Lil Yachty was never one to fit into a box that society has placed on him and he’s making that very clear in his latest album. In the new project Let’s Start Here, the rapper leaves mumble rap by the bay side and ventures into rock. He says he’s finally made an album he’s proud of.
The rapper sat down with Billboard Magazine to discuss the new project. Released earlier this year, Let’s Start Here was influenced by Tame Impala and Pink Floyd. The project went on to receive critical acclaim. When discussing the new sound, he details how this project doesn’t amount to his previous albums.
“F**k any of the albums I dropped before this one,” he says. “I came into music in a time when rap was real hardcore, it was real street. And a bunch of us kids came in with colorful hair and dressing differently and basically said, ‘Move out the way, old f**ks. We on some other sh*t.’”
Yachty also referenced Bon Iver, Black Sabbath, Frank Ocean, James Brown, and Pink Floyd as influences. “There’s a lot of kids who haven’t heard any of my references,” he said. “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.”
Yachty’s Success With Let’s Start Here
All eight of Yachty’s label albums and mixtapes have charted on the Billboard 200. Three of those eight have entered the top 10. Let’s Start Here debuted and peaked at No. 9. Although Yachty has only one No. 1 album, Let’s Start Here debuted at the top of three genre charts: Top Rock & Alternative Albums, Top Rock Albums, and Top Alternative Albums.
Motown Records VP of A&R Gelareh Rouzbehani said in a statement that the trajectory of the album says a lot about the rapper. “It feels good to know that people in that world received this so well,” he said. “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.’ ”