The Secret Recipe: How Lil Yachty Has Taken Over The Spotlight in 2023
Written By Chris Pajda
Graphic By Ian Street
If you have paid attention to the Rap/Hip-Hop scene in 2023, there is one artist that continuously makes headlines. Best known for his 2010s hits such as One Night, Minnesota, Oprah’s Bank Account, and features from Kyle’s iSpy and DRAM’s Broccoli, Lil Yachty isn’t new to the game. Lil Yachty created 8 full-releases in 2016, all dabbling in different niches of the rap genre, like his recognizable autotuned rap or more punchline focused Michigan rap. Based on his extensive resume, it was expected that Lil Yachty wasn’t going to shy away from his iconic sound with his anticipated 2023 album.
It all started in late 2022 when Lil Yachty dropped the viral sensation, Poland. The song, which was created as a troll, immediately took off, thanks to TikTok. With all of the attention surrounding him, Lil Yachty released his expected album, Let’s Start Here, in January 2023. What was expected for the album was completely thrown out the window, as Lil Yachty experimented with a psychedelic-rock approach in contrast to the rap stylings his fans had come to expect from him. Taking inspiration from Pink Floyd and Tame Impala, Let’s Start Here did not receive positive impressions from critics and fans after it was first released. There were some highlights on the album though: the BLACK seminole, the ride-, pRETTy, and the viral hit, drive ME crazy! In an interview with Variety, Yachty stated that Tyler the Creator’s Igor was a big inspiration for this album: “I was such a fan of Igor, his character and his way of creating a world — the color palettes, the videos, the billboards, the fonts. It’s all together.”
If psychedelic rock isn’t your thing, there’s no need to worry. A couple of months later, video director Cole Bennett posted a teaser for a new Yachty song, which later became Strike (Holster). The catchy song had a very similar vibe to Poland, but it showed Lil Yachty going back to his rap-centric sound. Later in August, Lil Yachty celebrated his birthday by dropping three more tracks, Tesla, Slide, and Solo Steppin Crete Boy. Yachty continued to show off his iconic trap sounds, while also showcasing his rap skills, especially on Solo Steppin Crete Boy. At this point, Yachty had no rhyme or reason to his releases, but the fans were responding to it well.
Capping off his busy year of releasing music, Lil Yachty announced “The Field Tour,” featuring 23 cities in North America and 16 cities across Europe. Yachty’s tour is treating the fans to his new songs from Let’s Start Here, and performing the classics from his rap catalog. There have been quite a few highlights from the tour: Drake performing a couple of songs from a balcony in Toronto and fans shutting down Yachty’s show in Vancouver after being told to rush from the seats to the GA floor. But one of the biggest from the tour is The Secret Recipe, a surprise drop from Lil Yachty featuring J. Cole. The music video features Yachty and Cole rapping in an empty theater, hinting that this was created while on tour. Both rappers dropped bars of fury accompanied by a powerful soul sample with a screeching saxophone.
In his interview with Variety, Yachty described his experience working with J. Cole, saying “It’s so left, because we’re just rapping. Me trying to keep up with J Cole sounds like a death sentence, but I’m rapping my butt off, trying to keep up. It’s almost like he was trying to give me a whooping.”
Lil Yachty wrapped up the North American leg of “The Field Trip Tour,” on November 5 in Detroit, and continues the European leg in Norway on November 22, finishing a week before Christmas in Austria.
So, what’s next?,
“In January I’m starting a new album,” said Lil Yachty in an [interview with Variety]. “I don’t know what it is yet, I don’t want to say ‘alternative.’ I have a rap album, but I just decided I’m gonna keep dropping songs from it until my next non-rap album is done.” After a busy and successful year, it will be intriguing to see where Lil Boat will sail next.