Childish Gambino is an experimental artist. He’s found incredible mainstream success, but at the end of the day, he likes to tinker with established formulas. It’s what makes him such a consistently engaging artist. Gambino is also smart about who he aligns himself with in the studio. He only works with people who generative creative sparks, as evidenced by the eclectic feature list on his new album. The most unexpected feature on Bando Stone and the New World has to be rage phenom Yeat. That said, the rapper claimed that Yeat was the one who impressed him the most.
Childish Gambino sat down with Apple 1 host Zane Lowe to discuss the new album. He touched on the album’s themes and aesthetic in detail. It was the topic of Yeat, however, that drew the most praise from the rapper. Childish Gambino and Yeat collaborate on the song “Cruisin,” which is wild blend of tempos and sounds. Lowe asked about the process behind the song, and Gambino heaped praise on his creative partner. “He’s a workaholic, he’ll make something so fast,” the rapper stated. “I’m just super impressed with him, and he loves music. He’s the man.”
Childish Gambino Was Impressed By Yeat’s Work Ethic
Childish Gambino speaks on working with Yeat for ‘Bando Stone & the New World’
“I’m just super impressed with him, and he loves music. He’s the man. […] He’s a “creative prepper”, where he’s like, ‘I can do this at any point, at any time.'” pic.twitter.com/jsnTMtAZZy
Childish Gambino elaborated on the making of “Cruisin,” and revealed that the collab came together in Paris. He recalled being shocked by how adaptable Yeat was to different working conditions. “We were in Paris working together,” he explained. “I’m just surprised by how resourceful he is.” Gambino was wowed by the fact that Yeat didn’t have to resort to plug ins or additional software to get the sound he wanted. “I was like ‘What are you using?’ and he’s using all the stuff that comes with the stuff,” the rapper stated. “He’s not getting like ‘Oh I need this plug in.’”
Childish Gambino is not the only one who has taken notice of Yeat’s talent. While him and Zane Lowe laughed about Yeat’s cult status among fans, the artist is slowly building up his profile. In addition to being on Bando Stone and the New World, Yeat has linked up with some of the biggest artists in the world. He scored a hit with the Drake collab “IDGAF” in 2023. He has also landed collabs with Gunna, Young Thug and Don Toliver. All signs point to him leading the new wave.
Yeat has been going on an underrated run this year, especially when you factor in all of the rap beefs and major releases. His latest album 2093, while divisive, did receive a lot of love from critics and is seen as his best work to date. The Oregon-bred and California-based rapper really expanded on his distorted and futuristic rage sound, and it has placed him in a playing field with the genre’s biggest competitors. Over the months following the project, Yeat has been dropping some fire singles, with “King tonka and “Heavy stunts” being two more welcome additions.
This two-pack supersedes his trippy Soundcloud release “HeliMan” from just two weeks ago. It is not clear if these tracks are hinting at a new project, or a separate version of 2093 like how we got with P2 (Phase 2). For now, we are just enjoying this twofer for what they are, which is spacey trap bangers. Both are solid offerings, but “Heavy stunts” is one we want to highlight.
Listen To “King Tonka” & “Heavy Stunts” By Yeat & Don Toliver
This first-ever collaboration between Yeat and Don Toliver is a good first look at what these two could put forth in the future. It is a duo we can certainly see producing more in the future based on their similar approaches. When Don pops in for the second verse, he begins by mimicking Yeat’s deep, monotone cadence before bringing out his higher-pitched and nasally delivery we are accustomed to. Their chemistry is off to a great start, and we cannot wait for more.
What are your thoughts on these brand-new singles “King tonka” and “Heavy stunts” by Yeat and Don Toliver? Which track are you enjoying more right now and why? Do you need more Don Toliver collabs going forward? We would like to hear what you have to say, so be sure to leave your takes in the comments section. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the latest news surrounding Yeat and Don Toliver. Finally, stay with us for everything else going on in the music world.
Quotable Lyrics From “Heavy stunts”:
All these h*es were poppin’ the mollies Pulled off on a Harley (Err), why these h*es wanna top me Why my fans wanna crowd me? Tell me how this soundin’ We trappin’ out the Downey (We chop—), on top of the mountain My diamonds got from drownin’ (We chop—) Ha-ha, this s*** a big-big business, smoke you down like a cigar
Yeat has grown to be one of the biggest rappers in the modern landscape and could maybe be one of the most influential. His wavy, rage rap sound has evolved over the last few years and 2093 was the last iteration of it. However, it seemed to divide a lot of fans, while winning over a handful of critics, including Anthony Fantano. But the Oregon native is seemingly winning back some of his supporters with a new single “HeliMAn.”
This track is currently a Soundcloud only release, so this track seems to be for the extreme die-hards. So far, plenty of them have flocked to support “HeliMAn” and they are digging it. Tons of flame emojis and praise fill the comments under the song, and it makes sense why. As with most of Yeat’s music, you go to it for the vibes, production, and hype factor.
This loosie checks off each of those boxes with perhaps the beat being the biggest highlight. The synths play a major role in adding some personality throughout the instrumental. Then, you have the resonant bass which will make you want to rage out of control. We can this song working for those late summer nights and we will certainly be revisiting this track.
What are your thoughts on this brand-new single “HeliMAn” by Yeat? Can you see his fans supporting this sound compared to what 2093 did? Does this deserve a more widespread release? Are you still bumping his last album? If so which songs? We would like to hear what you have to say, so be sure to leave your takes in the comments section. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the latest news surrounding Yeat. Finally, stay with us for everything else going on around the music world.
Quotable Lyrics:
You’re gonna get X’d out on the cross, yeah, not no red (Cross) Side by side, side, we got big trucks and big guns (Err) They ask where I came from, I’m the holy one Put it on the sun, put it on the moon, yeah Tell me what the f*** you do before you gonna do it Tell me how the f*** I look before you ever suit it
Yeat has been someone who has created divisive opinions on himself. The mysterious rapper from Irvine, California has been on a tear over the past and a half or so with his signature psychedelic take on trap. His mixture of that along with rage music have garnered some mixed reactions to his material. However, his most recent release 2093 surprised many, including the mostly hard to impress, Anthony Fantano. He gave it an eight of 10 and fans are on his side with that take. The album is aiming for a number one debut on the Billboard Hot 200 with around 72.6K copies sold. To help celebrate the album, Yeat put out a music video for “U Should Know.”
One of the deeper cuts on the record, it has earned its place as one of the strongest offerings. It is a song all about not caring about anyone’s opinion and going at life alone. The atmosphere and lyrics of “U Should Know” perfectly suit Yeat’s persona and music. You can check the well-matched music video below.
It feels very Travis Scott-esque with its dark color palette and hints of neon. The Asian sports car inclusion adds to that similarity of the visuals for La Flame’s “Antidote.” That video included a Hyundai Genesis coupe, while “U Should Know” includes an older Nissan GT-R. The visuals are a hit with fans as well, with over 700,000 views.
What are your thoughts on this brand-new music video for “U Should Know” by Yeat? Is this one of his best performances on a track as of late, why or why not? What was your favorite element of the song and why? Did he turn you into a fan after dropping 2093? We would like to hear what you have to say, so be sure to leave your takes in the comments section. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the latest news surrounding Yeat. Finally, stay with us for the most informative music video posts throughout the week.
The Billboard 200 albums chart dated March 2 might go down as one of the most competitive of 2024 when it comes to its two top spots. Despite previous reports, Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign’s collaborative album Vultures 1 ended up beating out Yeat’s 2093 for the number one spot. Moreover, Vultures spends its second week atop the charts with around 75,000 equivalent album units in its second week in the U.S., according to Billboard themselves and Luminate, an independent data provider. On the other hand, 2093 debuts at the No. 2 spot with around 70,000 album equivalent units, which is the California native’s best-performing week yet on the chart.
As for 2093, this album had a couple of versions come out which contributed to this chart performance. First, the project’s core edition released on Friday, February 16, with 22 songs and a whole lot of praise from casuals and die-hards alike. Then, Yeat dropped two new songs for it the following day, these being “As We Speak” with Drake and “Never quit.” Finally, on February 21, he dropped a version of the LP with four additional tracks exclusively on his website.
Meanwhile, Vultures has been through so many changes, alterations, and cycles that it’s hard to tell what it’s current status is. The good news for fans is that it’s back on Apple Music after briefly disappearing on Saturday (February 24). However, as of writing this article, there are two versions of the project available: one with a capitalized title and one with an uncapitalized title. It’s been really bizarre to witness all these removals, disputes, and of course all the controversial content behind Ye’s rollout antics and statements.
In fact, there’s a Vultures cut that isn’t on Apple Music, but returned to Spotify after it was removed from both streamers for unrightfully sampling Donna Summer. But all that aside, and no matter what you think of these Billboard placements, these are still great achievements to celebrate. The “Breathe” MC had his best commercial performance yet, and the “BURN” duo continue to make this one of the most commercially successful independent releases ever. For more news and the latest updates on Kanye West, Ty Dolla Sign, and Yeat, come back to HNHH.
February’s heating up as it wraps up, and our Fire Emoji playlist is here to round up the best new hip-hop that came out this week. Starting off with an extra addition to one of 2024’s best albums so far, Yeat and Drake teamed up once again for the 2093 cut, “As We Speak.” It’s a definite step-up from their previous track “IDGAF,” and pushes both of them in industrial new directions with a well-crafted and grand beat. Next up on this playlist is the return of Kodak Black with the single “Shampoo” following his arduous prison stint. It’s pretty much what you’d expect from a Yak cut, but hearing him re-energized in this way is quite gratifying.
Furthermore, we also want to shout out French Montana’s new album Mac & Cheese 5, whose many versions elicited jokes and mocking messages from fans. Regardless, “Where They At” is a grimy collaboration with none other than Kanye West and Westside Gunn that will probably make it up to fans. Elsewhere on Fire Emoji, there’s also the brand-new cut from Central Cee, the low-key and romantic “I Will.” On a similarly measured but much darker and pained note, Lil Durk shared his latest record, “Old Days.”
Also on Fire Emoji is a release from three artists that fans are begging for more from. The Free Nationals, Anderson .Paak, and A$AP Rocky teamed up for the unsurprisingly funky and charismatic “Gangsta,” and hopefully an album from any of these is soon to come. Even though Quavo isn’t in this situation, as he dropped an album last year, it was still great to hear him drop another loosie with this week’s “Himothy.” It’s a haunting trap beat with the Georgia trap icon’s signature flows, and they’re as engaging as they’ve ever been despite a rough mix.
Meanwhile, rounding out our update is the new cut from Ray Vaughn and Pusha T, the ambient but lyrically visceral “Problems.” Last but not least is Strick’s new gorgeous collaboration with Young Thug and James Blake, “KISSES MAKE SURE.” Let us know what your favorite Fire Emoji playlist addition was this week -– and what else we missed, too. Check it out above and, as always, come back to HNHH for the latest great music releases around the clock.
Music fans are always looking for the new wave to hop on, and with so much amazing material dropping every day, these trends could dominate and vanish within months. Many folks out there thought Yeat would suffer this fate. His arrival on the scene, paired with the wider emergence of rage, brought a lot of buzz, an instant cult fanbase, and even a Minions collab. But with four albums under the Portland MC’s belt now, plus a wealth of mixtapes, he’s had plenty of time to capitalize on this hype. However, this didn’t answer the question that many fans still have: is he here to stay? Will this sound and approach age like fine wine or is it just a passing fad while we wait on the real future? Well, speaking of the future, the AftërLyfe visionary is here to take us to 2093.
This new album aims to provide a forward-thinking, fresh, unique, and alien artistic statement. Its 24 tracks (including the two “Phase 2” extras “As We Speak” with Drake and “Never quit”) are defined by buzzing and soaring synths, distorted percussion, a lot of reverb atmosphere, and a slew of verses, ad-libs, and vocal effects battling each other for your ear. Unlike past material, the lyrics here are actually highlighted quite intently, and this overall sets 2093 up as the most idiosyncratic release in this catalog. Fortunately for fans and new listeners alike, it’s also its best project yet. Although it’s not perfect, this is a truly definitive, impactful, and above all needle-pushing record that will probably join the likes of Whole Lotta Red, Yeezus, and even Exmilitary as aggressive and industrial benchmarks in hip-hop. But it’s clear that Yeat is in a class of his own.
Yeat’s Performance
If you want proof of that, look no further than his performance on the mic here -– and behind the board. If you recall last week, we published a list of five “wants” from this album, one of which was that Yeat would prioritize and focus on his best weapon in his arsenal: his voice and his delivery. We’re glad to say that he’s still got it. Through a lot of vocal layering, woozy effects, energetic ad-libs, and switches between slurred deliveries and clearer high notes, the 23-year-old maintains what makes him such a memorable and captivating artist. He switches between frantic flows, measured croons, and passionate screams with ease on any given track. The “Nun id change” creative feels so comfortable and seamlessly integrated into his sonic vision, which is the second-most important achievement of 2093. We’ll mention the top priority later.
He also takes over most of the production here, with credits on 13 tracks of its 24 offerings. In fact, one of the best songs here, “Riot & Set it off,” is produced entirely by the California native, and that speaks for itself. His vision is able to meld a lot of different influences together and make something new out of them. There’s a lot of Travis Scott and Kanye West worship here, distorted vocal treatments akin to Sematary, industrial tones and timbres that you might catch on material from Death Grips or HEALTH, and sci-fi soundscapes that seem more like scores than streaming success stories. But they all fit under 2093‘s universe like a glove, and have Yeat’s special touch all over them. It’s the most impressive part of this album.
This high praise is thanks to the cavalcade of producers here, of which there are too many to shout out individually. Key players, though, include Synthetic (7 credits), Dulio (5), GeoGotBands and Perdu (4 each), and LRBG, Radiate, and WhoIce (3 each). Together, they all execute Yeat’s vision in a cohesive way that also leads to another big strength on 2093: its engaging and well-paced flow. The dreamy and atmospheric outro on “Bought The Earth,” which is a nice cool-down moment on the LP, leads right into the rambunctious trap on “Nothing Changë.” Clubby rhythms and dance inspiration take center stage on “Breathe” (another absolute standout), “Shade,” “Keep Pushin,” and the title track. Most importantly, the distortion, synth variety, noisy mixes, and string embellishments all fuse in an epic and entrancing way.
Still, not every beat is a hitter. 2093‘s length means that cuts like “Tell më,” “Stand On It,” and “Psychocainë” feel repetitive. Regardless, this isn’t a sign of the album taking significant quality dips, as there are amazing records all the way to the last song. Also, there is so much quality behind Yeat’s production choices that, even if they sit in the same space, they don’t feel diluted in their impact. “U Should Know,” “ILUV,” “Mr. Inbetweenit,” and “If We Being Rëal” are just a handful of progressive, crunchy, well-structured, and thoroughly immersive beats. “Familia” is one of the most overtly psychedelic moments here, and “Never quit” ingeniously flips a guitar-driven beat into something more than a rock-rap fusion. Overall, this album is a true auditory treat, and likely a very influential one. The cherry on top? How they effortlessly set up his verses.
Lyrics never define any Yeat album, but this album takes his success and paints a dark picture with it. “I’ma cut you off, cut you off when you talkin’ to me,” he raps on the opener “Psycho CEO.” “I’m in 2093, where your life at?” The now-established Drake collaborator focuses a lot on financial success, loyalty, material wealth, substance use, and not feeling human. But he contrasts this with murderous thoughts, admissions of his own dishonesty, his apathy, and nihilistic remarks on what all this money and status even means. Through jumbled trains of thought, loose verses, and consistently catchy refrains, these themes become almost contradictory, yet never inauthentic. There’s a lot of CEO talk on 2093, and it seems like hedonism eats at its own tail here. The salient point is that these pleasures make this darkness worse, but also give it the freedom to roam freely.
Particularly sharp meta bars on “Run Thëy Mouth,” like, “I got four rings, four albums, b***h, I’m out / I was alivе for 4L, but it’s up to me for after now,” embody this theme well. It’s a scary picture, and one that Yeat paints with a “less is more” brush. While these topics and expressions are always compelling, they can feel like retreads.
Similarly, there are a few moments in 2093 that don’t match up to its futuristic vision. For example, the features are 50/50. Lil Wayne drops a good verse on “LyfeStylë,” but it feels a bit mismatched from the album’s established energy. Future’s appearance on “Stand On It” is mixed way too low, but he does his thing. More impressively, “As We Speak” is probably the wildest beat Drake’s ever been on, and he’s much more charismatic and well-presented here than on their previous collab, “IDGAF.” Childish Gambino’s uncredited vocals on the outro of “Power Trip,” though, are the only guest contributions that truly feel futuristic and wholly connected to this project. Since Yeat is so standoffish, homicidal, and downright misanthropic from a lyrical standpoint, this makes these inclusions a bit more out of place. That being said, it’s still a small blemish.
Otherwise, what keeps 2093 out of the higher echelons of hip-hop albums in their respective eras is its consistency. The aforementioned reruns of aesthetics and song structures, plus static lyrical focuses and underwhelming feature verses, bring things down a bit. But we want to emphasize that it’s only a bit. An overwhelming majority of this LP took Yeat to the next level in our eyes. In particular, his character portrait here is the most understandable, clear, and un-replicable. It seems like the Gen Z leader is embracing the villain role here, and his contradictions and extraterrestrial imagination -– or rather, reality -– seem just like they were there before the fame. Power is another central idea, one that seems just as indebted to physical possessions as it is to primal proclivities. Bloodlust and existentialism are palpable, and don’t aim for anything else but to shock, inspire, and evoke.
So, how exactly does 2093 shock, inspire, and evoke indescribable feelings of ambition and dominance in its listeners? Much like its creator, the album shrouds itself in a lot of mystery, both through its muddy and aggressive production and the varied rhythms and sonic worlds that it cycles through. The beats here progress, evolve, and keep ears locked in from song to song, and don’t allow for even a second to free you from its spell. Yeat is right at the center of the chaos, and gives up control to tap into his demons and desires as a dead man walking. He doesn’t mind calling others out for being dead too, as long as they know who is on top of the graveyard. The totality of these elements achieved the most important thing this record had to represent: evolution. Progress. The next step. The future.
The artist’s unique musical identity preserves and develops itself further into idiosyncrasy; the consistency and intent make this a fully satisfying listen; the rap styles of tread, witch house, rage, and more push forward; he might see his first No. 1 album of his career with a watershed moment of an LP; and the features… at least Donald Glover killed it. Jokes aside, they still played their role well and allowed Tonka’s biggest fan to take the whole spotlight. With all this in mind, did 2093 take us to 2093? Absolutely. It’s so exciting to see an album this mainstream be so challenging, so masterful with its influences, and so fun all throughout. Yeat’s come a long way, and he fully cemented himself as a legitimate mainstay and leading face of hip-hop today. Well, 70 years from now, anyway.
Yeat’s 2093is out now, and a lot of fans are really loving the new directions and evolutions on display here. A lot of folks are fully into the project’s futuristic vibes and think that it’s the perfect fit for his style, presence, and overall artistic vision. Sure, the album is not a hit with everyone, but it seems like even some of his most ardent doubters online have some light praise for it. At least, that’s what the Twitter and social media conversations are leaning into these days, and we haven’t even wrapped up a whole weekend with it.
Furthermore, Yeat’s 2093 represents a chance for him to level up once more in his career. He already took things to the next level sonically, the fan reception is already there, and with features from Drake, Future, and Lil Wayne, his place in the game is more established than ever. But the California native might also do something that he had never done before with this LP. According to HITSDailyDouble, we already have early first week sales projections for the new album, and they point to a potentially historic debut for him.
Apparently, Yeat is expected to move between 65K and 75K units in its first week, which puts it up for contention for the No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200. Another main competitor in this race is Morgan Wallen’s One Thing At A Time, which has been a dominant presence in the charts for about a year now. Also, there’s the second week of Kanye West and Ty Dolla $ign’s Vultures to consider, although Billboard didn’t seem to chart it at all. Both will reportedly move between 60K and 70K, and if 2093 surpasses them, it would be the “Lyfestylë” MC’s first number one of his career.
Of course, this would be really exciting to see, especially for the new generation. We wonder, though, if the Drake collab added to the album, “As We Speak,” will improve the album’s chart performance as a whole. We wouldn’t complain, though, as 2093 is worthy of the future. For more news and the latest updates on Yeat, come back to HNHH.
It’s getting busier and busier for new hip-hop releases in 2024, and our Fire Emoji playlist update is here to round it all up. Moreover, we’ve highlighted the best of the best new music drops this week for your convenience, and we have a big one to start off with. Yeat just dropped his highly anticipated studio album 2093, and its lengthy tracklist contains a lot of standouts. If you want some appetizers to ease you in, we’d recommend the Future-assisted “Stand On It” and the Lil Wayne-assisted “Lyfestylë,” plus the brand-new Drake collab “As We Speak,” which isn’t on the playlist but warrants a mention.
Next on our Fire Emoji update is the new song from Tierra Whack, “27 CLUB,” ahead of her new album dropping later this year. It’s a solemn and dreamy cut that leans more into soulful and low-key atmospheres rather than a straight-up banger, but it still resonates a lot. In addition, speaking of an upcoming album, ScHoolboy Q just dropped his Blue Lips single “Yeern 101.” With distorted bass, clubby claps, fast flows, and sharp snares, this is an exciting new direction for the TDE veteran that sets his next project up to impress.
Beyond singles for upcoming albums and other, more developed rollouts, we also have a lot of loosies to cover on Fire Emoji this week. Buddy’s “Like This” is a great example, whose breezy and crisp instrumentation showcases it as a great standalone pallet cleanser. Also, Gunna came through with another somber, guitar-led cut with “Bittersweet,” whose melodies, sentiment, and mood definitely reflect that emotion. Planet Giza’s “2wice Again” melds R&B and pristine boom-bap in a similarly melancholy way, and we hope there’s much more of where these singles came from. We apologize if these artists are leading up to projects and we’re just waffling about loose tracks.
Rounding out the list is Bryson Tiller with “Whatever She Wants,” whose lo-fi but bouncy beat provides a lot of energy for his passionate vocals. Finally, one of the best drops this week was Conway The Machine and Joey Bada$$’ long overdue team-up, “Vertino.” Let us know what your favorite Fire Emoji inclusion was this week -– and what else we missed, too. Check out the playlist above and stick around on HNHH for more great music drops around the clock.
Yeat’s new album 2093 is out now, and we didn’t even experience a full day with it before he revealed more tricks up his sleeve. Moreover, he announced that he would drop another song for the project: “As We Speak” with none other than his “IDGAF” collaborator, Drake. Just like with that last link-up, this song starts with a dramatic instrumental, presumably a sample, before getting into the Portland rapper’s performance. Paired with grand pianos, buzzy synths, and then with distorted and heavy percussion, this makes for an unsurprisingly futuristic and unique sonic pallet. In fact, one could argue that this is probably the most unique and out-of-the-box instrumental that Aubrey Graham has rapped on… maybe ever?
That’s a debate for another day, but for now, there’s a lot to admire and appreciate about “As We Speak.” Lyrically, it’s a lot of cheeky and charismatic flexing from both MCs, and their deliveries and flows match well while defining their individual artistic approaches. Yeat is able to captivate our ears with his delivery and ad-libs, whereas Drake comes through with a more traditional flow that still does well over this more industrial beat. It’s a lane that he had never really tapped into like this, and for that alone, this is one of the most exciting songs either artist has put out as of late. It’s a similar approach to that of other features on 2093, such as Lil Wayne on “Lyfestyle,” and one that really resonates as a fresh and boundary-pushing track.
Meanwhile, given the two’s close relationship before this drop, we wouldn’t be surprised if they have even more stuff in the vault on the way. All we can hope for is that, if Yeat and Drake cross paths again, they craft something as surprisingly new and innovative as this. If you haven’t heard “As We Speak” yet, find it on your preferred streaming service and peep some standout bars from Drizzy below. As always, stay logged into HNHH for more on these artists and the latest great music drops around the clock.
Quotable Lyrics Back in America, f***ing on h*es from the ratchetest area, what? Spanish h*es love me, they talk to me like I’m from Latin America, what? We know your girl, she get tossed in the circle like Captain America, what? You boys are joking, it’s actually embarrassing, me and Lil Twizzy is just slapping in Maryland
Kanye West & Ty Dolla