Lil Yachty’s take on the psych-rock genre
By Braylon Stafford
Photo of Lil Yachty taken from creative commons
Lil Yachty’s take on the popular psychedelic rock genre has taken the world by storm with his surprise release, “Let’s Start Here.” Between the soothing melodies and the trippy vocals, “Let’s Start Here” is a genre mash filled with heart and passion.
When word got out that Lil Yachty had a surprise release, many were expecting to hear another typical Yachty beat filled with tons of heavily auto-tuned vocals. However, it was a real surprise when the first track, “The BLACK Seminole”, opened with a synth followed by a drum breakdown. Yachty truly shows his passion for the psych-rock genre as every beat and instrument feels purposely placed to invoke emotion throughout the album.
“The BLACK Seminole” proves Yachty’s love for the genre as this seven-minute monster of a track forever changes the way we will see Lil Yachty. The first half of this song is filled with Yachty’s classic auto-tuned voice accompanied by a slow drum beat and a hypnotic electric guitar riff. However, in stark contrast to his past works, the second half of the song features a three-minute-long electric guitar solo that is sure to make any listener take on the coveted “stank face”.
Another notable song in this 14-track masterpiece is the eighth track titled “Drive ME Crazy!”. Diana Gordon opens the song with a high-pitched angelic voice moving the listener to bop as the 70’s drum beat takes over their body. “Drive ME crazy!” is yachty’s attempt at a love song and it succeeds in every way. Each line weaves in and out of a loosely grounded love story that allows the listener to relate to the artist. The track's second half focuses on Yachty rapping in a calming tone with little to none of his signature auto-tuned voice. This second half contrasts the first half as it explores themes more related to being unfaithful in a relationship.
Whether or not you like the psychedelic rock genre, “Let’s Start Here” is sure to leave any listener satisfied. The genre-combining genius of Lil’ Yachty is perfectly shown through this album as Yachty combines psych-rock with his own “wock-rap” genre. Yachty has truly outdone himself with “Let’s Start Here,” and it is only a matter of time before he cements himself as a legend in this strange new genre of music only he can create.