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Known for his high-pitch melody that was crafted in the late 2010s off of Soundcloud, Lil Yachty has slowly shifted away from his original model of music, releasing his experimental alternative project “Let’s Start Here.” on Jan. 27.

It is safe to say that throughout his career, Yachty has been overlooked and even called a disappointment with negative reviews on “Lil Boat” and “Lil Boat 2.” But since the turn of the decade, he has shifted his focus away from his pop-rap style.

The release of “Michigan Boy Boat” in 2021 was the start of a new chapter, with Yachty attempting to collaborate with some of Detroit’s hottest MCs and dive out of his comfort zone, a common theme with the Atlanta rapper.

Producing recent hits “Jumbotron Sh*t Poppin,” “Privileged Rappers” and two other tracks on Drake and 21 Savage’s “Her Loss,” Yachty has transitioned to a more serious take on the music industry compared to his early days. The drop of “Let’s Start Here.” showcases his production skills, expertise in other genres and the ability to develop succinct stories.

Overview & rollout

The December 2022 release of Yachty’s viral hit “Poland” set up the tease of a new album, with him stating in the song description that an album would be dropping in 2023. On Jan. 13, the cover and title leaked through his vinyl release website, and several days later, Yachty confirmed the new album.

One aspect of the project that sticks out are the hidden features from other artists, leaving listeners with a surprise whenever they reach a certain point. Along with Yachty’s album, some of the biggest projects within the past couple years, like Travis Scott’s “Astroworld” and Tyler, The Creator’s “IGOR,” have left features off of their tracklists, letting the audience have the experience of hearing another artist without expecting them.

Sitting at 14 tracks, “Let’s Start Here.” is a journey through a psychedelic rock and alternative tunnel, illustrating a fresh approach to his already experienced career.

Standout tracks

Right off the bat we are introduced to a Pink Floyd type, rock instrumental on the “the BLACK seminole.” The almost seven minute track delivers a psychedelic rock vibe right away, while also clocking in some solid lyrics.

Hard-hitting lines “Black seminole, the head general,” refers to those who would be the leaders in Native Afro-Seminole groups, and “African Rambo, with more ammo,” goes off of the hit film “Rambo,” encapsulating Yachty’s rap expertise as well.

Track two, “the ride-,” features unique rapper/producer Teezo Touchdown, who became popular through the production of Tyler, The Creator’s 2021 album “CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST.”

Much like “the BLACK seminole,” the alternative vibe leaks through with hidden pop culture references from Yachty and Teezo, with one of the lines being “A shopping spree may fill the V, V as in void,” with the first V representing the VVS diamonds and flashy jewelry many rappers wear.

Heavy drums and futuristic synths flood the instrumental, as if the listener is on a euphoric journey through the universe. Yachty and Teezo’s vocals both float and mesh well with the track, making it exactly what the title states — a ride.

Moving to a collaboration with R&B artist Fousheé, the fourth song “pRETTy” acts as a love track, with Yachty’s angelic vocals hovering over a saxophone-esque humming instrumental mixed with drowned out drums and bass.

Fousheé’s narration towards the closing moments of the song leaves the message that “the most important moments in life aren’t when you’re born and when you die, but when you met me, when we became us.”

The closing statement by Fousheé further supports the ideology behind this portion of the album; escaping the real world and running off into a fantasy land where you meet that special someone.

This fantasy land experience can be expanded in “THE zone~,” featuring Justine Skye, where Yachty harmonizes at the start of the song with “home is only an idea, I fear it’s costumes that you wear, I see clear in the atmosphere, none of my peers were really there.”

Skye and Yachty go across the board on where that sense of home is, while feeling “cold and alone” until the love sweeps them off their feet, and that he “feel(s) at home up until I’m alone.”

Recently dropping the relatable, hypnotic music video for “sAy sOMETHINg,” this song may be one of the most creative on the album. Chanting about love and his anxiety surrounding his crush, the chorus belts “got me feeling like a teen again, it’s feeling like it’s teenage love, if you feel the same way, then say some.”

The overall storytelling brought to life by the music video really supports the thoughts and ideas Yachty is trying to push forward on this song.

As the album progresses, many of the tracks continue off the theme of lust, ecstasy and overdose, in addition to Yachty’s trek to find happiness through love.

On the final song of the project, “REACH THE SUNSHINE.” Daniel Caesar makes an appearance, providing the transcendent conclusion to the journey.

Caesar’s classic, heavenly vocals along with echos and ominous laughing at the start, fill into heavy drums and a single instrumental loop that closes as the outro.

Yachty cries out “it’s only us left, dividing time, living between the lines, only one goal, to reach the sunshine,” with him and his love being the only individuals remaining in the world at this point.

Final thoughts

Lil Yachty may not sell many copies, with only 24k units expected to sell in the first week, but the experimental album may finish the year as a contender for one of the best to be released in 2023.

Already attracting comparisons to a Tame Impala or Pink Floyd album, “Let’s Start Here.” is a bold, but amazing advancement for today’s music industry, and it shows Lil Yachty could be a pioneer for other hip-hop artists looking to further expand on their resume.

Published on January 31, 2023 at 11:28 pm