Due to his eccentricities and his assumed disregard for honoring hip-hop history, Lil Yachty has been fielding sideways looks from all sorts of naysayers since he first began garnering recognition for his breakout single, 2015's "One Night."
The 19-year-old has since skyrocketed to a level of fame and influence that has him starring in commercials for Target and Sprite alike, being the face of collections for brands such as Nautica and Urban Outfitters and landing his first Grammy nomination for his celebrated collaboration with D.R.A.M. However, despite his best efforts during his imminent rise to success, the cheerful rapper has not been met with universal praise, namely for unapologetically leading a new wave many are referring to as mumble rap, a phrase that is also hindered by its subsequently negative connotation.
Back in August 2016, the criticism boiled over enough regarding Lil Yachty's lack of interest in becoming a student of hip-hop culture that the rapper himself came forward to comment on the situation at hand. In a series of tweets, he expressed his opinion that he feels, "it's funny how people feel like you HAVE to like something just cause everybody else does," following up that thought with, "Or like I HAVE to know something." From there, Lil Boat tweeted a sentiment that continues to follow him like a shadow, writing, "In where in the handbook of hip hop does it say u must know this list of songs to make music. Lmao"
Lil Boat's lack of public knowledge of the history of a culture he is making to, specifically his being unable to name five 2pac or Biggie songs, resulted in the Internet essentially catching on fire and in turn sparking a series of conversations that, like generations before it, put the old school against the new school. While the comment floodgates have remained not only open but extremely heated, ever since Lil Yachty made his controversial stances known-- he later retracted his comments and issued an apology-- he ironically hasn't been able to escape one of generational hip-hop's oldest debates.
In fact, his recent appearance on Complex's Everyday Struggle with DJ Akademiks and Joe Budden was the metaphorical peak of how Yachty is perceived by those hailing the pillars of hip-hop in the highest regard, in comparison to Yachty and some of his peers who don't make it a priority to honor the work of those who came before them. As Budden and Akademiks grilled the young recording artist regarding the details of his record deal and his perspectives on life alike, something interesting and arguably unpredictable happened. Not only did Lil Yachty firmly hold his ground and directly address his "haters" in a formal sit-down conversation, he walked out of that interview being issued a newfound respect from the stern and passionate Budden. In that moment, Lil Yachty not only may have won over some new fans, but one fact emerged and became indisputable.
While Lil Yachty may be someone who has a lot to learn about the music industry, the history of hip-hop and why honoring it is important and about life itself, the teenage rapper is someone who can teach us.
Honor your glo-up
During his sit-down with Joe Budden and DJ Akademiks, Lil Yachty expressed how he is happy "every day." This naturally drove Budden nuts, with him immediately accusing the rapper of giving a "media trained" response and in turn, the now-infamous exchange inspired a slew of memes poking fun at the situation (see) and the stark contrast between the two personalities. "When you come from a college dorm room, with no money," Lil Yachty says. "And you ain’t gettin’ no play with no girls, you have no clothes, you have no car…and you come to having three or four cars, millions of dollars, half a million dollars on your body just to wear, and any kind of clothes you want, any hoes you want, how can you be upset?"
Master your craft from all angles
One of the biggest points that Budden was trying to drive home to Lil Yachty during their increasingly intense sit-down was the importance of understanding what kind of business he's doing in the music industry. Alarmingly, it seemed Lil Yachty was unaware of the term "360 Deal," which in turn not only had Budden's blood boiling, but allowed the rapper to invite more criticism into the picture. Yachty later came forward on Twitter to clarify that he didn't know the nickname for the term, but that he is fully aware of what kind of record deal he has. It later was also confirmed that he did in fact recoup his deal and does own his publishing.
Learn to laugh and stay resilient
While many have questioned Lil Yachty's place in hip-hop, and will continue to as his career continues to unfold, much like the rapper himself pointed out, sometimes the best part of a situation can be found in the memes it inspires. What's the fun in arguing if you can't have a good laugh about it further down the road? Or at least, interrupt said argument with a hilariously drawn out, "Chilllllll" while staying resilient in the line of fire.
Know That With Great Power Comes Responsibility
4. Know that with great power comes responsibility
As exemplified on Lil Yachty's Twitter, he fully knows that with great power (and in 2017, a great platform), comes responsibility. "It's a blessing having all these followers man," he wrote. "Being able to use it for positive reasons! And to troll... but positive at the moment! Lol" Juxtaposing positivity with a little feel-good trolling is exactly why Lil Boat can be so refreshing. He keeps it real, and his 1.17M followers hold him accountable for that very reason.
With the cover of his debut album, Teenage Emotions, Lil Yachty is inspiring others to not only embrace their differences but to celebrate them. The album cover definitely threw off a lot of folks, as well as sparked several conversations regarding if his inclusion of a gay couple was a form of cultural appropriation, all while Yachty defended his direction for the artwork. While using his platform to encourage inclusivity, this is another example of how Yachty does take his influential platform seriously.
Learn how to make homemade pizza
Learning how to make pizza is a necessary life skill. Need we say more?
*Bonus lesson* Per Yachty, don't forget to wash your hands first.
Make your accomplishments seem effortless.
While borrowing this life lesson from the infamous book, 48 Laws of Power, Lil Yachty reminds us that his music has even reached the ears of David Hasselhoff, whom he shouts out in his new single, aptly named after the iconic actor himself. The two FaceTimed, with Hasselhoff joking he made the raunchy tribute song his ringtone, all while the collective Internet scratched their heads afterward. Yup, Yachty did that. Can't forget about his taking selfies with Malia and Sasha Obama, either. He did that too.
Disrupt the status quo
During a previous interview, Lil Yachty revealed that unlike a lot of his peers in rap, he doesn't smoke or drink, explaining that such a decision is a personal one. Following this revelation, he added, "I never did bad things, I just kind of say crazy things sometimes to free my mind. That's it. It's just interviews -- I gotta watch what I say sometimes." He also shared that he doesn't feed into the negative attention he receives, proving he's wise beyond his years. "I really don’t pay too much attention," Yachty explained. "I don’t feed into negativity. I thankfully don’t. That’s just me. A lot of people hate what they don’t understand. You know what I’m saying? People hate what they don’t understand. After the end of my interview with Ebro [in November], I said, 'You know, if you don’t understand me by the end of this, f**k you.' I’ll be fine, you know? I can’t care or stress how I’m getting people to understand me."
Bounce Back From Rejection
8. Bounce back from rejection
Lil Yachty must have some previous crushes feeling pretty stupid right about now. As he's shared on Twitter, "My life was about getting dubbed before the fame. Females just didn't see the vision in me... LMAO," the rapper hasn't had the best of luck in the dating realm. He doesn't let this rejection bring him down, celebrating how right now his problems in that department look very different now than they did previously. "Shouts out every female who dubbed me in the 2010-2015," he added. Don't let rejection block your mission or your vision, with Lil Yachty as proof that circumstances change.
Shouts out every female who dubbed me in the 2010-2015
my life was about getting dubbed before the fame. Females just didn't see the vision in me......... LMAO O'🐋 https://t.co/TudXjnAukH
Make Sure You Throw Everyone Off From Time to Time
9. Make sure you throw everyone a curve ball from time to time
Even Lil Yachty is a Kendrick Lamar fan, much to the surprise of some (were you surprised??). Gotta keep 'em on their toes, after all.
Damn. Kendrick strikes again.
Life goes on
While Lil Yachty often sprinkles some inspirational and motivational gems into his music, even if such substance may feel hidden beneath the surface, he's got plenty of reminders woven in to champion the importance of staying optimistic. A perfect example of this is his 2016 single, "Life Goes On," where he waxes poetic on how no matter what you're going through, hard work pays off and life always goes on. This is a quintessential display of that specific brand of Lil Yachty positivity.