Tyler, the Creator’s Flower Boy is the most introspective album of his career so far. The record contains key lyric references, real life parallels, and running motifs that weave together to create a story of self-discovery.

Tyler’s vehicle of delivery throughout the album is just that—his car. Tyler uses driving as a metaphor for his journey through life—he raps about driving away from his problems and fears, almost crashing, switching gears, and touches on what owning a car means to him outside of, you know, getting somewhere. The car motif was also crucial to the narrative of fellow Odd Future alum Frank Ocean on Blonde.

This narrative forms the spine of the record, while the running garden and flower motifs represent Tyler’s personal growth and often tie in with lyrics that allude to his sexuality. These themes intersect at different points throughout the record and can not only be found within the lyrics, but in the final instrumental, music videos, and the album cover, too.

The first words Tyler raps on the album on “Foreward” set the tone for the album and reflect on his journey so far:

How many cars can I buy till I run out of drive?

How much drive can I have, until I run out of road?

How much road can they pave, until I run out of land?

How much land can it be until I run in the ocean?

This continues on bridge of “Where This Flower Blooms,” where he compares his journey to a flower blooming. It’s a similar message to Cherry Bomb’s “FIND YOUR WINGS,” as noted by Genius contributor Hojue:

While the only car reference on “Who Dat Boy” is to his McLaren: “Get out of my way, way, boy that’s McLaren / That’s 0 to 60 in 2 point nueve, I’m gone,” the McLaren is featured prominently at the end of the music video, presumably acting a segue into the next track, “Pothole.”

Tyler switches gears (literally) on “Pothole,” which contains the most driving-related lyrics on the album. Most of the first verse is about Tyler driving away from his problems and fears:

Now do I stay? Do I go? That’s my dilemma

And traffic is picking up, if I don’t leave I'ma get stuck (skrrt)

So I speed off, we talk barely and it seems awk-

-Ward, and I heard through some words that you off it

I got too much drive, don’t wanna steer off path

And crash and get distracted

But I listen to that weather man ‘cause it might rain

Keep my windshield wipers prepared 'cause y'all threw so much shade

Likewise, Jaden Smith’s chorus touches on “switching gears” and leaving problems behind you, but it comes with a warning—“watch out for the pothole”:

I had to switch the gears on ‘em

Fishtail in the rearview mir’ on ‘em (Skrrrrrt!)

I had to switch the gears on 'em

You know, swerve, left turn, steerin’ wheel on ‘em

Nigga that’s a pothole, watch out for the pothole

Watch out for the pothole, watch out for the pothole

Look out for the pothole, watch out for the pothole

Watch out for the pothole, watch out for the pothole

To close the third verse, we get an explicit indication that Tyler’s journey is taking place in his car:

I just want that garden and that Batmobile

Good health, success, time on earth worthwhileFind somebody who love me and raise a couple of lizards

But my vehicle’s good for now, that’s in a couple of miles

Now keep it pushin', nigga

Although there’s no driving references on “Garden Shed,” Tyler uses a garden shed as a representation of a hiding place, which draws parallels to the phrase “coming out of the closet.” Genius contributor lucidluxury breaks it down in an annotation:

Deeper into the album, Tyler’s journey in his car intersects with coming out of the “garden shed.” On “I Ain’t Got Time!,” Tyler raps about driving with a passenger who looks like River Phoenix. Genius contributor lucidluxury breaks it down in an annotation:

This continues on “911 / Mr. Lonely,” where Tyler reflects on crashing his McLaren and only buying cars to “fill the void” left by his loneliness:

Crashed the McLaren, bought me a Tesla

I know you sick of me talkin' ‘bout cars (skrrt)

But what the fuck else do you want from me?

That is the only thing keepin’ me company

Purchase some things until I’m annoyed

These items is fillin' the void

Been fillin' it for so long

I don’t even know if it’s shit I enjoy (ohh)

Current battle as an adult

My partner is a shadow

I need love, do you got some I could borrow?

Like “911 / Mr. Lonely,” the image of a broken down car is also present in the Flower Boy cover art, which depicts Tyler standing among a bed of sunflowers overlooking a valley where his broken down McLaren sits. In fact, his McLaren broke down for real. On April 25, 2016, Tyler was captured dancing in an L.A. street next to the car:

Finally, in the final six seconds of the “Enjoy Right Now Today” instrumental, as Genius contributor Fried Rice points out, you can hear the sound of someone getting out of a car and shutting the door.

It looks like Tyler has finally reached his destination, for now.

You can read all the lyrics to Flower Boy on Genius now.