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Lil Yachty On His Big Rock Pivot: ‘F-ck Any of the Albums I Dropped Before This One’

With his adventurous, psychedelic new album, 'Let's Start Here,' he's left mumble rap behind — and finally created a project he's proud of.

By Lyndsey Havens

Lyndsey Havens

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Lil Yachty, presented by Doritos, will perform at Billboard Presents The Stage at SXSW on March 16 .

Lil Yachty: Photos From the Billboard Cover Shoot

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.

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.”

His desire to move on from his past is understandable. When Yachty entered the industry in his mid-teens with his 2016 major-label debut, the Lil Boat mixtape, featuring the breakout hit “One Night,” he found that along with fame came sailing the internet’s choppy waters. Skeptics often took him to task for not knowing — or caring, maybe — about rap’s roots, and he never shied away from sharing hot takes on Twitter. With his willingness and ability to straddle pop and hip-hop, Yachty produced music he once called “bubble-gum trap” (he has since denounced that phrase) that polarized audiences and critics. Meanwhile, his nonchalant delivery got him labeled as a mumble rapper — another identifier he was never fond of because it felt dismissive of his talent.

“There’s a lot of kids who haven’t heard any of my references,” he continues. “They don’t know anything about Bon Iver or Pink Floyd or Black Sabbath or James Brown. I wanted to show people a different side of me — and that I can do anything, most importantly.”

Let’s Start Here is proof. Growing up in Atlanta, the artist born Miles McCollum was heavily influenced by his father, a photographer who introduced him to all kinds of sounds. Yachty, once easily identifiable by his bright red braids, found early success by posting songs like “One Night” to SoundCloud, catching the attention of Kevin “Coach K” Lee, co-founder/COO of Quality Control Music, now home to Migos, Lil Baby and City Girls. In 2015, Coach K began managing Yachty, who in summer 2016 signed a joint-venture deal with Motown, Capitol Records and Quality Control.

“Yachty was me when I was 18 years old, when I signed him. He was actually me,” says Coach K today. (In 2021, Adam Kluger, whose clients include Bhad Bhabie, began co-managing Yachty.) “All the eclectic, different things, we shared that with each other. He had been wanting to make this album from the first day we signed him. But you know — coming as a hip-hop artist, you have to play the game.”

Yachty played it well. To date, he has charted 17 songs on the Billboard Hot 100 , including two top 10 hits for his features on DRAM’s melodic 2016 smash “Broccoli” and Kyle’s 2017 pop-rap track “iSpy.” His third-highest-charting entry arrived unexpectedly last year: the 93-second “Poland,” a track Yachty recorded in about 10 minutes where his warbly vocals more closely resemble singing than rapping. ( Let’s Start Here collaborator SADPONY saw “Poland” as a temperature check that proved “people are going to like this Yachty.”)

Beginning with 2016’s Lil Boat mixtape, all eight of Yachty’s major-label-released albums and mixtapes have charted on the Billboard 200 . Three have entered the top 10, including Let’s Start Here , which debuted and peaked at No. 9. And while Yachty has only scored one No. 1 album before ( Teenage Emotions topped Rap Album Sales), Let’s Start Here debuted atop three genre charts: Top Rock & Alternative Albums , Top Rock Albums and Top Alternative Albums .

“It feels good to know that people in that world received this so well,” says Motown Records vp of A&R Gelareh Rouzbehani. “I think it’s a testament to Yachty going in and saying, ‘F-ck what everyone thinks. I’m going to create something that I’ve always wanted to make — and let us hope the world f-cking loves it.’ ”

Yet despite Let’s Start Here ’s many high-profile supporters, some longtime detractors and fans alike were quick to criticize certain aspects of it, from its art — Yachty quote-tweeted one remark , succinctly replying, “shut up” — to the music itself. Once again, he found himself facing another tidal wave of discourse. But this time, he was ready to ride it. “This release,” Kluger says, “gave him a lot of confidence.”

“I was always kind of nervous to put out music, but now I’m on some other sh-t,” Yachty says. “It was a lot of self-assessing and being very real about not being happy with where I was musically, knowing I’m better than where I am. Because the sh-t I was making did not add up to the sh-t I listened to.

“I just wanted more,” he continues. “I want to be remembered. I want to be respected.”

Last spring, Lil Yachty gathered his family, collaborators and team at famed Texas studio complex Sonic Ranch.

“I remember I got there at night and drove down because this place is like 30 miles outside El Paso,” Coach K says. “I walked in the room and just saw all these instruments and sh-t, and the vibe was just so ill. And I just started smiling. All the producers were in the room, his assistant, his dad. Yachty comes in, puts the album on. We got to the second song, and I told everybody, ‘Stop the music.’ I walked over to him and just said, ‘Man, give me a hug.’ I was like, ‘Yachty, I am so proud of you.’ He came into the game bold, but [to make] this album, you have to be very bold. And to know that he finally did it, it was overwhelming.”

SADPONY (aka Jeremiah Raisen) — who executive-produced Let’s Start Here and, in doing so, spent nearly eight straight months with Yachty — says the time at Sonic Ranch was the perfect way to cap off the months of tunnel vision required while making the album in Brooklyn. “That was new alone,” says Yachty. “I’ve recorded every album in Atlanta at [Quality Control]. That was the first time I recorded away from home. First time I recorded with a new engineer,” Miles B.A. Robinson, a Saddle Creek artist.

Yachty couldn’t wait to put it out, and says he turned it in “a long time ago. I think it was just label sh-t and trying to figure out the right time to release it.” For Coach K, it was imperative to have the physical product ready on release date, given that Yachty had made “an experience” of an album. And lately, most pressing plants have an average turnaround time of six to eight months.

Fans, however, were impatient. On Christmas, one month before Let’s Start Here would arrive, the album leaked online. It was dubbed Sonic Ranch . “Everyone was home with their families, so no one could pull it off the internet,” recalls Yachty. “That was really depressing and frustrating.”

Then, weeks later, the album art, tracklist and release date also leaked. “My label made a mistake and sent preorders to Amazon too early, and [the site] posted it,” Yachty says. “So I wasn’t able to do the actual rollout for my album that I wanted to. Nothing was a secret anymore. It was all out. I had a whole plan that I had to cancel.” He says the biggest loss was various videos he made to introduce and contextualize the project, all of which “were really weird … [But] I wasn’t introducing it anymore. People already knew.” Only one, called “Department of Mental Tranquility,” made it out, just days before the album.

Yachty says he wasn’t necessarily seeking a mental escape before making Let’s Start Here , but confesses that acid gave him one anyway. “I guess maybe the music went along with it,” he says. The album title changed four or five times, he says, from Momentary Bliss (“It was meant to take you away from reality … where you’re truly listening”) to 180 Degrees (“Because it’s the complete opposite of anything I’ve ever done, but people were like, ‘It’s too on the nose’ ”) to, ultimately, Let’s Start Here — the best way, he decided, to succinctly summarize where he was as an artist: a seven-year veteran, but at 25 years old, still eager to begin a new chapter.

Taking inspiration from Dark Side , Yachty relied on three women’s voices throughout the album, enlisting Fousheé, Justine Skye and Diana Gordon. Otherwise, guest vocals are spare. Daniel Caesar features on album closer “Reach the Sunshine.,” while the late Bob Ross (of The Joy of Painting fame) has a historic posthumous feature on “We Saw the Sun!”

Rouzbehani tells Billboard that Ross’ estate declined Yachty’s request at first: “I think a big concern of theirs was that Yachty is known as a rapper, and Bob Ross and his brand are very clean. They didn’t want to associate with anything explicit.” But Yachty was adamant, and Rouzbehani played the track for Ross’ team and also sent the entire album’s lyrics to set the group at ease. “With a lot of back-and-forth, we got the call,” she says. “Yachty is the first artist that has gotten a Bob Ross clearance in history.”

From the start, Coach K believed Let’s Start Here would open lots of doors for Yachty — and ultimately, other artists, too. Questlove may have said it best, posting the album art on Instagram with a lengthy caption that read in part: “this lp might be the most surprising transition of any music career I’ve witnessed in a min, especially under the umbrella of hip hop … Sh-t like this (envelope pushing) got me hyped about music’s future.”

Recently, Lil Yachty held auditions for an all-women touring band. “It was an experience for like Simon Cowell or Randy [Jackson],” he says, offering a simple explanation for the choice: “In my life, women are superheroes.”

And according to Yachty, pulling off his show will take superhuman strength: “Because the show has to match the album. It has to be big.” As eager as he was to release Let’s Start Here , he’s even more antsy to perform it live — but planning a tour, he says, required gauging the reaction to it. “This is so new for me, and to be quite honest with you, the label [didn’t] know how [the album] would do,” he says. “Also, I haven’t dropped an album in like three years. So we don’t even know how to plan a tour right now because it has been so long and my music is so different.”

While Yachty’s last full-length studio album, Lil Boat 3 , arrived in 2020, he released the Michigan Boy Boat mixtape in 2021, a project as reverential of the state’s flourishing hip-hop scenes in Detroit and Flint as Let’s Start Here is of its psych-rock touchstones. And though he claims he doesn’t do much with his days, his recent accomplishments, both musical and beyond, suggest otherwise. He launched his own cryptocurrency, YachtyCoin, at the end of 2020; signed his first artist, Draft Day, to his Concrete Boyz label at the start of 2021; invested in the Jewish dating app Lox Club; and launched his own line of frozen pizza, Yachty’s Pizzeria, last September. (He has famously declared he has never eaten a vegetable; at his Jersey City listening event, there was an abundance of candy, doughnut holes and Frosted Brown Sugar Cinnamon Pop-Tarts.)

But there are only two things that seem to remotely excite him, first and foremost of which is being a father. As proud as he is of Let’s Start Here , he says it comes in second to having his now 1-year-old daughter — though he says with a laugh that she “doesn’t really give a f-ck” about his music yet. “I haven’t played [this album] for her, but her mom plays her my old stuff,” he continues. “The mother of my child is Dominican and Puerto Rican, so she loves Selena — she plays her a lot . [We watch] the Selena movie with Jennifer Lopez a sh-t ton and a lot of Disney movie sh-t, like Frozen , Lion King and that type of vibe.”

Aside from being a dad, he most cares about working with other artists. Recently, he flew eight of his biggest fans — most of whom he has kept in touch with for years — to Atlanta. He had them over, played Let’s Start Here , took them to dinner and bowling, introduced them to his mom and dad, and then showed them a documentary he made for the album. (He’s not sure if he’ll release it.) One of the fans is an aspiring rapper; naturally, the two made a song together.

Yachty wants to keep working with artists and producers outside of hip-hop, mentioning the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and even sharing his dream of writing a ballad for Elton John. (“I know I could write him a beautiful song.”) With South Korean music company HYBE’s recent purchase of Quality Control — a $300 million deal — Yachty’s realm of possibility is bigger than ever.

But he’s not ruling out his genre roots. Arguably, Let’s Start Here was made for the peers and heroes he played it for first — and was inspired by hip-hop’s chameleons. “I would love to do a project with Tyler [The Creator],” says Yachty. “He’s the reason I made this album. He’s the one who told me to do it, just go for it. He’s so confident and I have so much respect for him because he takes me seriously, and he always has.”

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

This story originally appeared in the March 11, 2023, issue of Billboard.

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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 Delivers New Psychedelic Rock Album ‘Let’s Start Here.’

Lil Yachty’s new album, Let’s Start Here, continues to further the star’s reputation as an innovative savant. The new album is 15 tracks in length, delivering a new experience for fans.

Let’s Start Here was crafted in areas ranging from El Paso to Brooklyn, with Lil Yachty immersing himself in day and night sessions. The result is a Psychedelic Alternative album executive produced by SADPONY. The album is influenced by Pink Floyd’s classic Dark Side of the Moon and experiential psychedelic journeys.

Ahead of the album, Yachty released a skit titled “Department of Mental Tranquility.” In the skit, Yachty strolled a hallway entering what would be the first step into the rest of his life. Playing multiple roles, Yachty was introduced to his upcoming float experience in a sweltering room until it overcomes his body, and he is directed to room 10. What you hear is the result of that trip, double entendre, don’t even ask me how.

You can see the skit and hear the full album below.

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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.

The post is captioned : “Let’s Start Here. – 1/27  Chapter 2. Thank You for the patience,” hinting at a potential redux of an already teased album, collectively referred to as “Sonic Ranch.” On Dec. 25, Yachty’s latest album was leaked by Leaked.cx, much to the Michigan rapper’s disappointment. He took to Twitter later that day to post a half-hearted sad-face emoji to express anguish in the untimely launch of a potentially seminal work within his discography.

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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Lil Yachty Ready to Get Going With New Album ‘Let’s Start Here’

• By Jon Blistein

Jon Blistein

Lil Yachty appears ready to release his first new album in three years later this month. 

On social media Tuesday, Jan. 17, the rapper shared what was ostensibly the weird-as-hell cover art for his next LP — a surreal image of a group of besuited adults sporting some deranged smiles — along with the title and release date: Let’s Start Here out Jan. 27. 

Lil Yachty then cryptically added, “Chapter 2,” before thanking fans “for the patience.”

View this post on Instagram A post shared by C.V T (@lilyachty)

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“I met Andrew from MGMT, and I’ve been talking to a bunch of people. I met Kevin Parker [of Tame Impala], I’ve been talking to him. It’s just inspiring,” he said. “I got a bunch of side projects I’m going to drop before my next album. But what I’m trying to do on my next album, I’m trying to really take it there sonically.”

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Lil Yachty’s  Let’s Start Here. Is a Surface-Level Rebrand

By Pitchfork

Our  weekly podcast includes in-depth analysis of the new albums we find extraordinary, exciting, and just plain terrible. This week, Reviews Director  Jeremy D. Larson hosts Staff Writer  Alphonse Pierre and Contributing Editor  Dylan Green to talk about  Lil Yachty ’s unlikely trajectory from SoundCloud rap ambassador to trippy funk explorer, and why his new album  Let’s Start Here. doesn’t totally hit the mark.

Listen to this week’s episode below, and follow  The Pitchfork Review   here . You can also check out an excerpt of the podcast’s transcript below. 

Jeremy D. Larson:  On the new album’s first song, “ the BLACK seminole. ,” there’s one lyric that stood out to me: “This part I’ve seen in my dreams/Love is not a lie/It just feels like a Tarantino movie scene.”

Dylan Green:  Oh, my God. What does that mean? 

Larson: Is he talking about  Inglourious Basterds ? [ laughter ]  Grindhouse ? It speaks to the almost-specific nature of this album, like we’re  almost getting a clear image of exactly what he’s talking about, but he stops just short of creating this world that feels like you can fully inhabit it. 

Green:  But really, what movie is he talking about?! I don’t want to be like Travolta and Uma Thurman in  Pulp Fiction . 

Larson:  Tough love between those two.

Green:  I don’t want my life to end like the couple did at the end of  Inglourious Basterds , where she burns the movie theater to the ground. Like, what do you want, Yachty? [ laughter ] 

Larson:  What do you think his favorite Tarantino movie is?

Alphonse Pierre:  Probably  Pulp Fiction ? 

Larson:   Jackie Brown ? Underrated.

Pierre:  That’s the movie he  should have watched before this, because I feel like he would have gotten some different influences from that Blaxploitation era that Tarantino was pulling from.

Green:  Oh, shit! 

Larson:  Man, that would’ve been great. Some more Isaac Hayes, some more  Shaft . 

Pierre:  That’s the sound they needed, a little bit more funk. 

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By Alphonse Pierre

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By Nina Corcoran

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Lil Yachty to Release Fifth Studio Album ‘Let’s Start Here’ Later This Month

Following the alleged leak of ‘sonic ranch.’.

Lil Yachty has announced that he’ll be dropping his latest album Let’s Start Here via Quality Control and Motown Records . The project will land as the Georgia rapper’s fifth studio album, following 2020’s Lil Boat 3 .

Yachty shared the cover art for the LP on Instagram, which shows a warped image of men and women wearing suits. “Let’s Start Here. – 1/27,” he wrote in the caption. “Chapter 2. Thank You for the patience.”

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by C.V T (@lilyachty)

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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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Lil Yachty teases new collaborative album he made with James Blake

Bad cameo is real and it’s coming soon..

Lil Yachty is an artist who likes to keep his fans on their toes, whether that means delivering a psych rock album, collaborating with a folk singer like Faye Webster , or simply jumping on a track with one of the biggest rappers in the world . His latest unexpected move appears to be a project with James Blake .

The pair both shared a video on Instagram overnight showing Yachty discuss his working relationship with Blake, a producer he jokes "hasn't many followers" but has "worked with a quite substantial amount of hip hop artists." The album is titled Bad Cameo and while an official release date remains TBC, Yachty's IG post assures us it will be "soon."

Read Next: Grammys 2024: Fred again.. wins Best Dance/Electronic Album and Best Electronic/Dance Recording

"This project is so left for both of us," Yachty also says in the clip. "I don’t think people know that we know each other exist.”

Blake previously shared an image of him and Yachty in the studio in March last year. Soon after he debuted a track they made together at a CMYK event last summer. He is not the only U.K. electronic artist Yachty has connected with, just last week he appeared alongside Overmono and Fred Again.. at an event in New York.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by CONCRETE BOY BOAT^ (@lilyachty)

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Lil Yachty Has a Wild Clapback to Fans Saying He Stole Playboi Carti’s Flow

Cop Your XXL Merch Now

Lil Yachty is clapping back at fans who accused the rapper of stealing Playboi Carti ‘s flow on a new song.

On Wednesday (March 20), Yachty responded to chatter online surrounding his flow on an unreleased song Kai Cenat previewed during a livestream last Monday (March 18). Fans were quick to call out Lil Boat’s cadence on the track, with many of them comparing it to Carti’s.

“Biting him? How did I bite him?” Yachty wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, in response to a critic. “If that’s the case i been workin with cardio since 2019-2020 on record yall fans be smoking the strongest d**k.”

Cardo is known for producing all of Carti’s most recent releases : “H00dByAir,” “Ketamine,” “EvilJ0rdan” and “Backr00ms.” So fans were quick to clap back at Yachty’s clapback.

“The song is terrible,” the user @hadmyback replied . “The beat is a ‘H00DBYAIR’-type beat. Your flow is an obvious attempt at a Carti flow, and you used a ‘what’ ad-lib in the same cadence [that] Carti uses.”

Read More: Lil Yachty, Dr. Umar Disagree on Reason Why Black Women Get BBLs

Lil yachty announces new album.

Boat had previously announced in an Instagram post on Feb. 13 that he is dropping a new album with James Blake .

“I mean, granted, I think James has worked with a quite substantial amount of hip-hop artists. But this project is so left for both of us,” the Quality Control rapper said in the video clip. “And then, aside from the one picture that James posted, which—he doesn’t have many followers actually—I don’t think people know that we know each other exist. So it’s just gon’ be like, ‘What the f**k? When they do this?'”

Lil Yachty had previously dropped off “A Cold Sunday” on Feb. 2.

Read More: Playboi Carti Accused of Copying Classic Slipknot Mask

See Lil Yachty’s reaction to biting Playboi Carti’s flow below.

See Lil Yachty’s Reaction to Being Accused of Stealing Playboi Carti’s Flow

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Lil Yachty on Claim He Copied Playboi Carti's Sound: 'Y'all Fans Be Smoking the Strongest Dick'

Yachty also pointed out that he's been working with producer Cardo for several years.

Lil Yachty has a message for those he believes are "smoking the strongest dick" when it comes to assessing his music .

As seen below, Kai Cenat recently previewed an unreleased Yachty track during a stream, prompting some listeners to start comparing the clip to the work of Playboi Carti , who's expected to drop his long-teased Whole Lotta Red follow-up at some point this year.

kai cenat just previewed a new lil yachty snippet on stream pic.twitter.com/wi75w15snr — isaiah✰ (@tlop444) March 19, 2024

One tweeted response in particular ultimately caught Yachty's attention, with a listener arguing that Carti "can't try 1 new sound without rappers immediately biting him." Yachty disagreed, as did other listeners.

“[B]iting him? how did i bite him?” Yachty asked. “[T]he beat? if that’s the case i been workin with cardo since 2019-2020 on record yall fans be smoking the strongest dick.”

Cardo’s production discography is extensive and notably includes several recent Carti releases, " H00DBYAIR " among them. He’s also worked with Drake , Travis Scott, Kendrick Lamar, and more. Just last month, he was enlisted for Yachty's " Something Ether ."

As fans will recall, Yachty urged Akademiks to " stop drinking " in July of last year after a claim about Carti inspiring his then-recent artistic output.

"He said he’s in the studio with Carti and Carti made him change his entire sound. Facts," Akademiks claimed at the time, swiftly spurring a response from Yachty, who called him "so insane" for making the remarks.

"I didn’t tell u this at all,” Yachty added.

Next for Yachty is a run of tour dates including previously announced performances at the Dreamville Festival in Raleigh and Coachella in Indio, both slated for April. As for more new music, Yachty recently spoke out about a full-length collaborative project with James Blake, tentatively titled Bad Cameo .

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Features: Lil Yachty

Ah, “Van Gogh” featuring Lil Yachty by JID — now that’s a piece that rolls deep into the psyche of its creators, blending the rawness of street savviness with the finesse of artistry, paralleling the genius and madness of Vincent Van Gogh himself. The track stands as a testament to both rappers’ versatility, combining the laid-back, melodic styles with hard-hitting bars, enveloped in a soundscape that feels both introspective and boastful. Now, let’s dive into the essence of what these lyrical maestros are paintin’ for us.

From the jump, we got Lil Yachty setting the stage, playfully checking if we’re on the same wavelength, ready to dive into the depths of their lyrical ocean. It’s all about making you feel the significance before they even lay down the bars. Yachty ain’t just making an entrance; he’s ensuring we’re locked in for the voyage ahead.

JID jumps in with lines that cut deep, talking about his frustration with the falseness in people and the street’s relentless cycle. He’s not just spitting bars; he’s narrating the real hustle, the unavoidable dance with death (“Funeral goes, casket closed”), and the cold reality of life’s fragility. When he speaks on freeing his people and touching on the implications of imprisonment on families, it’s a raw look at the systemic issues plaguing his community. The magic trick reference? That’s all about the unexpected, the life of illusions many are trapped in.

The flex is real as JID moves through his achievements and the material gains – from new Chanel to thick bankrolls. Yet, this isn’t just about bragging; it’s a commentary on the validation sought in material wealth, juxtaposed against real struggles like incarceration (“Bro just got out and he already trap again”). There’s a duality in celebrating these wins while acknowledging the cycle they’re caught in.

JID’s wordplay is next level, making references that bridge pop culture with deeper messages. Dropping names like Taraji (P. Henson) to Phil Collins, he’s blending different worlds, showcasing the breadth of his influences and knowledge. When he talks about the streets and the systemic issues, using clever wordplay like algebra and parabolas, it’s not just about showing off his lyrical skills but also about highlighting the ongoing struggle for understanding and knowledge amidst chaos.

As we wade deeper, the code switches, and the flow transitions to more personal reflections and aspirations. Dreams of wealth, the inevitability of facing one’s demons, and the complexity of relationships in the mix of it all. JID’s not just rhyming; he’s weaving a narrative that’s as much about the external pressures as it is about the internal battles.

The closing verses bring it all back home, mixing the bravado with vulnerability. From seeking simple pleasures amidst chaos (“I’m getting top with the coat on”) to acknowledging the fleeting nature of connections in this digital age (“She just want Venmo”), JID and Lil Yachty paint a picture that’s vivid, complex, and unapologetically real. Calling this piece “Van Gogh” ain’t just for the vibes; it’s a nod to the madness and genius it takes to create real art, to live and breathe in the chaos and still find beauty, to be misunderstood yet stand bold in one’s truth.

The dexterity, the wordplay, the deep dives into both personal and systemic challenges, all while keeping you nodding to the beat? That’s the art and heart of hip-hop. “Van Gogh” ain’t just a track; it’s a mural of the modern hustle, painted with the brushes of two artists who’ve mastered the craft of storytelling, set against a backdrop that’s all too real for many. It’s raw, it’s real, it’s hip-hop.

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Lil Yachty is coming to Northeastern. Here’s everything you need to know about Springfest 2024

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Springfest on the Boston campus will also feature former “Saturday Night Live” cast member Leslie Jones. In Oakland, the week will include activities and a spring carnival.

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Northeastern University is preparing to kick off Springfest 2024, which features appearances from former “Saturday Night Live” cast member Leslie Jones and “Coffin” rapper Lil Yachty and a carnival in the student center.

“We’re very excited,” said Rosie Scott, a senior music industry major and vice president of events for the Council for University Programs. “We’ve been trying to book lineups that are tailored to a bunch of different audiences. We try to vary genre from year to year, but also through the week.”

Scott said there’s already been a lot of interest for both events and that the floor section of Matthews Arena is already sold out for the Lil Yachty show on March 30.

Here’s where to get your tickets for Lil Yachty, Leslie Jones, and more SpringFest happenings

Tickets for the show are currently on sale . Each Northeastern community member can purchase a ticket for themselves and a guest, according to the Council for University Programs, which is presenting the event.

Lil Yachty rose to fame in 2015 with “One Night,” a single from his debut EP. Since then, he’s released five studio albums, with the latest, “Let’s Start Here,” debuting in January 2023. He recently announced an upcoming album , “Bad Cameo,” that will be a collaboration with British singer-songwriter James Blake.

After his appearance at Northeastern, the Atlanta native will perform at Coachella in April before kicking off “The Field Trip Tour,” which will take him across Europe. 

Undergraduate and graduate students can purchase tickets for $15. Tickets are also available to faculty and staff plus College of Professional Studies and School of Law students. Community members can also buy tickets, but they must be purchased with a Northeastern ticket. Graduates can get tickets through the Alumni Office.

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The show will begin at 6:45 p.m. on March 30, with doors opening at 5:30 p.m. 

This year’s Springfest will also feature the first-ever Springfest Showcase. Jones, an Emmy-nominated comedian, will perform standup at Blackman Auditorium on March 26, followed by a performance and moderated Q&A with singer-songwriter mxmtoon.

“Our main goal is to make sure there’s as much as possible and that there’s something for everyone on campus,” Scott said.

Jones is best known for her work as a cast member and writer on “Saturday Night Live.” She got her start on the stand-up circuit before joining SNL from 2014 to 2019. Jones also starred in the 2016 “Ghostbusters” remake and “Coming 2 America,” the sequel to the 1998 Eddie Murphy film “Coming to America.”

Jones will perform with New York City-based comedian and actor Lenny Marcus, who has been collaborating with Jones and has performed on shows like “The Tonight Show” and “The Late Show.”

Mxmtoon is an Oakland native who got her start as a YouTuber known as Maia. She also streams on Twitch and has released two graphic novels.

The showcase will begin at 7:30 p.m., with doors opening at 6:30. Tickets are free to students.

Other events on the Boston campus include the Cuplympics Stuff a Husky on March 24 (it’s already sold out), a show with Laganja Estranja in Curry Ballroom at 7:30 p.m. on March 25, and Cuplympics Carnival at the Curry Student Center at 6 p.m. on March 27.

Events on Northeastern’s Oakland campus

Oakland will also observe Springfest with the Oakland Olympics and Spring Carnival. The Oakland Olympics will be held over the course of two weeks and features different events where students can get stamps that will make them eligible to enter a raffle taking place during the closing ceremony.

The Oakland Olympics begins on Friday, March 29, kicking off with an “opening ceremony” with food trucks, field games and intramural basketball. It closes on April 12 with an event during the intramural basketball championship games. 

Oakland’s Spring Carnival is on Thursday, April 4. Student clubs are running different events to showcase the work they’ve done this semester. There will also be music and food trucks. 

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Kaitlyn Morris / Contributor via Getty Images and Joseph Okpako / Contributor via Getty Images

Lil Yachty Shuts Down Playboi Carti Sound Comparisons

Earlier this week, Kai Cenat previewed an unreleased song from Lil Yachty during his livestream. After fans accused the “A Cold Sunday” artist of copying Playboi Carti’s cadence, he decided to respond on Twitter yesterday (March 20) evening.

“Biting him? How did I bite him? The beat? If that’s the case, I [have] been workin’ with Cardo since 2019 or 2020 on record. Y’all fans be smoking the strongest d**k,” Yachty quote-tweeted a social media user’s shade. The original post that he responded to read, “Carti can’t try one new sound without rappers immediately biting him. He’s generational.”

Cardo, who’s known for producing songs for Drake, Travis Scott, and Kendrick Lamar, has worked on several of Carti’s recent releases. The Grammy-winning beatmaker is responsible for “H00DBYAIR,” “KETAMINE,” “ EVILJ0RDAN ,” and “BACKR00MS,” all of which are expected to appear on the musician’s next album.

Unfortunately for Yachty, people pointed out more alleged similarities than just the beat. One account wrote, “The song is terrible. The beat is a ‘H00DBYAIR’-type beat. Your flow is an obvious attempt at a Carti flow, and you used a ‘what’ ad-lib in the same cadence [that] Carti uses.”

biting him? how did i bite him? the beat? if that’s the case i been workin with cardo since 2019-2020 on record yall fans be smoking the strongest dick https://t.co/rlcaSRsoP7 — CONCRETE BOY BOAT^ (@lilyachty) March 21, 2024

The song is terrible, the beat is a hoodbyair type beat, your flow is a obvious attempt at a carti flow and you used a ‘what’ adlib in the same cadence carti uses. This is a terrible attempt at copying him and you’re pretending you’re not biting — igor. (@hadmyback) March 21, 2024

Yachty also dismissed accusations of him copying Carti last year. In July 2023, DJ Akademiks claimed the Whole Lotta Red artist “made him change his entire sound” during a livestream . The music commentator further alleged that records like “Poland” and “Strike (Holster)” drew influence from the Georgia native.

However, Yachty quickly pointed out, “[You are] so insane. I didn’t tell [you] this at all. Stop drinking, bro. I said [Tyler, The Creator] encouraged me to take that route.”

@Akademiks u r so insane, I didn’t tell u this at all. Stop drinking bro. I said tyler encouraged me to take that route. Wtf https://t.co/rxNJnVVjQq — CONCRETE BOY BOAT^ (@lilyachty) July 10, 2023

In 2023, the QC rapper put out Let’s Start Here. , which featured Justine Skye, Teezo Touchdown, Daniel Caesar, Diana Gordon, and Fousheé. It saw him venturing into psychedelic rock and spawned songs like “​​​drive ME crazy!” and “pRETTy.”

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NEMZZZ Taps Lil Yachty For Sentimental New Song "ITS US"

The teenage rapper secured a major cosign from Lil Yachty.

Young rapper NEMZZZ has had a few viral moments dating back to 2021. That included a viral hit on TikTok in 2021 and his "NEMZZZ Type Beat" last year. Earlier this month, he released his long-awaited debut album DO NOT DISTURB . It arrived on the back of his singles like "MONEY AND VIBES" and "L's." But it didn't take him long to release even more material. Less than a week after the album dropped he shared a deluxe version that added four new songs.

It didn't take long for fans to hone in on the breakout track of the deluxe edition. NEMZZZ grabbed Lil Yachty for an impressive crossover on the song "ITS US." While the track is short, it's absolutely packed full of personality. It has a beat that combines hard-hitting drums and glistening keys that suits both Yachty's singing and Nemz' rapping. They also released a music video for the new song which is simple but effective. It's racked up more than 200k views on Youtube in just a few days since it was dropped. Check out the music video and new song below.

Read More: Lil Yachty Drops By For His "On The Radar Freestyle"

NEMZZZ And Lil Yachty's "ITS US"

Lil Yachty has had a busy year of collaborations in 2024 already. Last month he teamed up with breakout UK Garage producer Fred Again and Overmono for a new single called "StayInIt." He also announced that his next album would be a full length collaboration with James Blake . The album is reportedly called Bad Cameo .

What do you think of NEMZZ and Lil Yachty's new song "ITS US?" Have you heard the rapper's debut album DO NOT DISTURB yet? Let us know in the comment section below.

Read More: Lil Yachty's 7 Biggest Hits

Quotable Lyrics: See me now and they act up, back then, you wouldn’t look my way Blew a little bag today, relax, bae, it's just ten K The labels know they need me, when I smile, you see the VVs My bro just got that CC, I just put her in CC

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Drake Co-Signed Nemzzz Drops New Track 'It's US' With Lil Yachty

Breaking new ground, the mixtape is available in physical format on CD and cassette, a first for the Manchester artist.

UK rapper Nemzzz has dropped his highly-anticipated debut mixtape, DO NOT DISTURB, (Deluxe) today.

This 11-track tape marks Nemzzz's most extensive release to date, delving into his upbringing and newfound fame. Breaking new ground, the mixtape is available in physical format on CD and cassette, a first for the Manchester artist. Nemzzz has gotten co-signs from Drake, Central Cee, iShowSpeed, and other US-based entertainers. 

The single "It's Us" featuring rapper Lil Yachty, a standout from the deluxe offering, has also been released, offering a short but punchy track with cool 808s and keys. Nemzzz and Yachty trade verses, showcasing their great sonic chemistry and marking a return to form for Yachty. Yachty has voiced his support for Nemzzz, a particularly strong co-sign as Yachty has aligned himself with other rising talent such as Teezo Touchdown and LORENZ.OG . 

Opening with the late-night confession "REFLECTION," Nemzzz delivers biting rhymes about the pitfalls of social media activism. The new single " ETA" features a collaboration with German rap heavyweight Luciano, with the duo trading bars over a siren-like beat and a video shot in Frankfurt during Nemzzz's appearance at Luciano's stadium show.

Recent single "PTSD," produced by frequent collaborator Zel, showcases a haunting vocal flip and a laid-back production, earning a co-sign from Central Cee. "L'S," a shimmering, jazz-inflected track, received acclaim from The Observer, Fader, CRACK, and NME, garnering spins across BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra.

Atmospheric cuts like "DOOM" and playful love song "STAR SIGN" add depth to the mixtape, while tracks like "NEED YOU" explore the ups and downs of toxic relationships. "DND," the title track, details the challenges Nemzzz faced leading up to the project's release. Rounding out the tape is "MONEY AND VIBES," where Nemzzz brings a UK flavor to a flip of Justin Timberlake's "Rock Your Body."

Nemzzz, shaped by his tough upbringing in Gorton, uses his music to reflect on experiences such as heartbreak, fake friends, financial literacy, finding one's path, and managing mental health amid social media addiction. The rapper, an old head on young shoulders, offers relatability in a unique way, helping his young fans navigate growing pains.

Following a successful 2023, which included his debut EP "Nemzzz Type Beat" and hit singles like "Therapy" and "8AM IN MANNY," Nemzzz is gearing up for his second headline tour this Spring across the UK and Ireland. With sold-out dates already and performances at major festivals, including Glastonbury and Ibiza Rocks, Nemzzz continues to make waves in the rap scene.

Since bursting onto the scene at 14, Nemzzz has steadily built buzz with over 180M combined streams in 2023, 9 Million TikTok views, and recognition from BBC Radio 1xtra, Amazon Music x Hunger Magazine, No Signal Class of '23, MOBO Awards 2022 Best Newcomer Nominee, and accolades from Pitchfork, The Face, DAZED, The Guardian, HYPEBEAST, CLASH, Complex UK, and NME. Nemzzz is undeniably making serious moves in the industry.

Nemzzz will be heading out on his second headline tour this Spring with dates across the UK and Ireland. He will be kicking off in Dublin on April 30th, and culminating in a homecoming show on May 7th in Manchester. With two dates already sold out - the tour is set to be another huge smash for the young star. TICKETS/MORE INFO.

30th April Dublin, Green Room Academy *SOLD OUT

3rd May Glasgow, Warehouse SWG3 *SOLD OUT

5th May London, Omeara *SOLD OUT

7th May Manchester, Club Academy

About Nemzzz:

Nemzzz is one of the most exciting breakout rap talents of recent years. An old head on young shoulders, Nemzzz is relatable in a different way than a lot of his rap peers; driven less by punchlines about Birkin bags and more by the challenge of helping his young fans navigate their way through growing pains.

The rapper is shaped by his tough upbringing in Gorton, using his music to reflect on his experiences in Manchester and his mental health struggles. Since bursting onto the scene at the tender age of 14, he has relentlessly chipped away at his craft – building steady buzz amongst the industry, media and fans alike.

With over 180M combined streams in 2023, 9 Million TikTok views, tips including BBC Radio 1xtra's Hot For 2023, Amazon Music x Hunger Magazine Ones To Watch, No Signal Class of '23, Best Newcomer Nominee MOBO Awards 2022, plaudits from Pitchfork, The Face, DAZED, The Guardian, HYPEBEAST, CLASH, Complex UK and NME - Nemzzz is making serious moves.

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