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With his debut mixtape, ‘Lil Boat,’ Lil Yachty fully shed the mumble rap label, transitioning from SoundCloud sensation to major label star.

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Lil Yachty’s debut mixtape, Lil Boat , is one of the pre-eminent releases of the SoundCloud era. Released on March 9, 2016, it made Lil Yachty a star, spawned multiple hits, and further legitimized the DIY-style rap that emerged at the beginning of the decade.

The Atlanta MC entered the crowded rapper-singer fray with a work that’s split into two distinct sides, seeing him grapple with dueling elements of his personality and career. The first half of Lil Boat sees Yachty flex his flow, while the second half finds him crooning in AutoTune. That may be a slightly reductive way to look at the collection (in reality, he does both throughout), but there’s certainly a kind of TI vs TIP split-personality concept to the whole affair. Yachty uses his style to demarcate who is who, and, despite his glee throughout, Lil Boat is a surprisingly subtle work for the chaotic time it represents.

Listen to the best of Lil Yachty on Apple Music and Spotify.

Lyrical Lemonade And Eminem Share New Music Video For ‘Doomsday 2’

A thin red line between love & hate: celebrating yg’s ‘my krazy life’, a standout work.

Yachty’s debut mixtape is a standout work for the usual reasons – great name, great cover, and two singles that will forever be associated with Yachty and the era from which he emerged: “One Night” and “Minnesota.”

As a title, Lil Boat was perfect. Serving two purposes at once, it created a fitting alt.moniker for the MC while helping a lot of people to pronounce his name (did you actually say it like “yacht”?). Nautical luxury isn’t the most commonly-evoked lifestyle in hip-hop (outside of Puffy), so that theme alone was enough to put Yachty in his own lane. And then there’s the artwork: not a yacht, barely even a boat; it’s basically a little wooden dinghy. Beautifully composed, the image looks like a classical painting, bordered in a red that matches Yachty’s hair. It’s almost Americana in tone – though Yachty’s music is anything but.

All hail “King Of The Youth”

Yachty may be poised and confident on that cover, but he’s also lost in the gloom at sea – an apt metaphor for the musical style he was leading. While not traditional in any sense, Yachty is honest with his emotions in a way that younger generations have always been, and Lil Boat found him attempting to navigate his way through the emotionally turbulent years of his late youth. Shortly after his breakout, Yachty would declare himself “King Of Teens” or, alternatively, “King Of The Youth.” This might have sounded ridiculous to adults who weren’t even sure how to pronounce his name, but those adults were no longer in charge. Lil Yachty was not part of some hip-hop assembly line; like other DIY pioneers before him, Yachty and his crew were making these songs at home, often in a matter of minutes.

Outside of the Vikings football team and Ice Cube ’s “What Can I Do?,” Minnesota doesn’t get name-checked very often in hip-hop. Simply naming a track after a state was seemingly in line with the aforementioned “half-Americana, half trolling” theme of Lil Boat – but, of course, the song isn’t actually about Minnesota. It’s more of a celebration of Lil Yachty’s arrival on the scene. The draw and significance of having both Quavo and Young Thug on a song in 2016 is hard to overstate, and their guest appearances turned “Minnesota” into a certified-gold hit. At the time, Quavo was just months away from releasing “Bad And Boujee,” while Thug was fresh off Barter 6 and in the middle of his Slime Season run. Together, he and Yachty appeared at Kanye West’s Yeezy Season 3 fashion show, on February 11, where The Life Of Pablo received its public unveiling. Just two days after releasing his debut mixtape, Yachty was at the epicenter of one of hip-hop’s biggest cultural shifts.

Unprecedented moves

Lil Boat was big enough that Burberry Perry – Yachty’s right-hand man at the time and the producer behind most of the mixtape – came under pressure from the fashion label Burberry and was forced to change his name. That wasn’t exactly an unprecedented move, but the speed with which it happened certainly was. It’s not often that an internationally renowned fashion house serves a cease-and-desist to a kid who got famous on the internet and was barely old enough to vote.

Perry’s production on Lil Boat ’s lead single, “One Night’ (Yachty’s best-known song to date), guided the way for the rest of the collection. Even the beats he didn’t produce fall right in line, all cascading bells, and whistles alongside keys that let you hear Yachty’s grin throughout.

Lil Yachty’s emergence closely resembles that of the Odd Future collective, who, years earlier, more or less launched DIY rap on the internet (depending on how you view Lil B’s rise to fame). Seemingly overnight, Yachty was partnering with Urban Outfitters and the aptly titled Nautica clothing brand. His rapid ascent would have sounded like fan fiction just a few years earlier but, after his breakout, many artists began following his path to fame on a regular basis.

Having hit it big in such a short space of time, Yachty wasn’t about to slow down. He went on to guest (and absolutely steal the show) on “Broccoli,” a DRAM song with a Yachty-perfect beat. As one of the stars in Quality Control ’s shining roster, Yachty was operating alongside some of the biggest acts in hip-hop. With Lil Boat, he fully shed the “mumble rap” label, completing the transition from SoundCloud sensation to major label star.

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Michigan Boy Boat

If you let rap classicists tell it, Lil Yachty's slurred melodies and occasional flippancy betrayed a lack of reverence for the culture. But that was always more about traditionalism than rap bona fides. His malleability is ample evidence of hip-hop connoisseurship. Whether he was adopting the triple-time flow alongside Offset and Lil Baby, or flaunting a Drakeo the Ruler–esque cadence alongside Remble, Lil Boat frequently turned his own songs into tributes to regional styles and sounds. Michigan Boy Boat is the boldest example. Released in 2021, the album sees Yachty work alongside artists and producers from Detroit and Flint, MI, some of the most innovative stylists of the 2010s. Over the course of 14 songs, Yachty oscillates between production and rap styles that embody the best the state has to offer. He sounds at home whether sliding across frenetic piano or bouncy synths, and he has a knack for absorbing the stylistic tics of his collaborators. For "Final Form," he cruises a Helluva production for a flex exhibition; it's not hard to imagine Detroit luminaries 42 Dugg and Tee Grizzley lacing the track with more outward flashes of machismo. Grizzley himself joins Yachty for "Dynamic Duo," another Helluva-produced track that evokes the energy of modern D-Town. Accosting ominously rumbling keys with BabyTron on "Hybrid," Yachty adopts the Tron's descending deadpan while letting loose quippy punchlines. "SB 2021" sees Yachty jump into the more jittery side of Michigan rap, using a rambling rhythm to match both collaborator Sada Baby and the skittering percussion. On "Plastic," he joins forces with Icewear Vezzo and Rio Da Yung Og, his braggadocio capturing their plainspoken authority. It's a chameleonic act built on a level of dexterity that naysayers would say Yachty didn't possess. Pulling from aesthetics from Detroit pioneers across generations, Yachty serves up a regional tribute at the intersection of adaptability and mutual respect.

April 23, 2021 14 Songs, 40 minutes Quality Control Music/Motown Records; ℗ 2021 Quality Control Music, LLC, under exclusive license to UMG Recordings, Inc.

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Michigan Boy Boat

By Alphonse Pierre

Quality Control / Motown

April 28, 2021

There has never been a bag Lil Yachty won’t shamelessly chase. Since the Atlanta rapper arrived in 2016 with his melodic mixtape Lil Boat , he has been equally known for brand shilling as his music. He hit a two-step with Carly Rae Jepsen in a Target ad . He reworked the lyrics for his grating breakout single “Minnesota” for a Sprite commercial . He devised a cursed Chef Boyardee jingle with Donny Osmond. He might have recorded the worst television theme song of all time. Currently he’s working on a movie based around the card game Uno. It’s a reflection of the current climate, where almost any rapper eligible to appear on the top three lines of a Rolling Loud bill is a brand.

It’s because of all this that I was initially skeptical of his longtime intermingling with the shit-talking characters of Michigan’s thriving street rap scene . Was he using them to make his music cool again? Or was this a genuine connection with a fast-growing movement that has long been underappreciated? Likely it was a bit of both. Songs like last year’s “Flintana” (with the animated Flint rappers RMC Mike , YN Jay , and Louie Ray ) and “Not Regular” (with Detroit’s robot-dancing Sada Baby ) not only revived Yachty as a rapper but also raised the profile of Michigan rap.

Yachty’s new mixtape, Michigan Boy Boat , is an earned celebration of this fruitful relationship. Though it’s important not to position Yachty as Michigan’s rap savior—the music in both Detroit and Flint is so singular that it would have ended up in Atlanta anyway—Yachty has undeniably helped speed up the process. The chemistry Yachty has built with many of the scene’s rappers is real. Yachty sounds comfortable on the posse cut “This That One,” among the patented darkly funny punchlines, grim piano melody, booming drums, and ominous church bells, but he is not the center of attention. He’s more like a host that paves the way for his compelling guests: KrispyLife Kidd beat a dude so bad he thought he got jumped, and YN Jay is selling dope to a customer who has a bald head like Bobby Lashley . Similarly on “Plastic,” Yachty takes a backseat to Eastside Detroit’s Icewear Vezzo and Flint’s Rio Da Yung OG : “My shooter got ADHD, he’ll kill you for a script of Addys/I was finna fuck my bitch mom, but I can hit the granny,” raps Rio, maybe the most unnecesarily batshit consecutive lines on a mixtape full of them.

But the mixtape struggles when the focus shifts to Yachty. He doesn’t have Mike’s commanding voice or Rio’s recklessness, the laid-back swag of Babyface Ray or the out-of-pocket insanity of YN Jay. It’s less noticeable when he’s bouncing off of them, but glaring on solo songs like “Final Form” and “Concrete Goonies,” which are tolerable only because of dynamic beats from mainstays of the scene Helluva and Enrgy. When Yachty invites Swae Lee into this world on “Never Did Coke,” it goes about as badly as when a melodic teenage rapper shows up on a radio freestyle show and they play a DJ Premier beat.

Sprinkled across the 14 tracks are moments where Yachty sounds at home: “How the hell is niggas gangsters graduatin’ from St. John’s?” he asks on “Hybrid,” and on “Dynamic Duo,” he raps “My old bitch was really old, born in ’86,” sending all the ’80s babies into an early mid-life crisis. His best performance of all is on “G.I. Joe,” which coincidentally is the only track on the tape not rooted in the Michigan style.

If you’re already familiar with the state’s street rap movement, Michigan Boy Boat doesn’t add anything new. It’ll be a real success if it leads new fans toward superior modern mixtapes like Babyface Ray’s MIA Season 2 , Rio Da Yung OG’s City on My Back , Drego and Beno ’s Sorry For the Get Off , Los ’ G Shit Vol. 1 , BandGang Lonnie Bands ’ KOD , and more. But for anyone searching for an entry point, it’s a fun introduction to the fast-paced instrumentals, unpredictable flows, and demented punchlines synyonmous with Detroit and Flint.

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• Ranking Catalogues

Ranking Every Lil Yachty Album, From Worst to Best

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In the unpredictable rap landscape, few artists have shifted their musical personas as consistently as Lil Yachty. From his breakout platinum single “One Night,” he has navigated an unconventional path, characterized by daring explorations and stark transformations in his musical style. His discography, though varied, reflects a restless creativity that’s not afraid of challenge or change.

His debut album, Teenage Emotions , emerged as an enigmatic puzzle, an eclectic mix of tracks that straddled both the familiar territories of trap and the uncharted waters of ’80s synth pop. Yachty’s subsequent albums, Lil Boat 2 and Nuthin’ 2 Prove , unveiled a grittier sound, with the Quality Control artist straddling between his charming goofiness and a newfound aggressiveness.

By the time Lil Boat 3 arrived, Yachty’s musical maturity was apparent, as he skillfully maneuvered between his signature braggadocio and unexpected depths of darkness. Yet, even this evolution paled in comparison to the audacious shift the Mableton-born rapper unveiled with Let’s Start Here . Swapping his mumble rap hat for a psychedelic soul guise, Yachty presented an audacious project that underscored his artistic versatility and penchant for risk-taking.

So let’s get into it. From his 2017 debut album, Teenage Emotions , to his latest release, 2023’s psychedelic-rock experiment Let’s Start Here , we rank every Lil Yachty album, from worst to best.

Nuthin’ 2 Prove

Released: October 19, 2018

Label: Quality Control, Capitol, Motown

Singles: “Who Want the Smoke?”

Features: Playboi Carti, Juice Wrld, Lil Baby, Young Nudy, Cardi B, Offset, Trippie Redd, Kevin Gates, and Gunna.

Nuthin’ 2 Prove feels like a contradiction in its execution, an album split between rap and melodic pop vibes, where Yachty seems to be in search of his distinctive voice. The first half brims with a menacing production that underpins a series of boasts and threats, hinting at an unfinished evolution from Lil Boat 2 . “Who Want the Smoke?” stands out, but mainly for the guest verses from Cardi B and Offset. The album’s second half fares better, with the Quality Control rapper reverting to his signature goofy-vulgar observations and appealingly straightforward sentiments. Despite its inconsistencies, the album suggests Yachty’s willingness to explore different styles in his quest to continually push the boundaries of what rap looks like.

Released: March 9, 2018

Singles: N/A

Features: Quavo, Offset, Lil Baby, 2 Chainz, Trippie Redd, Lil Pump, YoungBoy Never Broke Again and Tee Grizzley.

Following the commercial disappointment of Teenage Emotions , Lil Boat 2 sees Yachty take a more aggressive stance. This album seems to be Yachty’s attempt to assert his position in the rap game, delivering a more raw and rap-focused sound. His technical skills as a rapper are evident, and he manages to hold his own amidst guest appearances from heavyweights like Quavo, Offset, Tee Grizzley, and 2 Chainz. However, lyrically, he falls short of delivering a memorable punch. The softer, melodic cuts like “She Ready” and “Love Me Forever” offer glimpses of the endearing goofiness that originally defined Yachty’s charm. The album, while showcasing his adaptability, also underscores the need for Yachty to refine his lyrical abilities and embrace his unique identity.

Teenage Emotions

Released: May 26, 2017

Singles: “Harley”, “Peek a Boo”, “Bring It Back”, “X Men”

Features: Migos, YG, Kamaiyah, Stefflon Don, Diplo, Grace, and Sonyae Elise.

Riding high from the platinum success of “One Night,” Lil Yachty’s debut album, Teenage Emotions , is a rollercoaster ride through the rapper’s psyche. He pushes the boundaries of his mirthful persona, sometimes stumbling into territories that evade binary characterizations. There are courageous, though uneven, ventures into ’80s synth pop with tracks like “Bring It Back” and “Better”. Despite the album’s 70-minute expanse, Yachty’s boasts often rest on nondescript trap beats, signifying a period of exploration rather than concrete artistic definition. The freshman album offers an intriguing, if raw, glimpse into the enigma that is Lil Yachty.

Released: May 29, 2020

Singles: “Oprah’s Bank Account”, “Split/Whole Time”, “Coffin”

Features: Tierra Whack, ASAP Rocky, Tyler, the Creator, Future, Draft Day, DaBaby, Drake, Lil Keed, Young Thug, and Lil Durk.

As the grand finale of Yachty’s mixtape trilogy, Lil Boat 3 embodies an evolution in the rapper’s musicality. He steps out from behind the generic trap production and Auto-Tuned vocals of his past work, putting his lyrical prowess front and center. Yachty shines solo, yet isn’t afraid to share the spotlight with fellow rappers like Tyler, The Creator and A$AP Rocky. The album navigates through Yachty’s signature goofy braggadocio to moments of experimental darkness, offering a refreshing dynamism. Though bogged down by redundant tracks, Lil Boat 3 signals a promising growth in Yachty’s creative direction.

Let’s Start Here

Released: January 27, 2023

Label: Concrete, Quality Control, Motown

Features: N/A

In an audacious left turn, Let’s Start Here sees Yachty trading in his mumble rap credentials for a psychedelic soul odyssey. This project takes listeners on an unexpected trip through jazzy guitars, boisterous drums, and otherworldly synths, fearlessly traversing from the grandiose heights of “The Black Seminole” to the smooth rhythms of “The Ride” and beyond. Despite its ambitious genre-crossing, Yachty’s bold personality threads the album together into a cohesive whole. This novel experimentation paints the artist not just as a veteran Quality Control rapper, but as a versatile artist unafraid of vulnerability and eager to challenge the boundaries of his own creativity.

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