lil yachty album features

With ‘Let’s Start Here,’ Lil Yachty Emerges as Music’s Boldest Creative Director

By Jeff Ihaza

Lil Yachty is rich. The 25-year-old musician posts TikToks featuring exotic Italian furniture, and goes vintage shopping with Drake. By the time he graduated high school, he’d already bought his mom a house. He caused a mild international incident with his viral hit “Poland,” a loosie released late last year in which he croons, with impossible sincerity, about bringing illegal pharmaceuticals into Poland. One couldn’t imagine a more charmed Gen Z existence. And yet, on “:(failure(:,” an early interlude from his left-turn of a new album, Let’s Start Here, he says that he’s “seen failure a few times/More recently than before, actually.”

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Cast in this new light, the quality that once made it hard for detractors to take him seriously has become Lil Yachty’s greatest strength. His playful vocal acrobatics, his freewheeling gestures into key ranges he might be less than suited for, create a listening experience rooted in feeling. So we open Let’s Start Here with “the BLACK seminole.,” in which Yachty sprinkles sparse musings from history. The title references Afro-Seminole people, free Africans who lived among Seminole groups in what is now Florida. Yachty’s idea fragments ooze together in the psychedelic groove, careful to keep the theoretical framework loose, allowing the words “Black” and “sex symbol” to float off into space carrying only as much weight as they need to. The statement retains potency in its aloofness. It isn’t unheard of to see rappers treading indie-rock terrain, though the efforts tend to have the sheen of corporate crossover. With instrumentation from Chairlift’s Patrick Wimberly, Yachty rolls in like a Black cowboy in a way that feels unforced. “A Black man with mouths to feed,” he whispers.

Oohs and ahhs stretch to the heavens with intention — like on standout “pRETTY,” which is already proving to be a hit on TikTok, and sounds like a slowed bedroom cut from the cult label Naked Music. Percussion rumbles gently over the staggering two-step, while a sensual, otherworldly warble breaks through the clouds like a ray of sunshine in spring. 

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You could call Let’s Start Here a rebuke of the notion that listeners have abandoned the full-length album. The record’s tight 57 minutes feel as cohesive a project as any artist has released in the streaming era. Yachty’s genuine adoration of his musical inspirations is like the Gen Z alchemy of Pinkpantheress, able to turn familiar source material into something entirely new. 

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Lil Yachty Enlisted An MGMT Member And Many Other Psychedelic Collaborators To Help Bring His New Album To Life

Fans are raving about Lil Yachty’s new album, Let’s Start Here . To some, the departure from his signature rap sound to the project’s psychedelic alternative rock core came as a surprise, but to the rapper and his die-hard fans, this was to be expected .

A year ago, as the musician discussed what he had planned for his next official studio project, he plainly told Atlanta jewelry store Icebox listeners should brace themselves because it would be “a non-rap album.”

Yachty went on to gush about the creative direction saying, “It’s alternative, it’s sick! I’ve always wanted to [do one], but now I’ve met all these amazing musicians and producers. It’s like a psychedelic-alternative project. It’s different, and it’s all live instrumentation. I’ve changed my entire dynamic. I’m telling you, with this album and on, I’m creating music a whole lot differently.”

Fast forward to today, and Let’s Start Here is available across streaming platforms, and the list of the musicians and producers that he worked with has been revealed. While Lil Yachty co-produced the entire album, the project features a list of heavy hitter guest producers, including Justin Raisen, Sad Pony, Patrick Wimberly, Unknown Mortal Orchestra’s Jacob Portrait, Nick Hakim, Magdalena Bay, and Jam City.

As far as writing credit goes, Lil Yachty has been the go-to rap pen for the new wave of rappers including the City Girls, but artists Mac DeMarco and Alex G are also given co-writing credit. During the initial announcement, Yachty did not list any guest vocal features. Still, after listening to the album, music buffs will recognize recording artists Foushée, Diana Gordon, Teezo Touchdown, and Justine Skye all made an appearance on it despite their names not being listed in the titles.

Details about the featured instrumentalist featured on the project are still being revealed, but one standout musical guest includes MGMT’s Ben Goldwasser, who played the keyboard on the album.

When discussing the inspiration behind the album and his robust approach, Yachty sternly replied, “I wanted to be taken seriously as an artist, not just some SoundCloud rapper. Not some mumble rapper, not just some guy that made one hit.”

View the official tracklist with unlisted guests added below.

1. “The Black Seminole” 2. “The Ride” Feat. Teezo Touchdown 3. “Running Out of Time” Feat. Justine Skye 4. “Pretty” Feat. Fousheé 5. “Failure” 6. “The Zone” Feat. Justine Skye 7. “We Saw the Sun!” 8. “Drive Me Crazy!” Feat. Diana Gordon 9. “I’ve Officially Lost Vision!!!!” Feat. Diana Gordon 10. “Say Something” 11. “Paint the Sky” 12. “Should I B?” 13. “The Alchemist” Feat. Fousheé 14. “Reach the Sunshine” Feat. Daniel Caesar

Let’s Start Here is out now via Quality Control. Get it here .

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How Lil Yachty Ended Up at His Excellent New Psychedelic Album Let's Start Here

By Brady Brickner-Wood

The evening before Lil Yachty released his fifth studio album,  Let’s Start Here,  he  gathered an IMAX theater’s worth of his fans and famous friends at the Liberty Science Center in Jersey City and made something clear: He wanted to be taken seriously. Not just as a “Soundcloud rapper, not some mumble rapper, not some guy that just made one hit,” he told the crowd before pressing play on his album. “I wanted to be taken serious because music is everything to me.” 

There’s a spotty history of rappers making dramatic stylistic pivots, a history Yachty now joins with  Let’s Start Here,  a funk-flecked psychedelic rock album. But unlike other notable rap-to-rock faceplants—Kid Cudi’s  Speedin’ Bullet 2 Heaven  comes to mind, as does Lil Wayne’s  Rebirth —the record avoids hackneyed pastiche and gratuitous playacting and cash-grabbing crossover singles; instead, Yachty sounds unbridled and free, a rapper creatively liberated from the strictures of mainstream hip-hop. Long an oddball who’s delighted in defying traditional rap ethos and expectations,  Let’s Start Here  is a maximalist and multi-genre undertaking that rewrites the narrative of Yachty’s curious career trajectory. 

Admittedly, it’d be easy to write off the album as Tame Impala karaoke, a gimmicky record from a guy who heard Yves Tumor once and thought: Let’s do  that . But set aside your Yachty skepticism and probe the album’s surface a touch deeper. While the arrangements tend toward the obvious, the record remains an intricate, unraveling swell of sumptuous live instruments and reverb-drenched textures made more impressive by the fact that Yachty co-produced every song. Fielding support from an all-star cast of characters, including production work from former Chairlift member Patrick Wimberly, Unknown Mortal Orchestra’s Jacob Portrait, Justin Raisen, Nick Hakim, and Magdalena Bay, and vocals from Daniel Caesar, Diana Gordon,  Foushée , Justine Skye, and Teezo Touchdown, Yachty surrounds himself with a group of disparately talented collaborators. You can hear the acute attention to detail and wide-scale ambition in the spaced-out denouement on “We Saw the Sun!” or on the blistering terror of “I’ve Officially Lost Vision!!!!” or during the cool romanticism of “Say Something.” Though occasionally overindulgent,  Let’s Start Here  is a spectacular statement from hip-hop’s prevailing weirdo. It’s not shocking that Yachty took another hard left—but how exactly did he end up  here ?

In 2016, as the forefather of “bubblegum trap” ascended into mainstream consciousness, an achievement like  Let’s Start Here  would’ve seemed inconceivable. The then 18-year-old Yachty gained national attention when a pair of his songs, “One Night” and “Minnesota,” went viral. Though clearly indebted to hip-hop trailblazers Lil B, Chief Keef, and Young Thug, his work instantly stood apart from the gritted-teeth toughness of his Atlanta trap contemporaries. Yachty flaunted a childlike awe and cartoonish demeanor that communicated a swaggering, unbothered cool. His singsong flows and campy melodies contained a winking humor to them, a subversive playfulness that endeared him to a generation of very online kids who saw themselves in Yachty’s goofy, eccentric persona. He starred in Sprite  commercials alongside LeBron James, performed live shows at the  Museum of Modern Art , and modeled in Kanye West’s  Life of Pablo  listening event at Madison Square Garden. Relishing in his cultural influence, he declared to the  New York Times  that he was not a rapper but an  artist. “And I’m more than an artist,” he added. “I’m a brand.”

 As Sheldon Pearce pointed out in his Pitchfork  review of Yachty’s 2016 mixtape,  Lil Boat , “There isn’t a single thing Lil Yachty’s doing that someone else isn’t doing better, and in richer details.” He wasn’t wrong. While Yachty’s songs were charming and catchy (and, sometimes, convincing), his music was often tangential to his brand. What was the point of rapping as sharply as the Migos or singing as intensely as Trippie Redd when you’d inked deals with Nautica and Target, possessed a sixth-sense for going viral, and had incoming collaborations with Katy Perry and Carly Rae Jepsen? What mattered more was his presentation: the candy-red hair and beaded braids, the spectacular smile that showed rows of rainbow-bedazzled grills, the wobbly, weak falsetto that defaulted to a chintzy nursery rhyme cadence. He didn’t need technical ability or historical reverence to become a celebrity; he was a meme brought to life, the personification of hip-hop’s growing generational divide, a sudden star who, like so many other Soundcloud acts, seemed destined to crash and burn after a fleeting moment in the sun.

 One problem: the music wasn’t very good. Yachty’s debut album, 2017’s  Teenage Emotions, was a glitter-bomb of pop-rap explorations that floundered with shaky hooks and schmaltzy swings at crossover hits. Worse, his novelty began to fade, those sparkly, cheerful, and puerile bubblegum trap songs aging like day-old french fries. Even when he hued closer to hard-nosed rap on 2018’s  Lil Boat 2  and  Nuthin’ 2 Prove,  you could feel Yachty desperate to recapture the magic that once came so easily to him. But rap years are like dog years, and by 2020, Yachty no longer seemed so radically weird. He was an established rapper making mid mainstream rap. The only question now was whether we’d already seen the best of him.

If his next moves were any indication—writing the  theme song to the  Saved by the Bell  sitcom revival and announcing his involvement in an upcoming  movie based on the card game Uno—then the answer was yes. But in April 2021, Yachty dropped  Michigan Boat Boy,  a mixtape that saw him swapping conventional trap for Detroit and Flint’s fast-paced beats and plain-spoken flows. Never fully of a piece with his Atlanta colleagues, Yachty found a cohort of kindred spirits in Michigan, a troop of rappers whose humor, imagination, and debauchery matched his own. From the  looks of it, leaders in the scene like Babyface Ray, Rio Da Yung OG, and YN Jay embraced Yachty with open arms, and  Michigan Boat Boy  thrives off that communion. 

 Then “ Poland ” happened. When Yachty uploaded the minute-and-a-half long track to Soundcloud a few months back, he received an unlikely and much needed jolt. Building off the rage rap production he played with on the  Birthday Mix 6  EP, “Poland” finds Yachty’s warbling about carrying pharmaceutical-grade cough syrup across international borders, a conceit that captured the imagination of TikTok and beyond. Recorded as a joke and released only after a leaked version went viral, the song has since amassed over a hundred-millions streams across all platforms. With his co-production flourishes (and adlibs) splattered across Drake and 21 Savage’s  Her Loss,  fans had reason to believe that Yachty’s creative potential had finally clicked into focus.

 But  Let’s Start Here  sounds nothing like “Poland”—in fact, the song doesn’t even appear on the project. Instead, amid a tapestry of scabrous guitars, searing bass, and vibrant drums, Yachty sounds right at home on this psych-rock spectacle of an album. He rarely raps, but his singing often relies on the virtues of his rapping: those greased-vowel deliveries and unrushed cadences, the autotune-sheathed vibrato. “Pretty,” for instance, is decidedly  not  a rap song—but what is it, then? It’s indebted to trap as much as it is ’90s R&B and MGMT, its drugged-out drums and warm keys able to house an indeterminate amount of ideas.

Yachty didn’t need to abandon hip-hop to find himself as an artist, but his experimental impulses helped him craft his first great album. Perhaps this is his lone dalliance in psych rock—maybe a return to trap is imminent. Or, maybe, he’ll make another 180, or venture deeper into the dystopia of corporate sponsorships. Who’s to say? For now, it’s invigorating to see Yachty shake loose the baggage of his teenage virality and emerge more fully into his adult artistic identity. His guise as a boundary-pushing rockstar isn’t a new archetype, but it’s an archetype he’s infused with his glittery idiosyncrasies. And look what he’s done: he’s once again morphed into a star the world didn’t see coming.

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Let’s Start Here.

By Alphonse Pierre

Quality Control / Motown

February 1, 2023

At a surprise listening event last Thursday,  Lil Yachty   introduced his new album  Let’s Start Here. , an unexpected pivot, with a few words every rap fan will find familiar: “I really wanted to be taken seriously as an artist, not just some SoundCloud rapper or some mumble rapper.” This is the speech rappers are obligated to give when it comes time for the drum loop to take a backseat to guitars, for the rapping to be muted in favor of singing, for the ad-libs to give it up to the background singers, and for a brigade of white producers with plaque-lined walls to be invited into the fold. 

Rap fans, including myself, don’t want to hear it, but the reality is that in large slices of music and pop culture, “rapper” is thrown around with salt on the tongue. Pop culture is powerfully influenced by hip-hop, that is until the rappers get too close and the hands reach for the pearls. If anything, the 25-year-old Yachty—as one of the few rappers of his generation able to walk through the front door anyway because of his typically Gushers-sweet sound and innocently youthful beaded braid look—might be the wrong messenger. 

What’s sour about Yachty’s statement isn’t the idea that he wants to be taken seriously as an artist, but the question of  who  he wants to be taken seriously by. When Yachty first got on, a certain corner of rap fandom saw his marble-mouthed enunciation and unwillingness to drool over hip-hop history as symbols of what was ruining the genre they claimed to love. A few artists more beholden to tradition did some finger-wagging— Pete Rock and  Joe Budden ,  Vic Mensa and  Anderson .Paak , subliminals from  Kendrick and  Cole —but that was years ago, and by now they’ve found new targets. These days, Yachty is respected just fine within rap. If he weren’t, his year-long rebirth in the Michigan rap scene, which resulted in the good-not-great  Michigan Boy Boat , would have been viewed solely as a cynical attempt to boost his rap bona fides. His immersion there felt earnest, though, like he was proving to himself that he could hang. 

The respect Yachty is chasing on  Let’s Start Here. feels institutional. It’s for the voting committees, for the suits; for  Questlove to shout him out as  the future , for Ebro to invite him  back on his radio show and say  My bad, you’re dope.  Never mind if you thought Lil Yachty was dope to start with: The goal of this album is to go beyond all expectations and rules for rappers.

And the big pivot is… a highly manicured and expensive blend of  Tame Impala -style psych-rock, A24 synth-pop, loungey R&B, and  Silk Sonic -esque funk, a sound so immediately appealing that it doesn’t feel experimental at all. In 2020, Yachty’s generational peers,  Lil Uzi Vert and  Playboi Carti , released  Eternal Atake and  Whole Lotta Red : albums that pushed forward pre-existing sounds to the point of inimitability, showcases not only for the artists’ raps but their conceptual visions. Yachty, meanwhile, is working within a template that is already well-defined and commercially successful. This is what the monologue was for? 

To Yachty’s credit, he gives the standout performance on a crowded project. It’s the same gift for versatility that’s made him a singular rapper: He bounces from style to style without losing his individuality. A less interesting artist would have been made anonymous by the polished sounds of producers like  Chairlift ’s Patrick Wimberly,  Unknown Mortal Orchestra ’s Jacob Portrait, and pop songwriters Justin and Jeremiah Raisen, or had their voice warped by writing credits that bring together  Mac DeMarco ,  Alex G , and, uh,  Tory Lanez . The production always leans more indulgent than thrilling, more scattershot than conceptual. But Yachty himself hangs onto the ideas he’s been struggling to articulate since 2017’s  Teenage Emotions : loneliness, heartbreak, overcoming failure. He’s still not a strong enough writer to nail them, and none of the professionals collecting checks in the credits seem to have been much help, but his immensely expressive vocals make up for it. 

Actually, for all the commotion about the genre jump on this project, the real draw is the ways in which Yachty uses Auto-Tune and other vocal effects as tools to unlock not just sounds but emotion. Building off the vocal wrinkle introduced on last year’s viral moment “ Poland ,” where he sounds like he’s cooing through a ceiling fan, the highlights on  Let’s Start Here. stretch his voice in unusual directions. The vocals in the background of his wistful hook on “pRETTy” sound like he’s trying to harmonize while getting a deep-tissue massage. His shrill melodies on “paint THE sky” could have grooved with  the Weeknd on  Dawn FM . The opening warble of “running out of time” is like Yachty’s imitation of  Bruno Mars imitating  James Brown , and the way he can’t quite restrain his screechiness enough to flawlessly copy it is what makes it original.

Too bad everything surrounding his unpredictable and adventurous vocal detours is so conventional. Instrumental moments that feel like they’re supposed to be weird and psychedelic—the hard rock guitar riff that coasts to a blissful finale in “the BLACK seminole.” or the slow build of “REACH THE SUNSHINE.”—come off like half-measures.  Diana Gordon ’s falsetto-led funk on “drive ME crazy!” reaches for a superhuman register, but other guest appearances, like  Fousheé ’s clipped lilts on “pRETTy” and  Daniel Caesar ’s faded howls on the outro, are forgettable. None of it is ever  bad : The synths on “sAy sOMETHINg” shimmer; the drawn-out intro and outro of “WE SAW THE SUN!” set the lost, trippy mood they’re supposed to; “THE zone~” blooms over and over again, underlined by  Justine Skye ’s sweet and unhurried melodies. It’s all so easy to digest, so pitch-perfect, so safe.  Let’s Start Here. clearly and badly wants to be hanging up on those dorm room walls with  Currents and  Blonde and  IGOR . It might just work, too. 

Instead, consider this album a reminder of how limitless rap can be. We’re so eager for the future of the genre to arrive that current sounds are viewed as restricting and lesser. But rap is everything you can imagine. I’m thinking about “Poland,” a song stranger than anything here: straight-up 1:23 of chaos, as inventive as it is fun. I took that track as seriously as anything I heard last year because it latches onto a simple rap melody and pushes it to the brink. Soon enough, another rapper will hear that and take it in another direction, then another will do the same. That’s how you really get to the future. 

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Lil Yachty’s Great Gig in the Sky

Since the release of his Lil Boat mixtape in 2016, Lil Yachty has cultivated a peculiar rap career that has benefited from versatile musical interests. The Atlanta rapper, singer, and producer’s early work juggled booming southern trap drums, gauzy synths, unclearable samples , and melodic sensibilities on loan from children’s television. Shifting listlessly between disaffected snark and sweet repose, the best songs answered the question of what Brian Wilson’s teenage symphonies might’ve sounded like if he’d grown up hanging around the Migos. On future projects, Yachty leaned into the gruff anthems of his labelmates on Atlanta’s Quality Control Music, toughening up on 2018’s Lil Boat 2 in some of the ways Drake did on Scorpion the same year, this after dividing critics and listeners with the synthpop and reggae excursions on Yachty’s 2017 debut studio album Teenage Emotions .

Restlessness saves his catalog from the pedestrian work of peers chasing the sound of a beloved early mixtape. Lil Yachty is always up to something , quietly penning an undisclosed piece of the City Girls smash “Act Up,” or producing a chunk of Drake and 21 Savage’s Her Loss , or logging an unlikely chart hit about sneaking promethazine through customs . He’s a lightning rod for guys who see a new wave of absurdists and crooners as a displacement of rap traditionalism (rather than a continuation of a detailed history within it); he knows what the fans are into and where they’re getting into it online, so accusations about his music ruining hip-hop are complicated by every unforeseen success. The work varies greatly in style as well as quality, but being difficult to pin down also buys him freedom to make unusual plays.

Let’s Start Here , his fifth album and first full-length excursion into psychedelic rock, didn’t spawn entirely from nowhere, and not just because it sprung a leak under the name Sonic Beach a few weeks back. His appearance on a remix for Tame Impala’s Slow Rush jam “Breathe Deeper” hits a few of the markers the new album visits: the taste for psychotropic drugs and the interaction between the shimmering sound achieved by an elaborate pedal board and raps that feel both lightly thought through and also spirited and spontaneous. The first song, “The Black Seminole,” outlines the project’s guiding ethos, from its burbling, delay-drenched analog-synthesizer sound to the trippy changes and show-stopping vocal performance by “Bad Habit” co-writer Diana Gordon — all of which amount to an attempt to jam every idea housed in Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon into a single seven-minute performance. Bolstered by memorable spots from Gordon (who gives the Clare Torry screams in “Failure” and “Seminole” her all), Fousheé (whose softCORE album served rockers like “Die” and “Bored” that share Yachty’s love of walls of noise), and Justine Skye, the new album makes more space for women in its love songs than most rappers percolating on the charts tend to care to now. (Note also the presence of one Daystar Peterson in the credits as a co-writer on “Paint the Sky.”)

Let’s Start Here journeys back in time and out to space and sometimes up its own ass. It’s a drug odyssey that delightfully defies expectations whenever it’s not overindulging, taking its adulation for its influences from pastiche to parody, pushing its sound from psych to cacophony. Much will be made of Kevin Parker’s impact here, because Tame is also a project about savvily jumbling ideas from other eras and getting synthesizers to feel as delicately enveloping as puffs of smoke. It’s also an oversimplification of the scope of Let’s Start Here to call it Lil Yachty’s Tame album. Patrick Wimberly co-produced every song, and the snap of the drum sound and the flair for gooey horn accompaniment are assets Chairlift — Wimberly’s former group with Caroline Polachek and Aaron Pfenning — used to employ. U.K. producer Jam City and Yves Tumor collaborator Justin Raisen sat in on a lot of these, too; the maximalist sonics and the mix of love songs and acid-addled horror here are both a result of its pick of personnel and an authentic re-creation of the wild fluctuations of a lurid trip.

Its intriguing bio- and band chemistry are Let’s Start Here ’s gift and curse. “Running Out of Time” kicks off with drums that feel like Thundercat’s “Them Changes” (which, in turn, feels like Paul McCartney’s “Arrow Through Me”) and a bubbly bass line evoking “Lovely Day” by Bill Withers. Pushing through to a gorgeous bridge, matching vocals with Skye, Yachty pokes out from under the shadow of his forebears and delivers one of the finest bits of music he’s ever made. The blissed out “The Ride” plants the Texas rapper Teezo Touchdown into a wobbly groove that could’ve fit into last year’s Yeah Yeah Yeahs album. It feels like both songs could collapse at any moment, hanging a sharp turn into an unflattering section wrecking the momentum they built. Equally prone to swift tense shifts and long detours, Let’s Start Here meanders a great deal between highlights, raining sheets of sound that soak and weigh down the delicate grooves it’s trying to build. “Paint the Sky” sounds like a radio hit dropped into a flooded pit cave. These songs sink or swim on Lil Yachty’s ability to steady himself amid a maelstrom of phase-shifted guitars, delay-kissed drums, and synths shrouded in reverb. He’s a good study and a great hook man, but the novelty of some of his experiments wear off as ideas repeat and choruses get smothered. The less they tinker, the better.

Restraint guides Let’s Start Here to a few of its most sublime moments. “Pretty” will draw comparisons to Childish Gambino’s Awaken My Love! and the hit slow jam “Redbone,” but the drum programming recalls the stuff Prince did with the LinnDrum and the vocal performances feel inspired by cloud rap, a sensibility teased out in a cocky, carefree verse by Fousheé . “Say Something” strikes gold coolly poking around the pillowy synth pads and echoing drums of ’80s pop in the same way recent albums from the Weeknd picked up where Daft Punk left off in marrying dueling interests in 20th- and 21st-century popular music. “Pretty” and “Say Something” keep things relatively simple, stacking a few complementary ideas on top of each other and allowing space to breathe. (Other producers might abuse the clav hits in the latter for the old-school feel they bring, but this group lets them drift in and out of frame, recalling the minimalist trap lullabies on the back end of Lil Boat .) The noisier and less structurally sturdy cuts that surround them feel like the jams a band works through on the way to more refined compositions, before taking them on the road where they grow new layers of sound and significance. Let’s Start Here begs to be untangled in a live setting the way artists drawn to the tactile and communal experience of music tend to, allowed to drift over warm air, playing during the sunny days and reckless nights it describes.

Maybe this album is the new beginning its title implies, a first step toward tighter songcraft on the horizon, and maybe Yachty will pop back up in six to 18 months’ time on some different shit entirely, as is often his tendency. The new record finds him sniffing around the same intersections of pop, rock, psych, and soul as “Bad Habit” or Frank Ocean’s “Pretty Sweet,” sacrificing the brevity of his hits for a purposeful sensory overload, which sometimes works in his favor but sometimes encumbers tracks that ought to seem weightless. It is important for young artists to get the space to grow and change and eat mushrooms and make weird but enthusiastic indie-rock music.

Let’s Start Here fits into a long tradition of pleasant curveballs from rappers, unheralded classics like Q-Tip’s Kamaal the Abstract, side projects like the Beastie Boys and Suicidal Tendencies offshoot BS2000 , imperfect genre excursions like Kid Cudi’s WZRD , and effortless R&B pivots like Tyler, the Creator’s Igor . Yachty is stumbling down well-trod pathways, learning lessons imparted on generation after generation of listeners ever since Pink Floyd’s international breakthrough 50 years ago and taking metaphysical journeys endeavored since humans first discovered fungi and plants that made them see sounds and smell colors. The sharpest songs here could go toe-to-toe with the best in the artist’s back catalog, and the worst ones sound like excitable demos for various guitar pedals. Let’s Start Here isn’t Lil Yachty’s greatest work, but it goes over better than the pitch — “Poland” guy does shrooms and jams on instruments — implied it might. And if shoegaze-adjacent rockers like “I’ve Officially Lost Vision” and sound experiments like the one at the end of “We Saw the Sun” drone-pill even a fraction of the audience, it was all worth it.

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Music Features

Lil yachty's delightfully absurd path to 'let's start here'.

Matthew Ramirez

LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 29: Lil Yachty performs on the Stage during day 2 of Camp Flog Gnaw Carnival 2017 at Exposition Park on October 29, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. Rich Fury/Getty Images hide caption

LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 29: Lil Yachty performs on the Stage during day 2 of Camp Flog Gnaw Carnival 2017 at Exposition Park on October 29, 2017 in Los Angeles, California.

Lil Yachty often worked better as an idea than a rapper. The late-decade morass of grifters like Lil Pump, amidst the self-serious reign of Future and Drake (eventual Yachty collaborators, for what it's worth), created a demand for something lighter, someone charismatic, a throwback to a time in the culture when characters like Biz Markie could score a hit or Kool Keith could sustain a career in one hyper-specific lane of rap fandom. Yachty fulfilled the role: His introduction to many was through a comedy skit soundtracked by his viral breakout "1 Night," which tapped into the song's deadpan delivery and was the perfect complement for its sleepy charm. The casual fan knows him best for a pair of collaborations in 2016: as one-half of the zeitgeist-defining single "Broccoli" with oddity D.R.A.M., or "iSpy," a top-five pop hit with backpack rapper Kyle. Yachty embodied the rapper as larger-than-life character — from his candy-colored braids to his winning smile — and while the songs themselves were interesting, you could be forgiven for wondering if there was anything substantial behind the fun, the grounds for the start of a long career.

As if to supplement his résumé, Yachty seemed to emerge as a multimedia star. Perhaps you remember him in a Target commercial; heard him during the credits for the Saved by the Bell reboot; spotted him on a cereal box; saw him co-starring in the ill-fated 2019 sequel to How High . TikTok microcelebrity followed. Then the sentences got more and more absurd: Chef Boyardee jingle with Donny Osmond; nine-minute video cosplaying as Oprah; lead actor in an UNO card game movie. Somewhere in a cross-section of pop-culture detritus and genuine hit-making talent is where Yachty resides. That he didn't fade away immediately is a testament to his charm as a cultural figure; Yachty satisfied a need, and in his refreshingly low-stakes appeal, you could imagine him as an MTV star in an alternate universe. Move the yardstick of cultural cachet from album sales to likes and he emerges as a generation-defining persona, if not musician.

Early success and exposure can threaten anyone's career, none so much as those connected to the precarious phenomenon of SoundCloud rap. Yachty's initial peak perhaps seeded his desire years later to sincerely pursue artistry with Let's Start Here , an album fit for his peculiar trajectory, because throughout the checks from Sprite and scolding Ebro interviews he never stopped releasing music, seemingly to satisfy no one other than himself and the generation of misfits that he seemed to be speaking for.

But to oversell him as a personality belittles his substantial catalog. Early mixtapes like Lil Boat and Summer Songs 2 , which prophetically brought rap tropes and pop sounds into harmony, were sustained by the teenage artist's commitment to selling the vibe of a track as he warbled its memorable hook. It was perhaps his insistence to demonstrate that he could rap, too, that most consistently pockmarked his output during this period. These misses were the necessary growing pains of a kid still finding his footing, and through time and persistence, a perceived weakness became a strength. Where his peers Lil Uzi Vert and Playboi Carti found new ways to express themselves in music, Yachty dug in his heels and became Quality Control's oddball representative, acquitting himself on guest appearances and graduating from punchline rapper to respectable vet culminating in the dense and rewarding Lil Boat 3 from 2020, Yachty's last official album.

Which is why the buzzy, viral "Poland" from the end of 2022 hit different — Yachty tapped back into the same lively tenor of his early breakthroughs. The vibrato was on ten, the beat menaced and hummed like a broken heater, he rapped about taking cough syrup in Poland, it was over in under two minutes and endlessly replayable. Yachty has already lived a full career arc in seven years — from the 2016 king of the teens, to budding superstar, to pitchman, to regional ambassador. But following "Poland" with self-aware attempts at similar virality would be a mistake, and you can't pivot your way to radio stardom after a hit like that, unless you're a marketing genius like Lil Nas X. How does he follow up his improbable second chance to grab the zeitgeist?

#NowPlaying

Lil yachty, 'poland'.

Let's Start Here is Lil Yachty's reinvention, a born-again Artist's Statement with no rapping. It's billed as psychedelic rock but has a decidedly accessible sound — the sun-kissed warmth of an agreeable Tame Impala song, with bounce-house rhythms and woozy guitars in the mode of Magdalena Bay and Mac DeMarco (both of whom guest on the album) — something that's not quite challenging but satisfying nonetheless. Contrast with 2021's Michigan Boy Boat , where Yachty performed as tour guide through Michigan rap: His presence was auxiliary by function on that tape, as he ceded the floor to Babyface Ray, Sada Baby and Rio Da Yung OG; it was tantalizing curation, if not a work of his own personal artistry. It's tempting to cast Let's Start Here as another act of roleplay, but what holds this album together is Yachty's magnetic pull. Whether or not you're someone who voluntarily listens to the Urban Outfitters-approved slate of artists he's drawing upon, his star presence is what keeps you engaged here.

Yachty has been in the studio recording this album since 2021, and the effort is tangible. He didn't chase "Poland" with more goofy novelties, but he also didn't spit this record out in a month. Opener (and highlight) "The Black Seminole" alternates between Pink Floyd and Jimi Hendrix-lite references. It's definitely a gauntlet thrown even if halfway through you start to wonder where Yachty is. The album's production team mostly consists of Patrick Wemberly (formerly of Chairlift), Jacob Portrait (of Unknown Mortal Orchestra), Jeremiah Raisen (who's produced for Charli XCX, Sky Ferreira and Drake) and Yachty himself, who's established himself as a talented producer since his early days. (MGMT's Ben Goldwasser also contributed.) The group does a formidable job composing music that is dense and layered enough to register as formally unconventional, if not exactly boundary-pushing. Yachty frequently reaches for his "Poland"-inspired uber-vibrato, which adds a bewitching texture to the songs, placing him in the center of the track. Other moments that work: the spoken-word interlude "Failure," thanks to contemplative strumming from Alex G, and "The Ride," a warm slow-burn that coasts on a Jam City beat, giving the album a lustrous Night Slugs moment. "I've Officially Lost Vision" thrashes like Yves Tumor.

Yet the best songs on Let's Start Here push Yachty's knack for hooks and snaking melodies to the fore and rely less on studio fireworks — the laid-back groove of "Running Out of Time," the mournful post-punk of "Should I B?" and the slow burn of "Pretty," which features a bombastic turn from vocalist Foushee. That Yachty's vaunted indie collaborators were able to work in simpatico with him proves his left-of-center bonafides. It's a reminder that he's often lined his projects with successful non-rap songs, curios like "Love Me Forever" from Lil Boat 2 and "Worth It" from Nuthin' 2 Prove . That renders Let's Start Here a less startling turn than it may appear at first glance, and also underlines his recurring talent for making off-kilter pop music, a gift no matter the perceived genre.

At a listening event for the record, Yachty stated: "I created [this] because I really wanted to be taken seriously as an artist. Not just some SoundCloud rapper, not some mumble rapper. Not some guy that just made one hit," seemingly aware of the culture war within his own genre and his place along the spectrum of low- to highbrow. To be sure, whether conscious of it or not, this kind of mentality is dismissive of rap music as an artform, and also undermines the good music Yachty has made in the past. Holing up in the studio to make digestibly "weird" indie-rock with a cast of talented white people isn't intrinsically more artistic or valid than viral hits or a one-off like "Poland." But this statement scans less as self-loathing and more as a renewed confidence, a tribute to the album's collective vision. And people like Joe Budden have been saying "I don't think Yachty is hip-hop " since he started. So what if he wants to break rank now?

Lil Yachty entered the cultural stage at 18, and has grown up in public. It adds up that, now 25, he would internalize all the scrutiny he's received and wish to cement his artistry after a few thankless years rewriting the rules for young, emerging rappers. Let's Start Here may not be the transcendent psychedelic rock album that he seeks, but it is reflective of an era of genreless "vibes" music. Many young listeners likely embraced Yachty and Tame Impala simultaneously; it tracks he would want to bring these sounds together in a genuine attempt to reach a wider audience. Nothing about this album is cynical, but it is opportunistic, a creation in line with both a shameless mixed-media existence and his everchanging pop alchemy. The "genre" tag in streaming metadata means less than it ever has. Credit to Yachty for putting that knowledge to use.

Lil Yachty Reveals AI-Generated Album Cover for ‘Let’s Start Here,’ Depicting Demented Boardroom of Executives

By Yousef Srour

Yousef Srour

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Lil Yachty has revealed the artwork and release date for his forthcoming album, “Let’s Start Here,” set to debut Jan. 27 on Quality Control Music and Motown Records.

Ever the provocateur, the rapper’s new cover art previews an AI-generated image of what seems to be seven executives sitting next to each other in suits. With malformed faces akin to a psychedelic trip down the rabbit hole, the artwork seems unremarkable upon first glance. However, the longer you stare at their faces, they look inhuman, with contorted facial features and warped smiles.

Popular on Variety

In an interview with Icebox last year , the “ Minnesota ” rapper has expressed that his “new album is a non-rap album,” hence the second chapter that he alludes to in his Instagram post. Yachty explains: “It’s alternative, it’s sick!” After recently collaborating with artists such as Tame Impala, he’s been in the process of creating a “psychedelic alternative project… [with] all live instrumentation.”

Slowly shedding major label support, Yachty now has his own label and creative consultant company, Concrete Records and Concrete Family, respectively. Working closely with Concrete Family, Yachty teamed up with the General Mills cereal brand in 2020 for a limited collaboration with Reese’s Puffs and has an undisclosed sneaker set to be released at a later date. Similar to his 2021 mixtape, “Michigan Boat Boy,” which featured almost solely Detroit artists including Rio Da Yung OG and Babyface Ray, Yachty plans to also release a mixtape with the Concrete Boys collective sometime this year.

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‘Let’s Start Here’ is a reset for Lil Yachty’s sound

Lil Yachty reinvents his sound in “Let’s Start Here,” but his lyrics show that old habits die hard.

Aaliya Luthra

Lil Yachty’s newest psychedelic-rock album features 14 tracks including “the BLACK seminole.” and “The Alchemist.”(Illustration by Aaliya Luthra)

Sandy Battulga , Music Editor February 2, 2023

Since the release of hit singles “One Night” and “Minnesota,” Lil Yachty has based his lucrative musical career on mumble rap, a genre often defined by its simple rhymes and prevalence on SoundCloud . Lil Yachty — whose real name is Miles Park McCollum — has maintained that being known as a SoundCloud rapper is not enough for him. 

“I’m not a rapper — I’m an artist,” he said to The New York Times in a 2016 interview . “And I’m more than an artist. I’m a brand.” 

In his new album “Let’s Start Here,” Lil Yachty breaks out of the constraints of SoundCloud mumble rap once and for all. Sound-wise, the album is rooted in psychedelic rock. The first track, “the BLACK seminole.,” has a reverberating bass line that sweeps across the entire song, providing a syrupy tone that coats the rest of the album. Lil Yachty has cited Pink Floyd as a major inspiration for this album. This influence is especially evident in “the BLACK seminole.,” which features a virtuosic guitar solo, fast-paced synthesizer melody and epic vocal aria. 

This album experiments with composition and ambient soundscapes in an intriguing way. The fifth track, “:(failure(:,” showcases cavernous drones and guitar chords, over which Lil Yachty speaks, ruminating on failure and what it’s like to be “rich and famous.” The song was written in part by Alex G and Mac DeMarco, so it has a psychedelic and almost spiritual sound. For every serene moment in “Let’s Start Here,” however, “IVE OFFICIALLY LOST ViSiON!!!!” is a track filled with the chaos to match. The song touches on classical music, glitch music, hard rock and R&B — all within its runtime of just over five minutes. The song ends with an air of calm though, with a minute-long recording of a person walking outside, while a string section plays a meditative composition. “Let’s Start Here” leaves no stone unturned, exhibiting varying levels of intensity and pacing that make the album a feast for the ears.

Although the diversity of sound in the album is exciting and original, its lyrical content doesn’t break away from the mumble rap mold nearly as much as it could. Lil Yachty is known for his music’s refreshingly youthful and goofy perspective, but this lyric construction strategy seems out of place amid the more mature and developed sonic environment he established in “Let’s Start Here.” The album has the beginnings of a more introspective and thoughtful reflection on his life compared to his previous work, but Lil Yachty’s muscle memory of writing simple rhymes that revel in adolescence seems to overtake the full realization of a truly contemplative tone. 

“The Alchemist,” for example, is the second to last track, and it depicts two different characters: one cocky and one vulnerable. Lil Yachty returns to his background in mumble rap, energetically delivering lines like, “No need to brag, but I knew that I was built for this / I know now that most men would kill for this / Seamlessly, I walk around infamous” and “Papa made a young pimp, I’m outside / Southside, tote a shank, I’ma up rank / Lemonade pink seats in a fish tank.” These verses ooze the positivity that Lil Yachty is known for, providing a familiar tone to fans that were originally attracted to the artist because of his easy confidence. In between the rapper’s verses, though, R&B singer Fousheé provides a different attitude, softly singing, “It feels good / Don’t need no harm, this for shits and giggles / My taxes in on time” and “​​Up on my cloud / My feet don’t touch the ground / Don’t try to shoot me down / I’m only a human / It’s my first go ’round in this thing.” She articulates sentiments that Lil Yachty doesn’t usually associate himself with such as sensitivity and domesticity. This song offers listeners insight, if brief, into the Lil Yachty behind the curated brand he has built around himself. 

Most of the songs on the album revolve around a boyish infatuation with women, like in “WE SAW THE SUN!” Once again, the instrumentation is what keeps the listener’s attention. A hypnotic guitar introduces the track, and Lil Yachty’s voice is fragmented into a rhythmic accompaniment. The song ends with a snippet of Bob Ross speaking: “Just let your imagination run wild, let your heart be your guide / In the time you sit around worrying about it and trying to plan a painting, you could’ve completed a painting already.” But the lyrics of this track don’t measure up against the complexities of its composition. Lil Yachty’s verses are juvenile, still reflecting his past projects: “Few more drops up on your tongue / At night, too many that can’t be undone / Head spun, meanwhile, you’re done / Had a little too much fun / I cannot stop touching you / This just took my high to the moon.” 

Despite the lack of development in his lyricism, Lil Yachty has showcased incredible dexterity in shaping this album’s sonic landscape. The last track of “Let’s Start Here” indicates that more complex lyrics may be on the way. “REACH THE SUNSHINE” features Daniel Caesar, who starts the song off with an interpolation of Radiohead’s “Pyramid Song.” “Staring in the mirror and what do I see? / A three-eyed man staring back at me / Two for the flesh and one for the soul / But where did man go? I’m tryna fill that hole,” the song drones. The track ends on the fourth note of the scale instead of the tonic, so it leaves the track — and the album — unresolved. The listener walks away craving more, but thankfully — as the title of this album suggests — this new era of Lil Yachty is just getting started.

Contact Sandy Battulga at [email protected] .

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Sandy is a sophomore double-majoring in comparative literature and social and cultural analysis. When she's not complaining about her love-hate relationship...

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Let’s Start Here.

January 27, 2023 14 Songs, 57 minutes Quality Control Music/Motown Records; ℗ 2023 Quality Control Music, LLC, under exclusive license to UMG Recordings, Inc.

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Yachty's new album 'Let's Start Now' is a major pivot for the rapper-singer.

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Someone has sparked a blunt in the planetarium.

It may be a school night, but no one has come to the Liberty Science Center in Jersey City, N.J., to learn. Instead, the hundreds of fans packed into the domed theater on Jan. 26 have come to hear Lil Yachty’s latest album as he intended: straight through — and with an open mind. Or, as Yachty says with a mischievous smile: “I hope y’all took some sh-t.”

For the next 57 minutes and 16 seconds, graphics of exploding spaceships, green giraffes and a quiet road through Joshua Tree National Park accompany Yachty’s sonically divergent — and at this point, unreleased — fifth album , Let’s Start Here. For a psychedelic rock project that plays like one long song, the visual aids not only help attendees embrace the bizarre, but also function as a road map for Yachty’s far-out trip, signaling that there is, in fact, a tracklist.

It’s a night the artist has arguably been waiting for his whole career — to finally release an album he feels proud of. An album that was, he says, made “from scratch” with all live instrumentation. An album that opens with a nearly seven-minute opus, “the BLACK seminole.,” that he claims he had to fight most of his collaborative team to keep as one, not two songs. An album that, unlike his others, has few features and is instead rich with co-writers like Mac DeMarco, Nick Hakim, Alex G and members of MGMT, Unknown Mortal Orchestra and Chairlift. An album he believes will finally earn him the respect and recognition he has always sought.

“I did what I really wanted to do, which was create a body of work that reflected me,” says a soft-spoken Yachty the day before his listening event. “My idea was for this album to be a journey: Press play and fall into a void.”

Sitting in a Brooklyn studio in East Williamsburg not far from where he made most of Let’s Start Here in neighboring Greenpoint, it’s clear he has been waiting to talk about this project in depth for some time. Yachty is an open book, willing to answer anything — and share any opinion. (Especially on the slice of pizza he has been brought, which he declares “tastes like ass.”) Perhaps his most controversial take at the moment? “F-ck any of the albums I dropped before this one.”

Read Lil Yachty’s full Billboard cover story here . Lil Yachty, presented by Doritos, will perform at Billboard Presents The Stage at SXSW on March 16 .

Penske Media Corp. is the largest shareholder of SXSW; its brands are official media partners of SXSW.

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Lil Yachty, the self-proclaimed “King of the Teens,” has carved a unique lane for himself in the world of hip-hop. With his infectious energy, melodic flows, and vibrant personality, Yachty has become one of the most polarizing figures in the rap game. And what better way to dive into his artistic journey than by exploring his discography?

From the early days of “Lil Boat” to his most recent releases like “Lil Boat 3.5,” Lil Yachty has consistently pushed the boundaries of his sound, creating a catalog that is as diverse as it is experimental. Each album offers a glimpse into his ever-evolving creative mind, showcasing his ability to seamlessly blend elements of trap, pop, and alternative rap.

At the forefront of our Lil Yachty Album: Top 9 List is his debut mixtape, “Lil Boat.” Released in 2016, this project introduced the world to Yachty’s signature style, filled with joyful melodies and youthful exuberance. It was a breakout moment for the young artist, setting the stage for his subsequent releases.

As we journey through his discography, we encounter gems like “Summer Songs 2,” a project that solidified Yachty’s status as a hitmaker. With tracks like “Minnesota” and “Wanna Be Us,” this album showcased his knack for crafting catchy hooks and anthems that resonated with his young fanbase.

Then there’s “Teenage Emotions,” an album that delves deeper into Yachty’s personal experiences and emotions. With tracks like “Better” and “Forever Young,” he explores the complexities of youth and the struggles of growing up in the spotlight.

Moving forward, we have “Lil Boat 2,” a project that sees Yachty embracing a more aggressive and trap-influenced sound. He proves his versatility as an artist while collaborating with heavyweights like Quavo, Offset, and 2 Chainz.

Yachty’s discography also boasts albums like “Nuthin’ 2 Prove,” “Michigan Boy Boat,” and “Let’s Start Here,” each representing different phases in his career and showcasing his growth as an artist.

So let’s get into it. From the early days of “Lil Boat” to the latest offerings like “Lil Boat 3.5,” here are Lil Yachty’ Albums:

9. Lil Boat ( Jul 2016 )

This album, filled with youthful exuberance and catchy melodies, introduced the world to Yachty’s unique style and playful persona. Tracks like “Minnesota” and “One Night” showcased his ability to craft infectious hooks that had fans singing along and hitting that replay button. “Lil Boat” was a breath of fresh air in a genre often dominated by gritty lyricism and aggressive beats. Yachty brought a sense of joy and fun back to hip-hop, with his carefree delivery and whimsical production. While some critics dismissed Yachty’s sound as “mumble rap,” the album’s impact cannot be denied. It opened doors for other artists to explore different sounds and paved the way for a new wave of melodic rap. Though “Lil Boat” may not be a classic in the traditional sense, its cultural significance and influence on the genre cannot be overlooked. It was a defining moment for Lil Yachty and marked the beginning of his meteoric rise in the industry.

8. Summer Songs 2 ( Jul 2016 )

Released in 2016, this project showcases Yachty’s ability to craft catchy hooks and deliver charismatic verses that perfectly embody the carefree spirit of summer. From the bouncy anthem “For Hot 97” to the dreamy vibes of “Life Goes On,” “Summer Songs 2” is a collection of catchy and addictive tracks that will have you bobbing your head and singing along in no time. Yachty’s unique vocal style, characterized by his playful flow and sing-song delivery, shines throughout the project, making every song feel like a party. While “Summer Songs 2” may not have received the same commercial success as some of Yachty’s other projects, it remains a fan favorite and a testament to his ability to create infectious and memorable music. So if you’re looking for a soundtrack to your summer adventures, be sure to add “Summer Songs 2” to your playlist.

7. Teenage Emotions ( May 2017 )

With its vibrant production and playful melodies, Yachty delivered an album that resonated with the experiences and struggles of adolescence. Tracks like “Forever Young” and “In My Feelings” showcased his ability to tap into the universal feelings of love and heartbreak. However, the album faced mixed reviews, with some critics highlighting a lack of lyrical depth and cohesiveness. While “Teenage Emotions” may not have been a commercial or critical triumph, it still served as an important statement of Lil Yachty’s artistry and willingness to explore new sonic territories. This album solidified Yachty’s place as a voice for the youth, blending catchy hooks with relatable lyrics, and reminding us of the complexities of growing up in a fast-paced world.

6. Lil Boat 2 ( Mar 2018 )

As the sequel to his breakout mixtape, “Lil Boat,” this album showcased Yachty’s growth as an artist while staying true to his signature style. With its trap-heavy beats and catchy hooks, “Lil Boat 2” proved that Yachty could hold his own in the rap scene. Tracks like “Boom!” and “66” showcased his ability to ride the beat effortlessly, while “NBAYOUNGBOAT” featuring NBA YoungBoy brought a captivating collaboration that had fans craving more. While some critics argued that the album lacked the depth of Yachty’s earlier work, “Lil Boat 2” solidified his place as a force to be reckoned with in contemporary hip-hop. This project served as a testament to Yachty’s ability to evolve and adapt while maintaining his unique style, further establishing him as an influential figure in the rap game.

5. Nuthin’ 2 Prove ( Oct 2018 )

This album showcases Yachty’s growth as an artist, proving that he’s got the skills to back up the hype. From the infectious beats to the clever wordplay, “Nuthin’ 2 Prove” puts Yachty’s talent on full display. On this project, Yachty collaborates with heavyweights like Cardi B, Offset, and Playboi Carti, adding extra firepower to an already impressive lineup. Tracks like “Who Want the Smoke?” and “Get Dripped” hit hard, combining Yachty’s signature melodic flow with hard-hitting beats that make you want to turn up the volume. But it’s not all about party anthems. Yachty digs deep on tracks like “Forever World” and “Worth It” to reflect on his journey and the challenges he’s overcome. It’s a testament to his growth as an artist and his ability to craft meaningful lyrics. “Nuthin’ 2 Prove” solidifies Lil Yachty’s place in the rap game and cements his status as one of the most exciting artists of his generation. With this album, Yachty proves that he’s got the skills and the staying power to continue making waves in the hip-hop world.

4. Lil Boat 3 ( May 2020 )

With this album, Yachty delivers an electrifying mix of trap beats and melodic flows, showcasing his growth as an artist and his ability to effortlessly ride different waves within the rap game. Lil Boat 3 is a sonic journey that explores Yachty’s confidence, creativity, and versatility. Filled with catchy hooks, infectious melodies, and high-energy bangers, the album boasts a star-studded lineup of features from some of the biggest names in the industry, including Drake, Future, and Young Thug, adding an extra layer of excitement to the project. While Yachty stays true to his signature playful and carefree style, Lil Boat 3 also reveals a more introspective side, with Yachty sharing personal anecdotes and reflecting on his journey in the music industry. Tracks like “Pardon Me” and “Westside” showcase his vulnerability and provide a deeper glimpse into his mindset. Overall, Lil Boat 3 is a testament to Lil Yachty’s evolution as an artist, showcasing his growth and solidifying his place in the rap game. With its infectious beats, catchy hooks, and captivating lyricism, this album is a must-listen for any fan of Lil Yachty and the modern hip-hop scene.

3. Lil Boat 3.5 ( Nov 2020 )

With its groovy beats and catchy hooks, this album showcases Yachty’s growth as an artist while still staying true to his signature sound. The project features a slew of high-profile collaborations, including Future, Lil Baby, and Playboi Carti, adding a dynamic energy to the tracks. Yachty’s clever wordplay and playful delivery shine throughout the album, making it a standout in his discography. From the introspective “Concrete Boys” to the bouncy anthem “Coffin,” Lil Boat 3.5 demonstrates Yachty’s versatility as he effortlessly navigates between introspective storytelling and club-ready bangers. It’s a testament to his ability to evolve within the ever-changing landscape of hip-hop.

2. Michigan Boy Boat ( Apr 2021 )

This album showcased Yachty’s versatility and his love for his home state of Michigan. With a mix of bangers and introspective tracks, he took listeners on a journey through his experiences and the culture he grew up in. Featuring collaborations with fellow Michigan natives like Tee Grizzley, Sada Baby, and Babyface Ray, “Michigan Boy Boat” captured the essence of the state’s rap scene. The production was top-notch, with hard-hitting beats and infectious melodies that kept heads nodding from start to finish. Yachty’s signature melodic flow shined on tracks like “Dynamic Duo” and “SB 2021,” while he flexed his storytelling abilities on introspective cuts like “Royal Rumble” and “Never Did Coke.” This album solidified Yachty’s place as a versatile artist who could hold his own on any type of beat. “Michigan Boy Boat” proved that Lil Yachty was not only a hitmaker but also an artist with depth and substance. With its catchy hooks, impressive features, and personal storytelling, this album was an undeniable banger and a testament to Lil Yachty’s talent and growth as an artist.

1. Let’s Start Here. ( Jan 2023 )

This album is a testament to his growth, both lyrically and sonically. With infectious beats and catchy hooks, Yachty effortlessly navigates through a range of topics, from his rise to fame to personal struggles. Tracks like “the BLACK seminole.” and “drive ME crazy!” resonate with his core fan base. It’s a cohesive project that demonstrates Lil Yachty’s maturation as an artist, while still providing those playful vibes that made him a standout in the first place.

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Lil Yachty Reference Track For Drake Leaks Amid OVO Star’s Beefs

The Lil Yachty reference track leaked while Drake’s feuding with Future, Metro Boomin, Kendrick Lamar, Rick Ross and more.

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Drake remained at the center of drama as a reference track for his song “ Jumbotron S### Poppin ” leaked online. The Canadian star’s collaborator Lil Yachty recorded the reference version of the song.

“Jumbotron S### Poppin” appeared on Drake and 21 Savage’s album Her Loss . Lil Yachty was a known contributor to the song, which listed his name in the credits.

The Lil Yachty reference track surfaced during Drake’s ongoing issues with multiple artists. An Atlanta number allegedly leaked the audio, resulting in wild speculation involving Metro Boomin. Fans believed Metro was the source of the leak since he’s beefing with Drake and worked on Her Loss , which dropped in 2022.

Lil Yachty’s impact on Drake’s music was no secret. Drake acknowledged Lil Yachty’s influence on 2023’s For All the Dogs album.

“I don’t think this album is what it is if I don’t get to run everything by you,” Drake told Lil Yachty on SiriusXM. “If I don’t get to sit in the studio and write with you, and think with you, and if you don’t send me beats, and if you don’t tell me what you believe in or don’t believe in.”

The reference track leak was another twist in Drake’s feuds with Metro, Future, Kendrick Lamar and Rick Ross, among others. The overarching battle began when Future and Metro dropped their We Don’t Trust You album. The project featured Kendrick dissing Drake on the song “Like That.” Future and Metro unleashed more jabs at Drake with their follow-up release We Still Don’t Trust You .

Drake responded with a diss track titled “Push Ups.” Ross, who sided with Future and Metro, entered the fray by firing shots at Drake on the song “Champagne Moments.” Drake and Ross clashed despite their history of creating hits together.

What to Look Out For at Block Party 2024

Clear your calendars for Friday, April 26! University Union just released their Block Party lineup, which features exciting performances from artists Lil Yachty, Teezo Touchdown, and ISOxo.

Syracuse student group FEEM will be opening up the event with one of their top-notch DJ sets, so this year’s Block Party is sure to be a blast. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or a first-time attendee, we’ve got you covered with a few things you should know before hitting the JMA Wireless Dome. So grab your dancing shoes and get ready to attend the concert of a lifetime!

Meet the Artists Link

Headliner Lil Yachty burst into the hip-hop scene in 2015 with his distinctive melodic rap style and catchy ad-libs. Hailing from Atlanta, Yachty quickly gained attention with his debut mixtape “Lil Boat,” which featured his breakout single “One Night” before he achieved cultural significance with later releases like “Broccoli,” “iSpy,” and “drive ME crazy!” His music draws influence from various elements of trap, pop and alternative hip-hop, while his collaborations with artists like Migos, Drake and Chance the Rapper have further solidified his place in the hip-hop landscape.

Teezo Touchdown is a genre-bending artist who has been making waves in the music industry with his unique blend of rap, rock and R&B, which mirrors the sonic turn taken by Lil Yachty on his recent album, “Let’s Start Here.” Teezo Touchdown has amassed an impressive discography, with hits like “Rooting For You” and “Third Coast,” and he’s also scored impressive collaborations with artists such as Travis Scott, Drake, Doja Cat and Tyler the Creator.

ISOxo (pronounced “is-oh-so”) is a rising star in the electronic music scene, known for his innovative sound and boundary-pushing production. Born in Los Angeles, ISOxo has quickly made a name for himself with his unique blend of trap, bass and experimental electronic music. While he first gained recognition in 2019 with his breakout single “Ground,” ISOxo has continued to release exciting new music like his debut album “kidsgonemad!” Additionally, ISOxo’s collaborations with artists like RL Grime, UZ and Hekler have only further solidified his reputation as a rising star in the electronic music scene.

More About Block Party Link

There’s something for everyone to appreciate at Block Party, whether it be enjoying chart-topping music to discovering new artists for your playlists. As Annie Levin ’24, one of University Union’s concert directors, put it, “Block Party is an event meant to celebrate the entire student body and the end of the school year.”

Levin’s board and the rest of the organization has worked tirelessly to bring this event to Syracuse University. “It’s completely surreal to have helped develop this event,” University Union president Sam Johnston ’24 stated. “It feels bittersweet to see this event come together as I reach the end of my final semester here.”

How to Get Tickets Link

Tickets for Block Party are $15 for Syracuse University and SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) students and staff with a valid college I.D., and $25 for students attending from other colleges and universities. Tickets for Syracuse University and SUNY ESF students and staff will be available on Thursday, April 11, at noon via the Student MyCuse Account . Tickets for students from other colleges and universities will be available on Tuesday, April 16, at 12:30 p.m. Tickets will also be available for purchase at the Box Office throughout the duration of the event until 10 p.m. on Friday, April 26. Doors to the JMA Dome will open at 7 p.m.

For more updates visit University Union’s Instagram and Facebook pages.

Written By Yoonji Lee ’26, College of Arts and Sciences

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Watch Mac DeMarco join Lil Yachty for a huge Coachella set

The two took to the stage at the end of the performance for two tracks

Lil Yachty surprised fans at his huge Coachella set last night (Sunday, April 14) by bringing out Mac DeMarco as a special guest. Check out footage of the moment below.

• READ MORE: Coachella 2024 liveblog: all of the action as it happens

The American rapper, singer, songwriter and record producer – whose real name is Miles Parks McCollum – took to the stage at the Indio festival last night, in what was the final day of the first weekend.

Initially, the intense set by Yachty kicked off with the rapper performing five back-to-back tracks from his 2023 album, ‘Let’s Start Here’. Walking on the stage as ‘the BLACK seminole’ was played over a tape, he launched into ‘IVE OFFICIALLY LOST ViSiON!!!!’ and ‘THE zone~’, before delivering renditions of ‘pRETTy’ and ‘running out of time’ – which he performed alongside Justine Skye – and ‘drive ME crazy!’.

From there, fan favourites including ‘Flex Up’ and ‘Coffin’ were embedded in the 21 song setlist, as well as covers of BRAM’s ‘Broccoli’ and ‘ON THE RADAR CONCRETE CYPHER’ by Concrete Boys.

However, it was towards the end of the set that Yachty delivered one of the most noteworthy moments – bringing out slacker-pop king Mac DeMarco as a surprise guest.

Here, the two came together to perform two tracks from DeMarco’s discography. The first of which was ‘On The Level’ – taken from DeMarco’s 2017 album  ‘This Old Dog’ – while the second was ‘Chamber Of Reflection’, shared 10 years ago as part of the ‘Salad Days’  LP.

Check out footage of the collaboration below, as well as the full Lil Yachty setlist.

lil yachty just brought out mac demarco at coachella pic.twitter.com/r4tpOQTcH3 — isaiah✰ (@tlop444) April 15, 2024

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lil yachty bringing out Mac DeMarco to perform (‘: pic.twitter.com/m6mgygVdTo — d ✮⋆˙ (@lighterflickk) April 15, 2024

Lil Yachty’s 2024 Coachella setlist was:

‘IVE OFFICIALLY LOST ViSiON!!!!’ ‘THE zone~’ ‘pRETTy’ ‘running out of time’ (with Justine Skye) ‘drive ME crazy!’ ‘Coffin’ ‘Split / Whole Time’ ‘NBAYOUNGBOAT’ ‘Flex Up’ ‘Minnesota’ ‘Get Dripped’ ‘Broccoli’ (DRAM cover) ‘Gimme da Lite’ (Southside & Lil Yachty cover) ‘Poland’ ‘One Night’ ‘Strike (Holster)’ ‘ON THE RADAR CONCRETE CYPHER’ (Concrete Boys song) ‘On the Level’ (with Mac DeMarco) ‘Chamber of Reflection’ (with Mac DeMarco) ‘WE SAW THE SUN!’ ‘the BLACK seminole.’

The collaboration between the rapper and the singer-songwriter last night comes after the two joined forces on Yachty’s aforementioned 2023 album ‘Let’s Start Here’ . In the release, DeMarco is credited as a writer on two tracks – ‘Drive Me Crazy!’ and ‘Failure’.

The album also featured a huge number of additional guests other than DeMarco, including MGMT ’s Ben Goldwasser, Alex G , Daniel Caesar , Fousheé , Teezo Touchdown , Justine Skye and Diana Gordon.

Elsewhere in yesterday’s instalment of Coachella 2024, the night saw sets from Sublime , Blur and No Doubt , before Tyler, The Creator headlined that evening.

You can find highlights from their full set here, and for more live updates as it happens, check out NME ’s liveblog for Coachella 2024 here .

Check back here for the latest news, reviews and more from Coachella 2024.

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Drake & Lil Yachty Reference Track Situation Leads To Heated Legacy Debate

The ghostwriter debate has returned in full force.

Drake is someone who has had to deal with ghostwriting discourse for the last decade . Overall, this is all because of Meek Mill , who exposed him for using writers on If You're Reading This It's Too Late . Of course, this is a big no-no in hip-hop. MCs take a lot of pride in their bars, and finding out that the megastar had some help made some people turn on him. Or, at least, it had people contemplating whether or not Drake had a GOAT case. However, in recent years, fans have come to terms with the fact that even the best rappers have writers who will help them with hooks and melodies, here and there.

Amid his feud with Kendrick Lamar , a reference track from Lil Yachty began surfacing online yesterday . This reference track was for the song "Jumbotron Shit Poppin" off of Her Loss . Essentially, Yachty did the entire track, and Drake just sang it word for word, with the same melody. Although Drake has written for countless artists, including Kanye West , fans still felt like this was some sort of betrayal. While ghostwriters help, fans felt it was weird that Drizzy was just taking an entire song and not changing it up whatsoever.

Read More: Birdman Recalls Predicting Drake's Success

Drake Debates Rage On

Once again, this isn't necessarily uncommon. Regardless, it still led to a huge legacy debate. On The Neighborhood Talk , you can see a plethora of tweets from fans who are split on what the reference track truly means. Some think it is totally normal and that Drizzy is still one of the greats. Meanwhile, others believe this completely disqualifies him from further GOAT discussions. It is a tired debate, albeit one that will continue to draw attention for quite some time.

Let us know what you think about all of this, in the comments section down below. Do you believe that this reference track actually affects Drake's legacy in any tangible way? What would make you reconsider Drizzy's legacy at the top of the rap game? Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the music world. We will continue to keep you informed on all of your favorite artists and their upcoming projects.

Read More: What Is Drake's Best-Selling Album?

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Potential Evidence Leaks Proving Drake Didn’t Write ‘Jumbotron S**t Poppin,’ Lil Yachty Did

Audio of Lil Yachty rapping Drake 's lyrics to the Her Loss song "Jumbotron S**t Poppin" in a reference track has leaked.

"Jumbotron S**t Poppin" Reference Leaks

Drake is seemingly in a battle with half of the music industry  as several artists have recently formed like Voltron to go against the 6 God. In the latest apparent attempt to assassinate Drizzy's character, someone has leaked a reference track that finds Lil Yachty rapping the lines to Aubrey's "Jumbotron S**t Poppin."  In the leak, which can be heard below, Boat raps the exact same lines as Drake does, except he says "I was too sipped out," where Drake changed the lyrics to "Boat was so sipped out."

"We ain't even out in Turks, she finna take sand/Ridin' 'round with F&N, we like to hold hands," Yachty raps in the clip below. "I was too sipped out, he ain't leave the bed/Damn, they dipped a pint of TEC in a Code Red/If I tell this bitch to pull up, she gon' moped it/My dawg, he don't smoke on shit unless it's unleaded/I don't back and forth over no 'net, so just go on, dead it/See me when you see me, if it's smoke, dawg, you unleash it."

This wouldn't be the first time Drake has faced a ghostwriting scandal. Back in 2015, he was infamously accused by Meek Mill of having a writer, who turned out to be Atlanta artist Quentin Miller.

Read More: A History of Rappers Accused of Using Ghostwriters

Who leaked the reference track.

Word on road is that the leak was sent to multiple blogs by an unknown Atlanta phone number. Controversial streamer DJ Akademiks has gone so far as to surmise the leak was delivered by none other than Metro Boomin.

After being dissed by several artists on Future and Metro Boomin's We Don't Trust You and We Still Don't Trust You albums, Drake clapped back at his detractors over the weekend with the diss song "Drop and Give Me 50,"  which finds him taking aim at Kendrick Lamar, Future, The Weeknd, Metro Boomin, Rick Ross and others. Rick Ross has already responded with his own song "Champagne Moments." 

Read More: Hip-Hop's 10 Greatest Ghostwriters [Poll]

Listen to Lil Yachty's "Jumbotron S**t Poppin" reference track and hear Drake's version below.

Listen to Lil Yachty's "Jumbotron S**t Poppin" Reference

Stream drake's "jumbotron s**t poppin", see 50 lyrics rappers got wrong, more from xxl.