If you’ve been following Tyler, The Creator since the Bastard or Goblin days, you know the "absent father" narrative wasn't just a theme; it was a foundational grudge. For over a decade, fans watched Tyler scream into the void about a man who wasn't there. Then came CHROMAKOPIA. Specifically, then came "Like Him."
Honestly, it's the kind of song that makes you stop whatever you're doing. It’s not just a track; it’s a massive, tectonic shift in a story we thought we already knew the ending to. The Tyler, The Creator like him lyrics don't just explore daddy issues—they dismantle a fifteen-year-old mystery with a single, devastating confession from his mother, Bonita Smith.
The Ghost in the Mirror
The song opens with Bonita’s voice. She’s cataloging Tyler’s physical traits, and it feels uncomfortably intimate. She mentions his feet, his body, his long arms, and his "expressions." It’s a list of echoes. Tyler is a walking, breathing collage of a man he has never met.
The hook is where the existential dread kicks in. Tyler sings, "Mama, I'm chasin' a ghost / I don't know who he is."
Think about that for a second. Imagine looking in the mirror every morning and seeing a stranger’s chin, or a stranger's posture. You’re haunted by your own reflection.
- The Physicality: Tyler notes his legs, shoulders, and chin.
- The Performance: He captures how he "makes expressions" just like the man.
- The Conflict: He asks, "Do I look like him?" over and over, like a mantra.
The production is sparse, built on a haunting piano melody that feels like it’s floating in a dark room. It’s a far cry from the aggressive, synth-heavy Tyler of the early 2010s. This is grown-man music. It's vulnerable.
Why the Outro Changes Everything
For years, the story was simple: Tyler’s dad left. Tyler hated him. End of story. We saw it on the Wolf album cover and heard it in "Answer." But the outro of "Like Him" flips the script so hard it leaves you dizzy.
Bonita Smith comes back on the mic, and she doesn't hold back. She takes the blame. "It was my fault, not yours, not his," she says. She admits that Tyler’s father actually wanted to be there. She was young, she made choices, and she kept him away.
That is a heavy realization. Imagine spending your whole life hating a "ghost" only to find out the ghost was trying to reach you the whole time.
This isn't just "lyrics." It's a public reconciliation of a private trauma. Tyler acknowledges the love and protection his mother gave him, saying he "would never judge" her because everything worked out anyway. He’s successful, he’s wealthy, and he’s "everything [he] strove to be." But that lingering question—"Do I look like him?"—remains the emotional anchor.
Who is "Him"?
While Tyler has kept his father's identity relatively shielded from the circus of social media, the lyrics confirm the man's name is Walter Rose. In the past, Tyler has been vocal about not wanting to connect, but "Like Him" suggests a softening. Or at least, a crushing clarity.
Chasing a Ghost: A Deep Reflection
The "ghost" isn't just the father. It’s the version of Tyler that could have been if his father was around.
When he sings "I don't look like him" at the end of the third verse, it feels like he's trying to convince himself. He's trying to separate his identity from the DNA he can't escape. It's a fight for autonomy. You can hear the desperation in his voice when the harmonies kick in—Lola Young’s vocals add this layer of spectral beauty that makes the whole thing feel like a séance.
📖 Related: Pornstars that look like Sydney Sweeney: The Ones Fans Keep Comparing
"How could I ever miss somethin' that I'd never had?"
That line is the crux of the song. It’s the paradox of the absent parent. You can’t miss a person you don't know, but you can miss the idea of them. You can miss the "what if."
Impact on the Chromakopia Era
CHROMAKOPIA is an album about masks, heritage, and the fear of becoming your parents. "Like Him" is the heart of that exploration. While songs like "Noid" deal with the external pressure of fame, "Like Him" deals with the internal pressure of bloodlines.
The song has become a standout moment in his live shows. During the 2025-2026 tour cycle, Tyler’s performances of this track were notably stripped back. No pyrotechnics. No high-energy jumping. Just a man under a spotlight, grappling with his own face. Fans have noted that the crowd often falls silent during the outro—you can practically hear a pin drop when Bonita says, "He's a good guy."
What We Can Learn from the Lyrics
If you're dissecting the Tyler, The Creator like him lyrics for more than just the "vibes," there are some pretty heavy life lessons tucked between the bars.
- Identity is messy. You are more than your DNA, but you can't ignore it either. Tyler shows that you can be successful and "whole" while still having unanswered questions.
- Forgiveness is for the living. Tyler’s refusal to judge his mother, despite the "bomb" she dropped, shows a level of maturity that was nowhere to be found on his early records.
- The "Truth" is rarely one-sided. For fifteen years, we had one version of the story. One conversation changed it. It's a reminder that the stories we tell ourselves about our past are often incomplete.
The best way to experience "Like Him" isn't just reading the genius page; it's listening to it in the context of his entire discography. Go back and listen to "Answer" from Wolf, then play "Like Him." It’s the sound of a man finally stopped "chasing" and starting to understand.
To truly grasp the weight of this track, pay close attention to the vocal layering in the final minute. The way his voice blends with the instruments mirrors the way he’s trying to blend his own identity with the revelations about his past. It’s a masterpiece of vulnerability.
If you're looking to dive deeper into the CHROMAKOPIA lore, start by comparing the themes of "Like Him" to "Mother." It creates a dual-perspective narrative that gives you a much clearer picture of Tyler’s headspace during the recording process. This isn't just music—it's a document of a man finally meeting himself.