Drake Discusses ‘Graceful Exit’ in Lil Yachty Interview Teaser
Lil Yachty
Lil Yachty Clarifies Comments About Being Taken Seriously As An Artist With “Rap Radar”
Rap Radar returns with another captivating episode, this time with Lil Yachty in the hot seat. It was just about a month ago when Yachty released his acclaimed album Let’s Start Here, a project that was sonically different from his more recent releases. He was praised by his peers, including Drake and Questlove, but comments the rapper made during a listening party sparked a debate online.
“This album is so special and dear to me,” said Yachty at the time. “I think I created it just because I really wanted to be taken serious as an artist, you know. Not just some SoundCloud rapper, not some mumble rapper. Not some guy that just made one hit. You know, I wanted to be really taken serious because music is, like, everything to me. You know, I respect all walks of music, not just Rap and Hip Hop. Everything.”
Lil Yachty Clears The Air
Soon, people called him out for allegedly suggesting that Rap, in its form and genre, wasn’t “serious.” However, in an exclusive clip of his interview shared with us by Rap Radar and Interval Presents, Yachty clarified his previous statement. “I wanna talk about that for a second, ’cause there was this conversation on the internet after I said that. And people took it as me trying to say like, ‘Oh, I hate when rappers say I wanna be taken seriously as an artist.’ As if I was saying that, like, Rap isn’t being—you’re not serious if you’re a rapper. That’s not what I meant.”
“I mean, specifically, I do more than rap,” he continued. “For a long time in my career, I wanted to be taken seriously as a rapper. And I said that. And I would go and try and do radio interviews, freestyles, whatever, just ’cause I wanted that. I did Michigan Boy Boat, I did things. That’s when I was trying to prove I’m a rapper. But I’m past that. Now, I’m proving I’m an artist.”
Yachty Speaks On Audiences Not Doing Their Due Diligence
“But people—it’s so crazy. In music, you can do so many things, but people skip—people don’t follow you,” Yachty further stated. “They have no clue of a history. So, when they do start following you, they just completely write off whatever you’ve done beforehand. And no one actually does homework or cares enough to look back. It’s just what they see.”
“It be irritating, but I never wrote off being a rapper as not being taken serious or not being as big as other genre musicians or any of that. I just specifically, myself, not speaking on no one else or the genre, wanted to be taken seriously as an artist.” Tune in to the full episode of Rap Radar with Lil Yachty tomorrow, February 23.
Lil Yachty Admits He Was “Irritated” By “Poland” Success
Lil Yachty’s latest project, Let’s Start Here ushered in a new era in his career. Since he emerged, he’s constantly faced criticism for emerging in the Soundcloud era. Some, like Joe Budden, felt as though he singlehandedly ruined hip-hop. In the past few years, the “Poland” rapper made it his mission to shake off the narrative that followed his name, which explains the huge leap he took with Let’s Start Here. The project felt more inspired by psychedelic rock rather than hip-hop. He accomplished what he set out to do on Let’s Start Here, earning praise from figures like Questlove.
The album came as a shock to many, especially since he didn’t drop a single beforehand. The only piece of music that could’ve indicated the direction of his next studio album was his contributions to Her Loss, and his viral single, “Poland.” The latter felt like a refined approach to his warbly rap records and received praise across the board. Not only from TikTok but from music critics who’ve written him off over the years.
Lil Yachty Felt “Irritated” By The Success Of “Poland”
During a recent conversation with Zane Lowe, Lil Yachty explained why he didn’t necessarily appreciate the positive reception to his viral single. He admitted it was “irritating” to see fans gravitate towards that song since he recorded it on a whim while working on Let’s Start Here. “I would’ve never dropped ‘Poland’ — ever — because I wanted to pivot myself into this,” he explained during the recent interview on Apple Music.
However, he still felt grateful for the impact that it had. “So I was really irritated when it dropped, but I’m so grateful it did. Like I said, I really don’t know what I do next. I don’t know if I’ma do this again or do more rap,” he explained. With the release of Let’s Start Here, Lil Yachty basically has the freedom to pursue whatever he wants musically. However, it’s clear that he hasn’t lost his passion for rapping either. Check out the interview with Zane Lowe above and sound off with your thoughts in the comments.
Lil Yachty Broke Down Why Friend And Frequent Collaborator Drake Is ‘Really, Really Smart’
Lil Yachty opened up about his close bond with Drake during a new conversation with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe, where he also touched on his new album, Let’s Start Here. The two rappers have collaborated even more in recent years, as Yachty had writing credits on Drake and 21 Savage’s 2022 album Her Loss, for “Jumbotron Sh*t Poppin,” “Privileged Rappers,” and more tracks.
“I love him to death,” Yachty said of Drake. “Yeah, that’s my guy, man… our relationship has just grown. I had a conversation with him after, and I was just telling him, ‘Man, this music that you made over this time period has affected so many people.’”
Yachty also revealed that any time Drake drops, he has trouble controlling his feels. So much so, that he shared a joke about how Drake’s music makes people call their exes during a conversation they had.
“I said, ‘Man, I remember there was a point in time when you were about to release music, and everyone was like, ‘Man, I’m about to call my ex. Like, oh man, I’m finna cry,”” he said. “That was a time period. And that’s when people thought when Drake was finna drop, you thought like, ‘Oh man, I’m about to get back with my ex-girlfriend.’ You felt like emotions were about to be pulled out of you.”
“At this point, I feel so close to him,” Yachty added. “I feel like whatever he does, I did it. If he wins something, I feel like I just won. He’s really, really smart. No matter how much he’ll act like he’s oblivious to his career and the things that he’s done, he knows what certain things and certain moments in his career mean to people.”
Watch Yachty’s full interview on Apple Music above.
Let’s Start Here is out now via Quality Control/Motown. Get it here.
Lil Yachty Was Intially ‘Irritated’ When ‘Poland’ Leaked, But Now He’s ‘Grateful’ It Did
Lil Yachty’s song “Poland” proved to be one of the biggest viral hits of 2022. Though it didn’t appear on his 2023 album Let’s Start Here, which features Yachty experimenting with more psychedelic sounds, he revealed “Poland” was made during downtime in the album’s studio sessions.
In an interview with Apple Music 1’s Zane Lowe, he said he was initially frustrated after the song leaked.
“That was irritating,” he said. “I was pissed because I made ‘Poland’ while making this album on a day when they were mixing sh*t in the other room and I was just bored with the homies, and I would’ve never dropped ‘Poland,’ ever, because I was trying to pivot myself into this. So I was really irritated when it dropped, but I’m so grateful it did. And like I said, I really don’t know what I do next. I don’t know if I’m going to do this again or do more rap sh*t… I’ll figure it out.”
Last month, Yachty announced he was assembling an all-woman band. Elsewhere in the interview with Lowe, he revealed his inspiration behind the idea.
“I just wanted to show how sick women can rap,” said Yachty. “I feel like… I was just in rehearsal yesterday. I just feel like women don’t get as much respect as men when it comes to the music industry. So I was like, ‘These songs are pretty badass, and I want to show women playing them.’ They didn’t make it, but I want to show they can do it, not better. So that was my vision.”
Find the full interview above.
Lil Yachty Talks Being “So Close” To Drake & Explains New All Girl Band
It isn’t easy finding long-lasting friendships in the industry, but Drake and Lil Yachty are as thick as thieves. They’ve partied, collaborated, and been inspired by one another, and Yachty told Zane Lowe for Apple Music 1 about his growing friendship with the OVO icon. “Shout out to Drake, man. I love him to death,” said the “Poland” hitmaker. “Yeah, that’s my guy, man… Our relationship has just grown.”
“I had a conversation with him and was just telling him, ‘Man, this music that you made over this time period has affected so many people.’ I said, ‘Man, I remember there was a point in time when you were about to release music, and everyone was like, man, I’m about to call my ex. Like, oh man, I’m finna cry.’ That was a time period. And that’s when people thought when Drake was finna drop, you thought like, ‘Oh man, I’m about to get back with my ex-girlfriend.’ You felt like, emotions were about to be pulled out of you.”
Read More: Drake Shares Review Of Lil Yachty’s “Let’s Start Here”
Revisiting those moments in Drizzy drop history made Yachty want to return to that feeling. “I was like, ‘Man, we got to get back on that. You got to get back on that.’ At this point, I feel so close to him. I feel like whatever he does, I did it. If he wins something, I feel like I just won. He’s really, really smart. No matter how much he’ll act like he’s oblivious to his career and the things that he’s done, he knows what certain things and certain moments in his career mean to people.”
Elsewhere during his chat with Lowe, Yachty explained his new artistic endeavor. We previously reported that he created a girl group, and now he detailed the inspiration behind working with women. “I have an all girl band. Yeah. I just wanted to show how sick women can rap,” said Yachty. “I feel like…I was just in rehearsal yesterday. I just feel like women don’t get as much respect as men when it comes to the music industry. So I was like, ‘These songs are pretty badass, and I want to show women playing them.’ They didn’t make it, but I want to show they can do it, not better. So that was my vision.”
Read More: Lil Yachty Says Drake’s Line Is Not About Megan Thee Stallion
“I haven’t toured in five years, so I am dying to see people care to see me and hear me because I haven’t been on stage since I was like 19, 20. I haven’t toured since I was like 19 years old, before I was 21.” Check out Lil Yachty and Zane Lowe above.
HYBE America Acquires Quality Control Music + What It Could Mean For Their Artists
HYBE America has acquired Atlanta rap label Quality Control Music in a deal worth over $300 million. With the label having new ownership, the move could affect the label’s artists and future music. HYBE America Acquires QC Multinational entertainment company HYBE America has acquired Atlanta-based rap label Quality Control Music. HYBE America’s CEO Scooter Braun […]
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