"Sorry Not Sorry" is a song by American rapper Tyler, the Creator, released on March 27, 2023, as the second single (fourth overall) from the The Estate Sale deluxe version of his sixth studio album Call Me If You Get Lost (2021).

Background

On March 27, 2023, Tyler tweeted that his 2021 album Call Me If You Get Lost was his first album where he had many songs that did not make it onto the official release of the project. He said "some of those songs I really love, and knew they would never see the light of day, so Ive decided to put a few of them out [ sic]." Following the release of " Dogtooth", the song was released as the second single for the deluxe version of Call Me If You Get Lost. ^{[1] [2] [3] [4]}

Composition

"Sorry Not Sorry" features a "luscious combination of warm guitar progressions and soulful background vocals with an orchestral touch." ^[2] Lyrically, it finds Tyler, the Creator apologizing to many people for his flaws - his family (especially his mother), old friends and lovers for being remote and egoistic, ^{[5] [6]} the people he has tried to hide his sexuality from (also dealing with his struggles of coming into it), ^{[6] [7]} the Earth (for buying climate-destroying cars), ^[8] his old fans "who said I changed" ^{[2] [7]} and ancestors (for not properly honoring them). ^[8] Eventually, Tyler focuses on the successes in his career and dismissing the criticism. ^{[1] [6]}

Critical reception

Aron A. of HotNewHipHop gave the song a "Very Hottttt" rating and wrote, "The production serves as an excellent soundscape for his confessional of sorts." ^[2] Similarly, Jordan Darville of The Fader commented "The frayed, blown-out Dilla-ness of the beat is a nice detour for Tyler" and also called the music video "excellent as always". ^[3]

Music video

An official music video was directed by Tyler, the Creator himself and released alongside the single. It begins with velvet red curtains opening to a desert-set stage where multiple alter-egos of Tyler, every one of them representing him at a certain time of his music career through referencing an album of his, appearing in a before a tearful crowd. ^{[1] [6] [7] [9]} A shirtless Tyler appears alongside them, as each of them speak to the audience during the song. ^{[7] [10] [11] [12]} Throughout the video, each one of Tyler's personas suddenly disappear from the stage, the reason being that the rapper himself is taking them away and killing them. ^[6] In the end, the rapper attacks his alternate self Tyler Baudelaire (from the Call Me If You Get Lost era), viciously beating him to death. ^{[1] [6] [7] [11] [12]}

Charts

References