. Animated raps, soulful hooks and unpredictable production choices make DON’T TAP THE GLASS an addicting spin every time you press play. Listen to a few of our favorite tracks like “I’ll Take Care Of You,” “Sugar On My Tongue,” “Stop Playing With Me,” “Ring Ring Ring” and “Don’t You Worry Baby.” The cameos from Clipse, LeBron James and Maverick Carter in the video for “Stop Playing With Me” adds another layer to the surprise nature of the record, also paying homage to LL Cool J and Ludacris, among others.
1. It’s made to dance, so don’t be afraid to
Tyler wants you to move your GL-ASS. In a note that accompanied the album’s release, Tyler wrote about how he feels dancing has become “a ghost” to the human experience because of the fear of “becoming a meme.” People don’t want to be filmed dancing in public, but to Tyler, dancing is a natural form of expression. So why are we so afraid? He recalls a listening party he went to where phones were not allowed. He felt free, and DON’T TAP THE GLASS is a fitting metaphor for living in the moment. “This album was not made for standing still… any type of movement is recommended to maybe understand the spirit of it. Only at full volume.”