Lil Yachty Releases Diverse, Rebellious Debut Album ‘Teenage Emotions’

Jordan Bailey

Lil Yachty is only nineteen years old, yet he has two extensive mixtapes (“Lil Boat,” “Summer Songs 2”), both of which he made when he was eighteen, and now, a full-length album entitled “Teenage Emotions.” This kid has put in work in the past two years to develop a hype persona and a fan base to match. His style is either subversive or obnoxious (depending on who you ask). His credibility as an MC is similarly debated. His debut album is so all over the map that it’s hard to pin down. There’s everything from genuine, deep-seeded sentiment, to problematic misogyny, to utterly brilliant gobbledygook. “Teenage Emotions” is a Dr. Suessian trip into the mind of a young, self-proclaimed “bubblegum trap” artist living in a world for the taking.

Lil Yachty is the embodiment of teenage self-expression, a concept he seems to be making the most of during his last year as one (it may be tough to be so recklessly anti-authority and pro-nonsense when he’s a twenty-something artist). To make things even more complicated, the young Atlanta rapper claims he “never took a sip of beer,” shattering widely-held conceptions from mainstream America about ‘kids these days.’ The album cover features Yachty sitting in an auditorium amongst a vastly diverse group of fellow teenagers: two guys kissing, an obese girl, an albino kid and a green mohawked emo-girl. Yachty describes high school as an eye-opening experience where he learned what true multiplicity is.

Diversity shines through on this twenty-one track LP. Each song is fresher than the last. He starts off with the genuinely sweet-sounding opener “Like a Star,” a sort of introduction of himself to new fans. He gently self-reflects on his past year of success (“I done did a lot this year/Made a lot of friends, some come, some go”) and introduces us to his family (“And my mom walk around with a frozen wrist/And my sister walk around with the nicest kicks”). Then, “Peek A Boo” takes a different turn. A trap song in every sense, there’s no bubblegum here. Migos plays a part in this, almost taking Yachty out of his happy-go-lucky element. He says the reason for this detour is “just so (DJs) could have something to play” other than the widely popular “Minnesota.”

Speaking of DJs, “Forever Young” features production from Diplo, one of the most respected producers in the game. Partly due to this, and the fact that Yachty flows pithily over a catchy reggae riff makes this tune one of the shining stars. It’s easy to imagine, however, how out-of-tune his voice must sound without the auto-tune which features heavily on most tracks throughout.

This album sees over twenty different producers, another reason why it feels so expansive. “Bring it Back” is auto-tune in the 80’s; “Better” is a fragrant reggae-inspired ode to self-help; “Priorities” is an anti-establishment, no-fucks-given bizarre carnival ride. Perhaps most touchingly. “Momma” is an honest love letter to the woman who brought him into this complicated world.

Yachty has made sure to surround himself with equally expressive folks in the hip-hop community and beyond. He’s featured on Chance the Rapper’s previous album “Coloring Book” and hopes one day to work with the ultimate in self-expression, André 3000. It’s clear that Yachty has no intention of conforming in any way— it’s not even clear he holds that word in his mysterious millennial vocabulary. In such a fast-moving world, where fads ebb and flow like Midwestern weather, Yachty will hopefully continue to carve a path less traveled.

“Teenage Emotions” is available on Apple Music May 26.