lil yachty age in 2016

How old is Lil Yachty?

Lil Yachty was born on 23 August 1997 . Lil Yachty is 27 years old .

How old is Lil Yachty in days now?

Lil Yachty is 27 years 26 days old . Total 9,888 days old now.

When is the next birthday of Lil Yachty?

Lil Yachty's next birthday is in 11 months 5 days .

What is the zodiac sign of Lil Yachty?

Zodiac sign of Lil Yachty is Virgo .

Lil Yachty is an American singer and rapper known for his red hair. He was born Miles Parks McCollum in 1997 in Georgia. At the age of 17, he moved to New York City to pursue his career as a rapper and started promoting his music on SoundCloud. In 2015 his first single " One Night " became popular and opened Yachty a way to make necessary contacts in the world of hip hop. He collaborated with  Kanye West , DRAM, Kyle, and other rappers. In 2016 he released his two first mixtapes with the singles like " Minnesota ", " Wanna Be Us ", " Pretty ", " Life Goes On ", and many others. In 2017 his first studio album Teenage Emotions came out and managed to reach No 5 in Billboard Charts. A year later, two more albums were released and brought more popularity helping Yachty attract more attention of hip hop fans. In 2018 he became one of the presenters of annual MTV Awards. Lil Yachty also tried acting and modeling by collaborating with a few clothes producing companies. His YouTube channel is extremely popular and, as of the mid 2024, there are almost 2.9 million followers there.

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About That Yacht Life: How Teen Rapper Lil Yachty Made It Big

Meet the 18-year-old Atlanta rapper and Yeezy model making waves.

It was 3 p.m. on a Wednesday in New York, and the 18-year-old rapper Miles Parks McCollum, known to everyone as Lil Yachty, could not stop yawning. His bedazzled grill caught the overhead light of a Chinatown hotel room with each Wookie-like yawp; beneath his beaded red braids, it was almost impossible to tell whether or not his eyes were open.

His voice, which had the hypnotic drawl of a Novocaine-induced stupor, only reinforced the appearance of sleepiness. Only when the subject of Supreme surfaced did he perk up: “It went from me going in there to shop, to them playing my music now,” he declared. His friend Chalis, who came up with Yachty in Atlanta, reminded him that they once saw Joe Jonas in the store. Everyone in the room, including other core members of the “Sailing Team”—producer “Burberry Perry” and “Bloody Osiris,” plus Yachty’s manager, who goes by “ Coach K “—busted out laughing.

“I forgot we seen him,” Yachty recalled with a smirk.

Yachty, who came to seemingly everyone’s attention when he modeled in Kanye West’s Yeezy Season 3 show, wore a velvet Supreme sweat suit and Gucci slide sandals. On his neck hung a sizable diamond-encrusted gold medallion with the letters “QC,” which stand for Quality Control. Having only started making music a year ago, this is apparently the prize for going from no one to someone, boy to man, boat to yacht.

Lil Yachty, Perry, Chalis, and Osiris

“In high school, there was a group of older kids who called themselves the ‘Yacht Club,’” Yachty said of his stage name. “I was trying to get in the club.” They eventually let him in, but he had to start from the bottom as Lil Boat, which has since become his alter-ego. “They’re the same person,” Yachty continued. “Same soul. Same body. But one is more calm and the other is more aggressive.”

Chalis, who is two years older, was one of the charter members of the Yacht Club. “We were starting waves,” he said. “We used to record in my closet in Atlanta. We had a bum-ass mic and we put a sock on it. We had nothing.” After graduating, Chalis sailed off to New York. Once he was installed there, Yachty sent him a list of kids he followed on Instagram for Chalis to befriend. The advance team set the table for last summer, when Yachty arrived in town to stay with Chalis; together, they broke onto the scene, successfully networking with the likes of Ian Connor and Eileen Kelly .

“I just thought I’d give it a shot,” said Yachty. “I just wanted to get cool.” He shrugged and then paused, as if his rapid success had finally just hit him. “I was just in a dorm room. I was at Alabama State—I was literally just there !”

Last week, Yachty attracted a crowd so large at his VFiles show that the police had to barricade the street. He then went on to perform at the Museum of Modern Art, followed by a show in Philadelphia with Young Thug. On Tuesday, he released his music video for “ 1 Night ,” which is quickly making its rounds on the Internet for its meme-friendly visuals. “He’s one of the most focused young guys I’ve ever met,” said Coach K, who’s worked with stars like Young Jeezy, Migos, and Gucci Mane. “He’s going to be really big .”

When he’s onstage, Yachty comes to life. In one clip of a performance posted to his Instagram, he jumps up and down so energetically that his sweatpants practically fall off. His hair thwacks his face in sync with the beat. He dives into the audience. He is buoyant, like, well, a yacht.

Yeezy Season 3 at Madison Square Garden. Photo by Getty Images.

“He’s got a lot of little white boy fans,” Osiris said of the usual crowd.

“Like lemme-get-a-pic-for-the-gram !” Burberry Perry chimed in.

Music is something that Yachty simply tried, and found that he had a knack for it. “Growing up, my dad used to play India Arie, Coldplay, and Paul McCartney ,” he recalled. His father, Shannon McCollum , is a photographer who’s worked with everyone from Outkast to Dead Prez, so maybe the spotlight is the beam by which Yachty was meant to chart his route. His raps, which have the same hazy quality of his speaking voice and are infused with nonchalant humor, have little to do with the trap artists—like Migos, Young Thug, Young Jeezy, and Future—that came before him in Atlanta. In fact, Yachty claimed he’s not interested in the genre; instead, he described his sound as “colorful” and “soft.”

Meet Lil Yachty, the Teen Rapper Making Waves

Louis Vuitton shirt, $850, louisvuitton.com ; Dries Van Noten tank top, $140, barneys.com ; Ami trousers, $355, amiparis.fr .

Raf Simons v-neck knit, $1,700, rafsimons.com ; Theory T-shirt, $75, theory.com ; Ami trousers, $355, amiparis.fr ; Converse sneakers, $55, converse.com ; Lil Yachty’s own jewelry.

Louis Vuitton shirt, $850, louisvuitton.com ; Dries Van Noten tank top, $140, barneys.com ; Lil Yachty’s own jewelry.

Prada shirt, $710, and sweater, $930, prada.com ; Ami pants, $350, amiparis.fr ; Falke socks, $28, sockhopny.com ; Louis Vuitton sneakers, $785, louisvuitton.com ; Lil Yachty’s own jewelry.

“When you think of trap, it’s like hard, gutter stuff,” explained Chalis, whose job description seems to be happily filling in Yachty’s long silences. “But we’re young kids; we’re not like that. Obviously, we love trap and are influenced by where we come from, but Yachty is fun. His voice is angelic! A lot of rap you can’t relate to, but Yachty is young. Not even a year ago he was a regular civilian.”

While Yachty claimed the only music he listens to is his own, his friends name-dropped people like Lil Uzi Vert , who is 21. “Why so many Lil’s?” I asked.

“It’s because everyone wants to be a kid again,” explained Osiris.

I turned to Yachty and asked him what else he might hope to accomplish next. He stretched out his arms and yawned deeply, and then mumbled something in his drowsy baritone.

“You want to what?” I asked.

Yachty stuck his hand down his Nautica boxer shorts and closed his eyes: “I just want to be mainstream.”

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Lil Yachty Biography, Age, Wiki, Height, Weight, Girlfriend, Family & More

Biography / Wiki

As the rapping world is at the top of its popularity, some rappers established themselves in the music industry and one of them is proficient rapper ‘Miles Parks McCollum’ professionally known as ‘Lil Yachty’ who is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter.

He is well recognized for his singles “One Night” and “Minnesota” as well as for his mixtapes “Summer Songs 2” and “Lil Boat”.

For his tremendous music and rapping, he received two MTV Video Music Awards nominations for ‘Broccoli’ and a Grammy nomination for ‘Broccoli’ under the category of Best Rap/Sung Collaboration. After that, there is no looking back after Lil Yachty.

Height / Weight / Age

Born on 23 August 1997. He seems enough tall with his height which is 180 centimeters and 5’9” feet. He maintains himself very fit and healthy with a weight of 70 kilograms and 154 lbs in pounds.

Moreover, he is very conscious about his physique and follows a regular and healthy diet in order to keep himself fit as a fiddle with body measurements of 40 inches chest, 32 inches waist, and 14 inches biceps approximately.

He has earned a good amount of money from his singing and rapping as well as from his endorsement deals with several brands such as Puma, Adidas, EA Sports, Icebox Jewelry, Nautica, Sprite, and many more. His estimated net worth is to be $8 million.

Education / Family

Lil was born and raised in Mableton, Georgia, USA, and belongs to the Afro-American ethnicity. He is born to his father Shannon McCollum who is a professional photographer and his mother Lily McCollum.

He also has a lovely sister named Nina McCollum. As for his education, he completed his schooling at his local high school and further went to Alabama State University but he dropped out of college just after two months.

Career / Fashion and Style

As of his career, he used to work at a McDonald’s restaurant. He adopted the stage name “Yachty” in 2015. In 2015, he moved to New York City to pursue his music career. In December 2015, rose to prominence after his song ‘One Night’. He made his debut as a model in Yeezy Season 3 fashion line at Madison Square Garden in 2016.

He released his debut mixtape, ‘Lil Boat’ on March 9, 2016. He collaborated with DRAM on the hit song “Broccoli” in April 2016 and the song peaked at number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100. He featured on Chance the Rapper ‘s Coloring Book mixtape in May 2016.

He announced he had signed a record deal with Quality Control Music, Motown Records, and Capitol Records in June 2016. In July 2016, he released his second mixtape, ‘Summer Songs 2’. He was featured on the hip hop single “iSpy” by Kyle in December 2016.

He released his debut studio album, ‘Teenage Emotions’ on May 26, 2017which featured guest appearances from Grace, Stefflon Don, Migos, Diplo, Evander Griiim, and YG. In December 2017, he featured in a remix of “With My Team” by Creek Boyz. He released his second studio album, ‘Lil Boat 2′ in March 2018.

In April 2018, he featured on the Ocean Park Standoff single “If You Were Mine”. He released his third studio album, Nuthin’ 2 Prove in October 2018. He released a collaborative project, ‘A-Team’ in February 2020 with rappers Lil Keed and Lil Gotit. He released the lead single from Lil Boat 3, titled “Oprah’s Bank Account” in March 2020.

In May 2020, he released his fourth studio album, ‘Lil Boat 3’. He also lent his voice in the American animated superhero film, ‘Teen Titans Go! To The Movies’ for the character of Green Lantern. He appeared in the romantic comedy film, ‘Long Shot’ and the TV film, ‘How High 2″ in March 2019.

Girlfriend, Affairs, Wife, and More

As of his personal life, he is not married yet and focusing on his career. In 2017, he was romantically linked with Megan Denise.

Favorite Things

Here we are providing the list of favorites of Lil Yachty:

Some Interesting Facts About Lil Yachty

• He was arrested in connection with credit card fraud at a mall along with a man in 2015.
• He endorsed many famous brands such as EA Sports, Icebox Jewelry, Nautica, Adidas, Christian Dior, and many more.
• He has inked several tattoos all over his body.
• He earned a Grammy nomination in 2017 under the category of Best Rap/Sung.
• He was teased, bullied, and harassed during high school.
• He is quite popular on Instagram with having over 9.8m followers.
• He is fondly known for the names Lil Boat, Nautica Boat Boy, and King Boat.
• He got some crazy jewelry such as a diamond Bart Simpson with braids.

Social Media Profile(s)

• Instagram  – @lilyachty
• Twitter – @lilyachty
• Facebook  – @lilyachtysailingteam

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How Lil Yachty Made It From McDonald’s to One of 2016’s Most-Hyped Debuts

One of the buzziest and most-hyped names in rap today, lil yachty has had a break-out 2016 thanks to two acclaimed mixtapes..

One of the buzziest and most-hyped names in rap today, Lil Yachty has had a break-out 2016 thanks to two acclaimed mixtapes (starting with his debut, Lil Boat ), chart-topping singles (his collaboration with D.R.A.M., “Broccoli,” is rising up the Hot 100) and impressive co-signs (including the likes of Kanye West and Rick Rubin ).

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For the soon-to-be 19-year-old Yachty, real name: Miles Mccollum , it’s a long way from growing up in Atlanta where his previous job was working at an area McDonald's (MCD) . Hot on the heels of his sophomore mixtape, last month’s Summer Song 2 , and the mainstream success of “Broccoli” and solo single “1 Night,” the Observer caught up with Yachty recently to discuss his rise, creative process, and the origin of his trademark red hair.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K44j-sb1SRY&w=560&h=315]

Where are you right now?

I’m dying my hair right now in Atlanta.

Ah yes, your red hair has become a trademark. What made you dye it red?

I had a job at McDonalds and I had long braids with beads. So my mom made me cut it for a job interview. When I got the new job, I was upset at my mom because at the time nobody had braids or beads and then I had the same haircut as everybody else. One day on the car ride to work, she suggested that I dye my hair red. I guess she didn’t think I was actually going to do it, but I did it and it never went away.

What does she think of that red hair now?

She never liked it until it started making me money. [Laughs]

Well, congratulations on your success. Not only do you have “1 Night” on the charts, but D.R.A.M’s track “Broccoli’ that you’re featured on is a hit as well. What was your experience like creating “Broccoli”? It’s such a jam.

We made that one in Los Angeles. I met D.R.A.M. through Rick Rubin and they really wanted me in the studio. Rick set up a session, so D.R.A.M. saw me later that night and asked me to come through. That was the first time I’ve ever seen a beat get made from scratch, and was the first time I saw more than one person make a beat. They had pianos and instruments chiming in making it.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=251cxou3yR4&w=560&h=315]

You met D.R.A.M. through Rick. How did you originally meet Rick?

He actually set up a meeting to meet me.

What’s it feel like to see “Broccoli’ become so popular? Does it feel like things are happening super quickly, or has it been a slow burn to this point?

It’s quick. I think it’s even moving too quick to feel any kind of way.

What’s your writing process like?

I’ll usually write everything on my phone or just freestyle, either or. Around my first mixtape, I did a lot of writing at home. I’d work on stuff in bed, or in the shower I’d come up with stuff. Literally anywhere. Even now, lines will come into my head and I’ll jot them down. At my mom’s house I used to do a lot of work really late at night, 3 or 4 in the morning, and I’d just write in bed.

I want to hear about you and Kanye West. Because I know you were a model during his big Pablo fashion show at Madison Square Garden . What that’d feel like?

I don’t know, it didn’t really feel like anything. I always feel weird when people ask me because I never really know how it felt like. It felt like what I feel like right now getting my hair colored, except with other people watching me. My friend Ian Connor helped me be a part of it.

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/playlists/246294553″ params=”color=ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false” width=”100%” height=”450″ iframe=”true” /]

For anyone who’s never met Kanye West, what’s he like in person?

He’s nice. He’s a nice guy. He’s not mean at all. He’s really nice.

What did you think of Life of Pablo when you heard it?

It was tight. I heard a couple of the songs before it came out, and I thought it was good!

I’m wondering what it was like for you growing up in Atlanta?

I grew up on the West Side…. [Laughs]

What are you laughing at?

I’m sorry, but I’m in a group message and it’s so funny right now.

Who’s on the group message?

All my friends, and everyone’s sending me throwback pictures. It’s so funny. [Laughs hysterically] Somebody just sent me a picture of my dad in the group and captioned it, “I be trippin’.” It’s so funny! My dad is a character.

What’s he like?

He’s a photographer. He’s not your average dad, he’s real artsy and he looks 22 even though he’s 40-something. He dresses like a younger person, too. He’s really cool.

Have you been back to the McDonald’s you used to work at?

I actually haven’t been there recently. I should do that.

You definitely should. You’d be the man s trolling in.

I actually might go today!

• SEE ALSO : Will Keen On Playing Vladimir Putin On Broadway in ‘Patriots’

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The Sudden Rise of Lil Yachty

The stylish 19-year-old rapper has made his way from obscurity in Atlanta to working with LeBron James and Kanye West.

Louis Vuitton mohair sweater, about $690, at louisvuitton.com . Gosha Rubchinskiy pants, $310, at Dover Street Market New York. Converse sneakers, $50, at converse.com . Credit... Clement Pascal for The New York Times; Styled by Alex Tudela

Supported by

By Joe Coscarelli

• Dec. 9, 2016

After 18 years of trying to get noticed, the rapper and teenage eccentric Lil Yachty has been forced recently to practice blending in. It’s mostly the hair.

On a recent Saturday, following a dayslong spate of promotional appearances and photo shoots, the 19-year-old internet supernova, who found fame online and beyond this year with a series of catchy mixtapes and goofy viral moments, hoped to do a little shopping in the heart of Brooklyn.

But before he could peacefully enter Kith , the streetwear store that specializes in sneakers and sugary cereal , Lil Yachty needed to hide his trademark accessory: his grenadine-red skinny braids adorned with clear plastic beads. As his chauffeured S.U.V. approached the buzzing shop, the Atlanta rapper grabbed a knit cap from the head of a friend, who assented without a word, seemingly familiar with the routine.

It worked. Locks tucked atop his head, Lil Yachty, whose face is usually obscured by the clacking tentacles, proved unrecognizable even to those who may have binged on his whimsical music videos or Instagram account. Like a millennial Clark Kent, he went unbothered in the maw of his target demographic, drawing stares only as he stacked five pairs of shoes and two art books (“Pharrell,” “KAWS”) by the register.

As with the mini-shopping spree, there was still some thrill in needing to go undercover. “At the beginning of this year, I used to walk through the local mall and say, ‘One day, I’m not going to be able to walk through this mall,’” Lil Yachty said later in the privacy of a Caribbean restaurant, his hair since released. “No way I could walk through the mall now. Unless I’m hiding.”

Last winter, the teenager born Miles McCollum, who had recently dropped out of college and had been arrested in a Florida mall for credit card fraud, was hoping to shake his anonymity. Rapping was a relatively new pastime (it still is), though striving for fame came naturally to a diligent student of social networks.

“I always knew I was going to be something,” he said. “I didn’t know what.”

Now, at the end of a career-making 2016, Lil Yachty seems more certain. “I’m not a rapper, I’m an artist,” he said. “And I’m more than an artist. I’m a brand.”

The stats back him up. In addition to releasing the popular “Lil Boat” and “Summer Songs 2” mixtapes, filled with his taffylike digital wails and cartoon melodies, and reaching No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 with his sweet-and-sour guest verse on D.R.A.M.’s “ Broccoli ,” Lil Yachty has modeled Kanye West’s Yeezy line at Madison Square Garden, starred in a Sprite commercial with LeBron James and teamed up with Nautica on a capsule collection for Urban Outfitters. An official debut album with Capitol Records is planned for early 2017.

Yet even among the bevy of singular voices in the new Atlanta hip-hop scene, where male rappers can wear dresses and carry designer bags, moan about their feelings and dance with their hips, Lil Yachty is demonstrably odd, flaunting his indifference to rap traditionalism and aiming to remain somewhat wholesome: more schoolyard than trap house.

“Rappers don’t have endorsements because of their images,” he said. “Endorsement money is huge. And I care about my character.” He added: “I don’t rap about drinking or smoking, ever, because I don’t do it. I don’t rap about anything I don’t do.”

Instead, Lil Yachty preaches an all-purpose positivity fueled by timeless adolescent ambitions: chasing girls, looking cool and hanging out with friends. (Lil Yachty’s crew is known as the Sailing Team : “If you’re a fan of me, then you know my friends, because I push them just as hard.”) His most menacing raps can feel playful, his sexuality disarmingly juvenile and his boasts betray his age: “Parents mad at my ass ’cause their kids sing my song in class,” he taunts while proclaiming himself the King of the Teens. “We are the youth!” goes another battle cry.

As with his breakout viral hits “1 Night” and “Minnesota,” Lil Yachty’s music relies less on technical rapping than on simple melodies that invoke warped nursery rhymes, with bright, bubbly production and an affecting falsetto smoothed with Auto-Tune. Along with Kanye West and Kid Cudi, both of whom count as elder statesmen to someone born in 1997, his most direct influences include the cult-favorite, outre internet rappers Lil B and Soulja Boy, along with pop acts like Coldplay, Daft Punk and Fall Out Boy.

While modeling for Nautica last month to his own personal playlist, Lil Yachty mimed air guitar to “Paradise City” by Guns N’ Roses and boogied to Elton John’s “Bennie and the Jets” when he wasn’t belting Chris Martin ballads. Between looks, he dined on his preferred menu of Domino’s pepperoni pizza, candy and cookies, head buried in his two Louis Vuitton-cased iPhones. (One had a hand-scrawled message: “LETS BE RICH FOREVER.”)

At the same time, Lil Yachty’s stated indifference toward the catalogs of Tupac and the Notorious B.I.G. has made him a punching bag for rap purists, the poster child for a style-over-substance new school dismissively dubbed “mumble rap.” He’s leaned into that mantle, so online schadenfreude bubbles up every time Lil Yachty, say, bombs a freestyle over ’90s beats or fails miserably at dunking a basketball .

“I ask myself all the time, ‘How do I always go viral?’” Lil Yachty said with a grin. “I’m the face of the youth, the new sound. Nobody likes my truth.” Except the youth, that is. “They relate to me because I’m so like them,” he said, “but on a global scale.”

Music, it turns out, was something of an afterthought, despite his deep roots in Southern rap. Though he was raised mostly by his mother in the Atlanta suburb Austell, his father, Shannon McCollum, lived in the city and worked as a photographer with local acts such as Outkast, Goodie Mob and Lil Jon. But hanging around stars as a child bolstered Lil Yachty’s sense of style and business acumen more than his sense of hip-hop history.

“I would let him help direct photo shoots, and I would always show him my invoices so he could see what I made,” Mr. McCollum, 46, said. “I used to photograph Miles every week. By 3 or 4, he was so comfortable in front of a camera.”

An obsession with fashion followed. “Once, when he was about 7, we were picking up his friend, and Miles had on a pink polo shirt,” his father recalled. “The little boy got in the back seat and started laughing uncontrollably at Miles, calling him a girl. Miles just said, ‘You don’t know nothing about this, man.’”

In high school, influenced by the bright colors favored by Pharrell Williams and Tyler, the Creator, Lil Yachty would spend the money he earned working at McDonald’s or as an assistant to his father at thrift stores. “Ninety-nine cents, 50 cents, I just knew how to put it together,” he said. His mother even taught him to sew.

His confidence and originality helped to win over his eventual manager, Coach K, an Atlanta stalwart who has worked with Young Jeezy, Gucci Mane and Migos. “It was like your first meeting with Marilyn Manson,” Coach K said of encountering Lil Yachty. “You’ve got this freakish look, but he’s not scared of who he is. He’s wearing it with pride. Instantly I said, ‘This is it.’”

Lil Yachty had already determined that packaging a mystique was his strong suit. After graduating from high school, he traveled repeatedly to New York and Los Angeles — his father’s day job at Delta gave him access to free flights — where he slept on couches and worked to ingratiate himself with rap-adjacent tastemakers like Ian Connor and Luka Sabbat .

“I was simply trying to get people who had an audience to hang out with me, so that I could get that audience,” Lil Yachty said. “I was making music, but I wasn’t really pushing it yet. I knew exactly how it worked.” He corrected himself. “I know exactly how it works .”

Still, even he has been surprised by the speed of his ascent.

“It just feels like a dream,” he said, recalling that in January, he couldn’t make it past the door of Kanye’s studio. “I sat in the hallway for hours while ASAP Rocky was in there. They wouldn’t let me in. By August, I was working with him.” Nautica, too, came calling only after a year of Lil Yachty’s attempting to get the maritime brand’s attention via social media.

It was backstage among the V.I.P.s at Jay Z’s Made in America festival in September that Lil Yachty’s new reality started to sink in. “Obama’s daughters knew who I was,” he said. “They were huge fans. Jay Z said my name to me before I introduced myself.”

And yet, persona aside, a teenager can only be a teenager.

At an Urban Outfitters meet-and-greet in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, among decidedly less dazzling guests, the rapper hid once again behind his hair and phone as overeager young fans offered him anything they could find to autograph: $5 bills, laptops, water bottles, purses, coats and, yes, eventually breasts. Not yet immune to such attention at close range, Lil Yachty could only giggle to himself, shaking his head as he mouthed the words to his own music.

Continue following our fashion and lifestyle coverage on Facebook (Styles and Modern Love ), Twitter ( Styles , Fashion and Weddings ) and Instagram .

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The Lil Boat has come a long way since shaking up hip hop with his carefree brand of ‘jingle bell rap’

Atlanta has a new hero in the youthful, exuberant and charismatic rapper Lil Yachty. Not since Andre 3000 has an artist from the Dirty South capital transcended rap and pop culture so effortlessly, pinballing between both with such ease.

A true figurehead for the carefree, statement-making youth of today, Lil Boat’s self-described ‘jingle bell rap’ has garnered tens of millions of YouTube views and sold out shows. Packed with relentless, playful positivity, the red-braided rapper has earned the respect of his peers (despite early criticism of his easygoing style), stealing the show on tracks with the likes of Chance the Rapper, Charli XCX and D.R.A.M.

“I just want to be on every lane. Pop, EDM – I want to be genre-friendly,” Yachty told Dazed in 2016. “Do a song with Madonna, then do a song with Taylor Swift, then I’ll do a song with Lil Wayne – just cross (them) all over.” The wide scope of his artistry is evident in his work: his debut mixtape, Lil Boat , and follow-up Summer Songs 2 experimented with a multitude of genres, excelling in precisely the sort of areas where other rappers fear to tread. With plans to release his debut album in 2017, expect Yachty’s positive rhymes to trump the critical downpour.

Yemi Abiade

• Collectibles

Lil Yachty: The Boundary-Breaking Prince of Hip Hop

• by history tools
• November 19, 2023

As a long-time Lil Yachty fan, I‘m excited to provide a detailed overview of this unique, influential hip hop artist. Here‘s the essential info you need to know:

American rapper/singer Lil Yachty gained recognition on the internet in 2015 for his unique "bubblegum trap" music. With his playful lyrical style and relentlessly positive personality, Yachty has become one of the most refreshing new voices in hip hop.

Biography and Early Life

Lil Yachty grew up as Miles McCollum in the Atlanta suburbs. He was raised by a single mother along with his three siblings. As a socially awkward teen, he found solace in hip hop and taught himself to rap and produce beats on his laptop.

Yachty adopted his nautical stage name after developing a fascination with the hip hop group The Sailing Team. While briefly attending high school, he got suspended for poor grades before dropping out to focus on music full-time.

Rise to Fame

Yachty first exploded onto the SoundCloud scene in 2015 with tracks like "Minnesota" and "One Night." His laidback rapping blended with sugary sweet R&B melodies created a distinctive youthful sound now dubbed "bubblegum trap."

After getting co-signed by hip hop collective Quality Control, Lil Yachty released his viral debut mixtape Lil Boat in 2016. Led by hits like "1Night" and "Broccoli," the mixtape propelled Yachty into the mainstream and peaked at #2 on the Rap Charts.

The young Atlanta sensation cemented himself as a new prince of hip hop by landing endorsement deals with Target and Sprite. His infectiously playful image resonated with youth culture and amassed Yachty millions of teenage fans.

Music Style & Impact

What separates Lil Yachty is his refreshing, unapologetic rebelliousness. While old heads criticized his distorted vocals and lack of bars, Yachty laughed his haters off and forged his own lane.

His ambient, sun-soaked production and earnest lyrical content defied hip hop conventions. Yachty even boldly proclaimed he "does not care about lyrics" in a heated viral debate with rapper Joe Budden.

Yet his signature sound undoubtedly left a mark. Yachty demonstrated melodic rap could dominate the mainstream and opened the floodgates for similar artists like Lil Uzi Vert. While his own bars are simple, his cultural impact is undeniable.

Notable Achievements

• 4 studio albums, including 2 Top 5 Billboard 200 projects
• Sold out first headlining tour in 2017
• 14 Billboard Hot 100 hits like "iSpy" and "Oprah‘s Bank Account"
• Over 5 million digital singles sold
• Launched his own fashion line with Nautica & Urban Outfitters
• Starred in HBO series Euphoria and films like How High 2

For a young artist of only 26, Yachty boasts an impressively extensive resume. His cultural influence even earned him a spot performing at Obama‘s White House in 2016.

Why Lil Yachty Matters

As a long-time fan, here are just some of the reasons I feel Lil Yachty matters both as an artist and role model:

• He celebrates individuality and self-love. Yachty reminds people it‘s cool to just be yourself, regardless of what anyone else thinks.
• His positivity is infectious. While plenty of hip hop fixates on darkness, Yachty provides a reminder to keep our heads up.
• He makes hip hop fun again. With his oddball samples from Rugrats and joyful energy, Yachty takes the music back to carefree basics.
• He inspires underdogs. Coming up as a social outcast, Yachty gives hope that with determination and creativity, anything is possible.

Fun Facts About Lil Boat

• He‘s a skateboarding enthusiast and even has a skate crew called The Sailing Team.
• Yachty collects rare basketball cards and considers it one of his biggest passions. His card collection is worth over $500,000!
• Before rapping, he did some modeling work and walked runway shows for Kanye‘s Yeezy fashion line.
• Yachty admits he still lives with his mom in his hometown of Atlanta.
• His real name "Miles" is a nod to legendary jazz musician Miles Davis.

The Future is Bright for Lil Boat

Even after breaking through in monumental fashion, at just 26 years old, Lil Yachty is truly just getting started. He continues dropping acclaimed projects, starring in films and TV shows, and expanding his fashion empire.

Yet no matter how massive a celebrity Yachty becomes, he never seems to lose touch with that sincere, youthful spirit that makes his music magical. For old and new fans alike, it‘s exciting to think what the future has in store for the King of Teenage Emotions himself.

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Lil Yachty, 21 Savage, Lil Uzi Vert: In 2016, the Kids Took Over Rap

By Matthew Ramirez

The first time I heard Hawaiian Punch-braided teen rapper Lil Yachty was, fittingly, in a viral video . There’s no way in a million years would I have thought the artist behind what I assumed was literally a joke song could be a respectable rapper, but once I poked around his SoundCloud, I thought he had a sincerity that made him more than a novelty. Even so, I never imagined he’d play on the radio, or end up in a Sprite commercial with LeBron James. Then, not long after, I came across another meme featuring Yachty. He was in the top left quadrant of an Instagram post that blew up: the “No one over 30 can name all 4 of these n***** w/o Google” meme. Despite being 27 years old, I only recognized Yachty.

It was a shocking moment of feeling irrelevant, like my rap fandom had finally led me outside of the moment. The meme pushed me to eventually find out about Lil Uzi Vert, who sits to the right of Yachty in the quadrant. They’re both rascally young kids, except Yachty is more earnest and open, and Uzi—aided by his nasal tone and frantic delivery—is brattier, though far from what any old-fashioned hip-hop head would call hard. He’s Sum 41, while Yachty is Blink-182. Like “Fat Lip,” I heard Vert’s “Money Longer” in DJ sets and on the radio, and thought it was a fun, disposable radio song with a killer hook … that didn’t necessarily signal career longevity, I thought as I pressed my copy of To Pimp a Butterfly to my chest.

But there I was, being an old. Career longevity doesn’t necessarily matter to the rappers in that meme quadrant—Yachty, Vert, 21 Savage, and Playboi Carti—who are all 24 and younger. (Yachty is just 19 years old, making him the most relevant rapper alive who maybe doesn’t remember 9/11 happening.) On the surface, they don’t seem like they have a lot in common either thematically or sonically, but as a unit they comprise an unofficial movement of devil-may-care, youth-oriented rap. It ranges from the squawky but commercial-leaning Vert to the more eccentric Yachty, from jokesters like Houston’s Ugly God to gangsta rappers like 21 Savage. You can draw a line from Yachty to Wintertime or Playboi Carti to NBA YoungBoy based on the same cocktail of youth, the ease with which they repel rap fans 25 and older, their prodigious use of social media, and the insouciant ideas, twisted through the swagger of recent guys like Future, Migos, and Young Thug, swimming throughout their output. The snarkiest might call it shithead-teen rap, even if some of the principal artists are technically in their 20s.

Artists in this group earned their stripes through trial by fire—they were sent to the principal’s office, a.k.a. the interview chair of Ebro, Hot 97’s resident rap reactionary. (They were even dissed by J. Cole , the leader of the debate team.) On Ebro’s show, Yachty and Vert went so far as to insist they weren’t rappers. That’s a fine amount of logical hoops to jump through, even if they do court more of a rock-star image. (See this amazing, Beatlemania-esque viral video where Uzi is chased by adoring fans at a festival.) But hey, they were ready to own it. Yachty has a song called “King of the Teens”; on “Shoot Out the Roof,” he rapped, “You ain’t Uzi, you ain’t Carti, damn sure not me.”

These guys, along with some others, signaled another changing of rap’s tide. This has been a recurring wave for a few years: As far back as 2007, Soulja Boy broke through with “Crank That” and inspired a thousand “is this real rap” conversations. In 2012, Chief Keef inspired a thousand more “is this real rap” conversations before everyone started making drill; in 2013, Migos inspired even more “is this real rap” conversations before everyone started doing the Migos flow. So it goes. These guys are obviously inspired by Migos, as well as the frenetic style of Young Thug (another rap contrarian), but they’re younger, weirder, and maybe even more popular among the kids, who are always alright, even when they’re wrong. Here are some of our favorite songs by these renegade kids from 2016.

Lil Yachty, “1 Night” Where it all started for me. Still an irresistible, silly earworm.

Lil Yachty, “Minnesota” ft. Quavo, Young Thug, Skippa da Flippa This was the song that made me believe there was “more” to Yachty. While his verse retains his characteristically sloppy charm, the beat—an exercise in minimalism—propels “Minnesota,” which features two dudes who might be called the fathers of this scene, and one guy adjacent to it.

Lil Yachty, “All In” ft. Kodie Shane, Big Brutha Chubba, Kay The Yacht, Jban$2Turnt, TheGoodPerry, $oop, K$upreme, Byou Notable because it introduced me to Kodie Shane, and is my favorite song on Yachty’s uneven Summer Songs II tape. It’s also a good rap song, a team cipher that runs six essential minutes and has a wistful, youthful “seven years later and I got the same friends” hook.

Lil Uzi Vert, “You Was Right” Lil Uzi’s other big radio song, this is both one of his most outwardly rappity-rap tracks, and one of his most introspective. It’s a perfect dance song, too.

Lil Uzi Vert, “Ps and Qs” After two mixtapes and a joint mixtape with Gucci Mane, this remains my favorite Lil Uzi Vert track on the strength of its beat alone. More rap songs should prominently feature accordions.

Lil Uzi Vert, “Do What I Want” Speaking of more memes, I was cold on The Perfect Luv Tape until I saw Russell Westbrook rap along to this in his car. (Later, he replicated the spot for a Jordan commercial .) That’s when I knew he’d be all right in Oklahoma City.

21 Savage, “X” ft. Future By virtue of age (24) and style (cold, sobering gangsta rap), 21 Savage is the odd man out in this scene, but he belongs because he confused a lot of older people when he first came out. Plus, his “ issa knife ” moment became a meme, and he’s such a character he influenced a wack rapper—the shameless 22 Savage—in his wake. This is a fun, real-world hit, and while nothing 21 Savage does could be labeled “bratty,” the “I’m just flexing on my ex-bitch” hook thematically lines up with guys like Uzi.

Playboi Carti, “Fetti” ft. Da$h and Maxo Kream He didn’t quite taste the mainstream success of his peers in that four-quadrant meme, but Carti quietly released some good music this year. My favorite song of his remains his 2015 track “Fetti,” which predicted a lot of the “slowed-down-Migos-flow” stuff that really blew up in 2016.

Kodak Black, “Vibin in This Bih” ft. Gucci Mane Kodak hit too many legal troubles to truly blow up in 2016, and he’s yet to repeat the viral highs of 2015 jams “Skrt” and “Ran Up a Check.” His feature on “Lockjaw” was one of rap’s finest moments this year, but that’s definitely a French Montana song. On this song from Lil B.I.G. Pac he teams up with grandfather figure to all these guys, Gucci Mane, to trade spirited verses and establish himself as a “take me seriously” member of this team.

Madeintyo, “Uber Everywhere” A totally goofy and fun radio song, but I don’t think I’m alone in saying I’m not really checking for more Madeintyo songs, unless something really comes out and knocks me off my feet.

Trill Sammy, “Martin” Trill Sammy flies under the radar, but he secretly has millions of YouTube views on his songs and defiantly sticks out in a weird Houston scene whose most visible stars, Travis Scott and Sauce Twinz, sound nothing alike. “Martin” is a grating (and great) piece of “repetitive phrase rap” that sticks in your head. And I secretly enjoy his “ Uber Everywhere ” freestyle more than the real thing.

Amine, “Caroline” This is more in the vein of D.R.A.M.’s 2015 hit “Cha Cha,” but this crude yet joyful hit (53 million YouTube views and counting, appearing in the upper reaches of the Billboard Hot 100) was the sleeper song of the year. Amine earns points for taking the song to Jimmy Fallon and dropping an anti-Donald Trump verse at the end.

Ugly God, “Water” Houston’s 20-year-old Ugly God is the most genuinely weird artist out of all these guys. He’s like an evil Lil Yachty. The first reaction to an Ugly God song is to want to dismiss it as a joke, except Ugly God is an ace at writing hooks and has a genuinely funny personality. He’s impossible to hate.

Ugly God, “Booty From a Distance” Speaking of funny, Ugly God’s “ I Beat My Meat ” wears its iPhone ringtone sample too heavily to register as more than a novelty, but his “Booty From a Distance” is a great story song. Maybe it’s the Houston connection but I can’t help but think of Bushwick Bill when I listen.

Kodie Shane, “Hold Up” ft. Lil Uzi Vert and Lil Yachty I like Kodie because her music is fun and she has a great personality, but I also give her credit for hijacking the one Famous Dex song everybody liked (“Drip From My Walk”) and re-contextualizing it out of the view of the intolerable Chicago rapper who was primed to blow up like Yachty and Uzi, but was caught on camera beating a woman . This is a good little song that features the two biggest stars of the scene.

Wintertime, “Thru It All (Remix)” ft. iLoveMakonnen The Florida rapper’s most popular song, no doubt boosted by the appearance of iLoveMakonnen. It mixes atonal sing-song rapping with an ultra chill beat—it’s not as commercial as Yachty and less outrageous than Ugly God, but it treads the middle ground between easily digestible and borderline avant-garde.

NBA YoungBoy, “38 Baby” While NBA YoungBoy is more or less making traditional gangsta rap, he’s still only 17, and thriving on a post-Chief Keef, post-Bobby Shmurda wave that altered the fabric of gangsta rap by virtue of persistent youth alone, which makes him adjacent to this scene. This is a great song with a simmering, throwback West Coast sample, though of course the young rapper hails from Louisiana. (Unfortunately, like Keef and Shmurda, NBA YoungBoy is dealing with some serious-sounding legal issues .)

Migos, “Bad and Boujee” ft. Lil Uzi Vert As of this writing, this song sits at No. 24 on the Billboard Hot 100, which would make it the highest charting single of Migos’s career. Anecdotally, it’s also a song where people have decided to “come around” to Vert—his voice sounds right at home amid the distinctive tones of Migos, atop a pristine Metro Boomin beat with an inescapably catchy hook. While D.R.A.M. and Yachty’s “Broccoli” is a bigger hit (and peaked at No. 5), this is the first time it feels as if this “sound” propelled a song forward, rather than relying on a “who are these guys?” curiosity factor to reel people in.

This post Lil Yachty, 21 Savage, Lil Uzi Vert: In 2016, the Kids Took Over Rap first appeared on SPIN .

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Lil Yachty and ‘Super Mario’ Made Nostalgia Great Again in 2016

Sometimes we’re prepared for it — other times, it comes for us

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Share All sharing options for: Lil Yachty and ‘Super Mario’ Made Nostalgia Great Again in 2016

Do o you remember what it felt like to fly in 1996? I’d forgotten, until a teenage rapper named Lil Yachty (who, in his own words, sounds like “ a fucking cartoon character ”) reminded me.

I discovered Yachty in March, when the Twittersphere was hyping Lil Boat , a new mixtape from the 18-year-old, red-beaded Atlanta MC. Word was, the project sounded like cotton candy, river tubing on the hottest day of summer, and a 24-hour marathon of Disney Channel original movies wrapped into one. Worth at least a cursory listen.

The first person you hear on Lil Boat is not Yachty. It’s Ellen DeGeneres. The opening track samples the “just keep swimming” dialogue from Finding Nemo , a millennial mantra that every person under 30 in America has muttered to themselves during at least one final-exam cram session or exhausting late-night shift. When Yachty does eventually step to the mic, his bars are adequate but not head-turning. Then, halfway through the song, he Digivolves into an otherworldly singer, bleating emotions rather than words. His wailing “hellooooooo” sounds simultaneously forlorn and euphoric. It’s whale-speak spun through Auto-Tune.

I bobbed absentmindedly through more of the tracks. The songs are fun and ephemeral, like perusing your friends’ Snapchat stories on a hungover Saturday morning. “Wanna Be Us” has immediate potential as a giddy summer jam. “Minnesota” demonstrates Yachty’s clear debt to fellow ATLien and featured artist Young Thug.

Then the eighth track, “Run/Running,” comes on, and a #throwbackthursday bomb detonates inside my head.

Sometimes we are prepared for nostalgia. We go into Toy Story 3 ready to weep for our own lost childhoods. We visit our college campuses knowing every square inch will be overrun with vivid coming-of-age memories. We roll our eyes when Hollywood decides to make a mature Mighty Morphin Power Rangers reboot because we, unlike movie studios, know you can’t tug at heartstrings with a tow truck.

But when nostalgia comes after you out of nowhere, while you’re just minding your own business, it’s different. It’s overwhelming. It can induce hysteria. I was in a legit panic when “Run/Running” kicked off with a buoyant pan flute, a sound that I immediately knew was an integral part of my youth but couldn’t immediately place. I was transported back to my childhood home in Montgomery, Alabama, and I started investigating. I flipped through my favorite television channels in my mind: Was it the theme song from a One Saturday Morning cartoon? I rummaged through my mess of a closet: Was this the bumper music from a 2-XL tape ? Maybe it was the tune my Bop It played? No, this is way too dope for Bop It.

I couldn’t place it. I was going to go mad listening to a SoundCloud rapper warble over an arcane piece of ’90s flotsam, lost to the sands of time.

I returned to Twitter, the font of all human knowledge. And that’s how I figured it out, as I scanned through reactions from other people who were having the same perplexed , disbelieving , ecstatic response as I was: This is the goddamn menu music from Super Mario 64.

In one of his most famous ad pitches , Don Draper called nostalgia “the pain from an old wound.” That characterization — nostalgia as a fundamentally negative, heart-wrenching, malignant force — is the way the sentiment was viewed for centuries.

“Nostalgia” began its life as a disease. The term was coined by the Swiss physician Johannes Hofer in 1688 as a diagnosis for mental and physical problems suffered by the country’s soldiers. Young men trapped on battlefields far from home, who carried symptoms ranging from melancholy to loss of appetite to irregular heartbeats, were said to be suffering from nostalgia. It was a sign of mental weakness. Over the next 200 years, doctors and military leaders tried a variety of strategies to cure the disease, from leeches to death threats to rituals of public humiliation, according to The Atlantic .

In a 2013 paper, a group of social psychologists wrote that, “Though speculations about the causes of nostalgia varied, they had one common feature; they all ultimately viewed nostalgia as abnormal and problematic.”

In the 20th century, the perception of nostalgia began to shift, but no one had empirically proven its effects until a social psychology professor at England’s University of Southampton got in an argument with a colleague about, among other things, his desire to talk about the Tar Heels. Constantine Sedikides, one of the coauthors of the aforementioned study, had formerly taught at the University of North Carolina and felt nostalgic about his time watching basketball there (during the Dean Smith era). Another professor said this bout of nostalgia clearly indicated he was depressed. Sedikides set out to prove him wrong.

Researchers at Southampton began bringing in groups of people to attempt to measure the effect nostalgia had on their demeanor. One group would be asked to write in detail about a nostalgic event that had occurred in their lives, while a control group wrote about an ordinary event. The group steeped in nostalgia was found to have boosted self-regard, social interconnectedness, and interpersonal competence. Thinking about treasured memories from the past made the test subjects more optimistic about the future.

Studies have shown that nostalgia, which is largely driven by social experiences, increases our desire to connect with others. It makes single people want to date; it makes people in couples happier about their relationships. “It makes you feel loved and connected,” Clay Routledge, a psychology professor at North Dakota State University and another coauthor of the nostalgia study, tells me. “Nostalgia’s kind of a reminder of, ‘Whoa, I’ve had all these great experiences with people. I’ve done really good things. I should keep doing that kind of stuff.’”

While the academic community was proving nostalgia’s benefits, corporations didn’t need a peer-reviewed study to divine that the emotional experience was powerful — and profitable. Over the past decade we’ve watched nostalgia become weaponized, as media giants bludgeon us over the head with comic book movie reboots, video game remasters, television revivals, album sequels, and a seemingly endless string of reunion tours. You no longer need to be a ’90s kid to remember the 23 identity-affirming items on a BuzzFeed listicle, because each of those things has no doubt been reanimated in some fashion to make money.

“The reason why nostalgia is big business … is simply because it helps fulfill basic psychological needs that we have,” says Jacob Juhl, coauthor of the study and an assistant psychology professor and lecturer at the University of Southampton. “Humans have a need for social connectedness. We have a need for self-esteem. We have a basic need to see our life as meaningful and purposeful. Nostalgia is something that helps us fill this need. We’re more likely to gravitate towards products that are going to fulfill important needs for us.”

Technology has made it easier to satisfy our ravenous appetite for microwaved versions of the past. We’re never more than a few clicks from summoning a beloved childhood song on Spotify or a favorite movie on Netflix. And, thanks to social media, we can quickly find other people who also celebrate Mean Girls ’ anniversary every year or believe Super Mario 64 is the greatest game of all time. Obsessions that might have made us feel ostracized as kids now feel validated when they’re trending on Twitter.

“The availability of things from our past is a reason why nostalgia is kind of a hot topic right now,” Juhl says. “We’re able to access nostalgic events that were not necessarily social, where before we were unable to access non-social nostalgic things.”

Researchers say increased uncertainty also drives us toward nostalgic content. That uncertainty can manifest itself on an individual level — information overload on the Twitter timeline or the Netflix queue may lead you to retreat to a sure, comforting thing. But it’s also apparent on a macro scale, where global forces have pushed economic, political, and environmental uncertainty top of mind. When the planet feels like it’s in shambles, we curl up in the coherent, artificial worlds of old movies, TV shows, and video games. “Part of it might be a natural kind of coping mechanism that people use in times when they feel less stable or less secure,” Routledge says. “Nostalgia seems to be a way to get some sense of certainty or control.”

Today everyone from Disney to Donald Trump wants to make you wistful for the past in some way or another. It’s exhausting, and it could eventually lessen our ability to feel nostalgic at all, experts say.

“I think it’s possible that people could become desensitized to [nostalgia],” Juhl says, noting research has shown that people become satiated with stimuli through overexposure, whether it’s a favorite meal or a beloved song. “People would be more likely to become numb to a specific thing in pop culture that is related to one specific nostalgic memory.”

I’ve been feeling that numbness to our current nostalgia overload. In fact, I’ve been annoyed by much of it . But then that Yachty song bowled me over. Why did a tune I’d buried in my mind being featured in a song by a rapper I had never heard of manage to get to me? How did this perfect combo hit all the right notes and cut through the current nostalgic noise?

For a kid who has not yet spent two decades on this Earth, Lil Yachty is a deeply nostalgic artist. In addition to sampling Nemo and Mario , he’s rapped over beats that lifted from Rugrats (harmless), ice cream trucks (grating), and Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood (never let Kylie near a mic again). He reps Seinfeld and Incubus on his Instagram.

And he loves video games. Yachty talks about Rock Band with his fans. He’s recently revisited the library of the very underrated Nintendo GameCube. He claims to have an incredible N64 collection. I’m inclined to believe he does.

According to Routledge, the kind of intense affection for the past Yachty shows is fairly common for someone of his age. A yet-to-be-published study by Routledge and other researchers finds that early adulthood is a time of increased nostalgic feelings, as teenagers cope with leaving home for the first time to go to college, or, in Yachty’s case, leaving home to hang out with superstars like Kanye West. “Those times of changes [are when] you might be more prone to nostalgia as a way to compensate or to feel more of a sense of stability and your sense of identity,” Routledge says.

It’s this intense devotion to the past that birthed “Run/Running.” Last summer, a month before he released his hit single “1 Night,” Yachty tweeted out a 30-minute YouTube clip of the menu music for Super Mario 64 . The song, produced by legendary Nintendo composer Koji Kondo, is a relatively obscure musical piece in a wildly popular game. Everyone who’s played Mario 64 has heard the tune during the boot-up sequence, but it burrows into a different part of your mind than the actual level music that you’re forced to listen to for longer stretches. It’s ubiquitous and anonymous at the same time (Juhl says songs we once heard a lot but then slipped from our conscious memory can pack a more potent nostalgic punch than ones that remain consistently familiar).

Earl the Pearl , a producer and childhood friend of Yachty’s, saw the tweet, and it immediately took him back to his own memories of playing the game. He thought it could make the basis for a good beat. He added hi-hats, the Super Mario Bros. jump sound effect, and a booming bass that catapults the Nintendo melody into 2016 at about 40 seconds in. Yachty glides over the track in full Auto-Tuned glory, much more at home here than on his other nostalgia plays. “I spent everything I have, just to make it right back,” he croons. This must be how Mario felt when he donned the Wing Cap.

“He wanted to make a beat like this for the longest,” Earl says. “I did the beat in like 15 or 20 minutes. I gave it to him, and he loved it from the first time he heard it. It brings [listeners] back. Like, ‘Aw man, I remember this game when I was a kid.’”

If Yachty was searching for a totem to represent his idealized vision of childhood, he couldn’t have picked a better one than Mario 64 . In 1996, when the game debuted, the character was already iconic, having starred in the best-selling video game of the ’80s (and the most unfortunate video game–adaptation of the ‘90s). For both Mario and Nintendo, the Nintendo 64 marked a first foray into 3-D gaming, a new paradigm for the industry that had previously been explored but not yet perfected.

Mario 64 got it astoundingly right. For its time, the game was a technical marvel, boasting cutting-edge graphics (for a console game ) and unparalleled control sensitivity thanks to the N64’s analog stick. The way Mario ran, leapt, and karate-kicked across his colorful 3-D landscapes was intuitive in a way that earlier games couldn’t match. And the nonlinear structure of the game — the goal is to get 70 stars, completing tasks across various open levels as the player sees fit — paved the way for the sandbox games that predominate the gaming world today. Whether you were a kid seduced by the Toys R Us demo, a seasoned gamer impressed by the glowing reviews, or a developer wowed by Nintendo’s technical wizardry, the game was a revelation. Perhaps no other game has ever floored so many people at once, or inspired such a thrilling sense of limitless possibility ( Minecraft is Mario 64 ’s heir apparent in that regard).

“ Mario 64 had both technology and game design going for it,” says Jeremy Parish, a video game journalist and host of Retronauts , a podcast about retro games. “Nintendo wasn’t afraid to change the workings of Mario, doing things like breaking away from the series’ usual series of short stages in favor of about a dozen huge playgrounds each with multiple goals, to allow players to really learn the ins and outs of these more complex spaces. Nintendo had the intuitive sense to avoid trying to simply turn 2-D Mario into 3-D and instead let the game play out with a more sprawling, laid-back sensibility that felt more appropriate for the third dimension.”

The game was the best-selling release on the Nintendo 64, moving more than 11 million copies. It’s one of those titles everyone who loves video games has touched at one point or another. Dan Houser, cofounder of Grand Theft Auto –creator Rockstar Games, has said every 3-D game developer borrowed something from Mario 64 .

And now one of the hottest rappers of 2016, who wasn’t even alive when the game debuted, has borrowed something as well.

Do o you know what it feels like to fly in 2016? Inspired by my visceral reaction to the song, I corralled a friend’s Nintendo 64 recently and played Super Mario 64 for the first time in at least a decade. Of course, I lingered on the menu screen and thought of Yachty. “That song has been activated by the rap artist,” Juhl explains. “Purely on a cognitive level, it suggests that you’ll be more likely to associate the nostalgic event with him and be more likely to form some kind of attachment.”

There’s no hiding the game’s age. Even as I’m writing this, I’m imagining the blocky graphics to be better than they actually are. The camera, limited to a few preset angles, regularly gets stuck in awkward positions. Some of the songs that are not the incredible menu music — and repeat across multiple levels — grate after a while. And that first flying level where Mario gains the Wing Cap, which I remember as a blissful experience from childhood, is actually incredibly frustrating and kind of cheap .

But… it’s Mario 64. There’s a thrill in returning to that initial courtyard, where I and millions of other gamers took our first baby steps in a 3-D world. The eel that lurks in the waters of Dire, Dire Docks is still terrifying. And Mario’s “wahoo!” upon vaulting into the third leg of his triple jump remains one of gaming’s greatest cathartic releases.

Of course I still love Mario 64 — my brain is wired to. One of the most powerful reasons we lap up nostalgia is because we crave self-continuity, the notion that the things that happened to us in the past are relevant to our lives’ ongoing narratives. “I suspect that when you heard the song, it activated pleasant memories,” Juhl tells me. “It was something that you liked, which was something that you also liked in the past. There’s some part of you from the past that is currently persisting and makes up who you are today.”

This is really what nostalgia comes down to — the desire to be made whole, to know that what happened in the past mattered and still matters. Mario 64 is not just about the acrobatic plumber and Nintendo’s clever game design. It’s about my months-long odyssey to scrounge together $200 for a Nintendo 64, my trip with my father to Toys R Us to buy the console and game, playing Mario 64 with the volume off while my parents slept on Saturday mornings, getting yelled at because I wanted to to get one more star rather than go to school, discovering the Wing Cap level with a childhood friend by accidentally staring into the sun, sharing “Run/Running” with my current friends just to witness their own bewildered excitement, and celebrating the game’s 20th anniversary with people around the world on the internet.

“A lot of these pop culture phenomena are actually more connecting than you think they are at first blush,” Routledge says. “It’s affirming to know that this is something that’s meaningful to other people.”

This game and its many social tendrils are a part of me. Now, the song is too.

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32 Facts About Lil Yachty

Written by Katheryn Benton

Modified & Updated: 10 Sep 2024

Reviewed by Sherman Smith

When it comes to rising stars in the world of music, Lil Yachty is a name that cannot be overlooked. This young and talented rapper has taken the industry by storm with his unique style and catchy tunes. But there’s more to Lil Yachty than meets the eye. In this article, we dive deep into the world of Lil Yachty and uncover 32 fascinating facts about him that you may not know. From his early life and humble beginnings to his meteoric rise to fame, we’ll explore the person behind the music. So get ready to sail away on the Lil Yachty adventure and discover the intriguing details that make him one of the most intriguing and influential celebrities of our time.

Key Takeaways:

• Lil Yachty, also known as Miles Parks McCollum, gained fame through his debut mixtape “Lil Boat” and is known for his unique style and positive attitude, inspiring fans with his catchy tunes and infectious energy.
• With a passion for music, fashion, and philanthropy, Lil Yachty continues to evolve as an artist, pushing boundaries and promoting creative freedom while maintaining a close bond with his loyal “Sailing Team” fan base.

Lil Yachty’s real name is Miles Parks McCollum.

Lil Yachty, born on August 23 , 1997, is widely known by his stage name but his real name is Miles Parks McCollum.

He gained fame through his debut mixtape “Lil Boat.”

Lil Yachty burst onto the music scene in 2016 with his debut mixtape, “Lil Boat,” which featured breakout hits like “Minnesota” and “One Night.”

Lil Yachty was discovered on SoundCloud.

Before his rise to fame, Lil Yachty uploaded his music on SoundCloud, where he gained a loyal following and attracted the attention of record labels.

He is known for his unique and colorful style.

Lil Yachty is often recognized for his vibrant hair colors, eccentric fashion choices, and signature beaded jewelry , which have become iconic elements of his image.

He is associated with the “mumble rap” genre.

Lil Yachty is often categorized as a mumble rapper, known for his melodic delivery and unconventional lyrics that prioritize catchy hooks over intricate wordplay .

Lil Yachty is a successful entrepreneur.

Beyond music, Lil Yachty has ventured into various business endeavors, including his own clothing line called “Nautica.” He has also collaborated with major brands like Target and Sprite .

He appeared in the film “How High 2.”

In 2019, Lil Yachty made his acting debut in the comedy film “How High 2,” alongside Method Man and Redman.

Lil Yachty is a self-proclaimed fan of all things nautical.

As his stage name suggests, Lil Yachty has a strong affinity for the ocean and all things related to sailing.

He has collaborated with many high-profile artists.

Lil Yachty has worked with several renowned artists, including Drake, Chance the Rapper, and Migos, contributing to their chart-topping songs and receiving widespread acclaim.

Lil Yachty is of mixed heritage.

With a mother of Afro-Haitian descent and a father of American and Barbadian heritage, Lil Yachty embraces his diverse background.

Lil Yachty has released multiple successful albums.

Since his debut mixtape, Lil Yachty has gone on to release several successful albums, including “Teenage Emotions,” “Lil Boat 2,” and “Nuthin’ 2 Prove.”

He has a strong online presence.

Lil Yachty is active on various social media platforms, where he connects with his fans, shares updates about his music, and showcases his personal style.

Lil Yachty has appeared in commercials.

His popularity extends beyond the music industry, as Lil Yachty has appeared in commercials for popular brands such as Sprite and Target.

He collaborated with Carly Rae Jepsen for a remake of “It Takes Two.”

Lil Yachty and Carly Rae Jepsen teamed up for a modern rendition of the iconic track “It Takes Two,” which was featured in a commercial for Target.

He has a loyal fan base known as the “Sailing Team.”

Lil Yachty’s fans, collectively known as the “Sailing Team,” are passionate supporters who embrace his unique style and music.

Lil Yachty has received both critical acclaim and criticism.

While praised for his distinctive sound and brand, Lil Yachty has also faced backlash for his departure from traditional rap conventions.

He voiced the character Green Lantern in the animated series “Teen Titans Go! To the Movies.”

In 2018, Lil Yachty lent his voice to the character Green Lantern in the animated movie “Teen Titans Go! To the Movies.”

Lil Yachty has a philanthropic side.

Despite his young age, Lil Yachty has shown a commitment to giving back by participating in various charitable initiatives and supporting causes that are close to his heart.

He has been nominated for several awards.

Lil Yachty’s talent and impact on the music industry have earned him nominations for prestigious awards, including the Grammy Awards and BET Hip Hop Awards.

Lil Yachty is known for his positive attitude.

Throughout his career, Lil Yachty has maintained a positive and upbeat persona, inspiring his fans with messages of self-love and acceptance.

He has a love for video games.

Lil Yachty has expressed his passion for gaming, often sharing updates about his favorite video games and engaging with his fans through gaming-related content.

He has a signature catchphrase: “Lil Boat.”

“Lil Boat” has become Lil Yachty’s notorious catchphrase, expressing his unique persona and reflecting his love for sailing and the open seas.

Lil Yachty appeared on the cover of XXL Magazine’s 2016 Freshman Class.

As a rising star, Lil Yachty graced the cover of XXL Magazine’s esteemed Freshman Class issue in 2016, solidifying his position in the hip-hop industry .

Lil Yachty is an advocate for creative freedom.

He encourages artists to express themselves freely and break boundaries, promoting a culture of artistic independence and individuality.

He has a distinctive vocal style.

Lil Yachty’s unique vocal delivery, marked by its melodic flow and autotune effects, sets him apart from other artists in the hip-hop scene.

Lil Yachty is a prolific songwriter.

Besides his own music, Lil Yachty has written songs for other artists, showcasing his versatility and talent as a songwriter.

He has collaborated with renowned fashion brands.

Lil Yachty has collaborated with fashion powerhouses like Nautica and Reebok, releasing limited-edition clothing collections and custom footwear.

He embarked on a successful music tour.

Lil Yachty has headlined his own tours, captivating audiences around the world and proving his ability to entertain and engage fans on stage.

Lil Yachty has a passion for anime.

Anime holds a special place in Lil Yachty’s heart, and he often references and incorporates anime themes into his music and visuals.

He has a close bond with his fans.

Lil Yachty values the connection he has with his fan base and actively interacts with them through social media, live streams, and meet-and-greet events.

Lil Yachty has a net worth of millions.

With his successful music career, endorsements, and entrepreneurial ventures, Lil Yachty has amassed a considerable net worth at a young age.

He continues to evolve as an artist.

Lil Yachty consistently pushes boundaries, experiments with different sounds, and evolves his musical style, ensuring his longevity in the ever-changing music industry.

These are just a few of the fascinating facts about Lil Yachty. With his unique style, undeniable talent, and vibrant personality, Lil Yachty has made his mark on the music industry and continues to captivate audiences worldwide. Are you ready to set sail with Lil Yachty’s catchy tunes and infectious energy?

In conclusion, these 32 facts about Lil Yachty shed light on the remarkable journey of this talented artist. Whether it’s his unique style, catchy tunes, or colorful personality, Lil Yachty has managed to capture the hearts and attention of millions. From his early beginnings as a SoundCloud sensation to becoming a prominent figure in the hip-hop industry, Lil Yachty has consistently pushed boundaries and proved himself as a force to be reckoned with.With his positive outlook on life, Lil Yachty has become a role model for many aspiring artists. He has shown that with determination, hard work, and a little bit of creativity, dreams can turn into reality. With multiple chart-topping hits, collaborations with industry heavyweights , and a growing fanbase, Lil Yachty’s career is only set to flourish in the years to come.It’s safe to say that Lil Yachty has cemented his place in the music industry as more than just a rapper. He is a cultural icon, an influencer, and a trendsetter. His success story serves as an inspiration to anyone looking to make their mark in the world of music. So next time you hear a Lil Yachty track playing, remember the incredible journey behind the artist responsible for creating it.

Q: How did Lil Yachty get his start in the music industry?

A: Lil Yachty initially gained recognition through SoundCloud, where he started releasing his music and building a following.

Q: What is Lil Yachty’s real name?

A: Lil Yachty’s real name is Miles Parks McCollum.

Q: How old is Lil Yachty?

A: Lil Yachty was born on August 23, 1997, making him [current age] years old.

Q: What is Lil Yachty known for?

A: Lil Yachty is known for his unique style of music, often categorized as “bubblegum trap,” and his vibrant and colorful personality.

Q: Has Lil Yachty released any albums?

A: Yes, Lil Yachty has released several albums, including “Teenage Emotions,” “Lil Boat 2,” and “Nuthin’ 2 Prove.”

Q: Who are some of the notable artists Lil Yachty has collaborated with?

A: Lil Yachty has collaborated with artists such as Drake, Chance the Rapper, and Migos , among others.

Lil Yachty's journey offers a glimpse into hip hop's vibrant tapestry. Dive deeper into this fascinating world by exploring fun facts about hip hop , interesting tidbits about rap , and enigmatic details about trap music pioneer Zaytoven . Each story adds a unique thread to the rich fabric of music history, inviting you to uncover the captivating narratives behind the beats and rhymes that have shaped generations.

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Lil Yachty’s Psychedelic Relaunch: ‘I Don’t Have To Be High To Make It Sound High’

By Andre Gee

I n 2016, a 19-year-old Lil Yachty emerged as a fresh-faced, red-haired maverick eagerly planting Generation Z’s flag in hip-hop . Songs like “Minnesota” intrigued many, but rap traditionalists denigrated him as a “mumble rapper” — an upstart who, they claimed, was insulting the essence of hip-hop one warbled vocal run at a time. That didn’t stop Yachty, though. In the years since, he’s kept trying new things , even as many other artists have gotten stuck retreading tired formulas. “Who cares?” he says now. “It’s going to go, or it’s not. You only have one life, bro. Just do shit.”

But he does offer a few details about the six-month recording process in Texas, New York, and elsewhere, which he says was “fun” at every juncture. At times, he played the work in progress for “heavy hitters” like Kendrick Lamar, J. Cole, A$AP Rocky, Drake, and Tyler, the Creator. “Everyone was ecstatic,” he says, “which made me feel good.”

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Do you think hip-hop could be more accepting of younger artists as they learn and grow? I don’t know. I don’t really care either. Who cares? I don’t need acceptance from nobody. People seek too much validation.

What was the initial catalyst for you to start this album? It was a phone call with Tyler that made me act on it. I always wanted to do it, but that was the battery.

What was the dynamic of that phone call? Were you like, “I want to explore something,” and he was like, “Go for it”? I don’t fully remember, but he was very motivating and inspiring. I didn’t tell him my ideas, but it was more so, “Whatever it is in your heart and in your mind that you want to do, do it. And do it fully, don’t shortcut it. Don’t cut any corners.”

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You’ve referenced psychedelics in interviews. How big a factor was that in the recording process? None. Zero. I can’t record music on drugs. I have to be fully sober. But I’ve done it enough times to know what I want. I don’t have to be high to make it sound high.

You said growing up you listened to all types of music. Did you ever hear the stigma of “That’s white-people music”? Yeah, of course. I don’t give a fuck, bro. It’s so hard to affect me or offend me. I do what I want to do. You feel me? People say this album is white-people music. Who cares, man? What is white-people music?

You’ve said you made this in part because you “wanted to be taken seriously as an artist and not just a SoundCloud rapper, not just a mumble rapper.” What would you say to people who feel like SoundCloud rappers and mumble rappers deserve to be taken as seriously as any other artists? See, that’s the thing. I can’t speak for nobody else. I’m not some spokesman for the people. I’m not vouching for anyone else’s work ethic or creativity, only mine. I want to be taken seriously. I’m not no mumble rap. I’m not just some SoundCloud rapper. I’m not speaking on all SoundCloud rappers. I’m speaking on me, you feel me? I want to make that apparent. This is for me, because everybody don’t have that work ethic. Everyone ain’t going to put the hours in to understand a new genre and how to execute something the right way. 

“See, that’s the thing. I can’t speak for nobody else. I’m not speaking on all SoundCloud rappers. I’m speaking on me, you feel me? This is for me, because everybody don’t have that work ethic.”

You’ve said you had a period of trying to prove you can rap. How do you feel about those efforts now? I love it, man. They made me a man. They made me strong. They made me care more about the craft — because I do. They made me want to learn, be better, sharpen my sword.

Did it ever get to a point with that stigma where it was hard to navigate your career? I don’t think nothing’s hard in life. It just took work and effort, and I still feel like I got more work to put in when it comes to rap and how people perceive me. I care less, though.

How much does the dynamic that you’re talking about here have to do with the stigma against rappers when it comes to award shows and radio play and festivals?  For me, that’s zero. I don’t care about none of that shit. I just make all types of music. It has nothing to do with the fruits and labors that don’t come with being a rapper, none of that. I like to make all music. That’s all it is, totally. It ain’t got nothing to do with not getting the love or respect or not being invited to an award show.

Going forward with your creative process, do you feel like you’ll have that motivation with every album you make, to prove something to a certain audience? Not necessarily. I didn’t make this album to prove that I could. I also want to be taken seriously. But I didn’t make it like, “Oh, man, I need them to take me serious. Let me make this type of album.” I just wanted to make a great album, and I felt like personally, I could do it better this way than if I made a rap album. 

How are things going with your label, Concrete Boyz? That’s next for me. That’s all I care about right now. That’s where we are every day, in the studio getting established together. We got some special artists, and they’re fresh faces. I want to make sure when we drop this, it’s hot, because they’re fire and it’s fresh. You’re gonna hear some fresh sounds. That’s my next project, in the summertime. 

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Have you always been discerning about how much you put yourself out there? No. I got 1,000 interviews on the internet. I hate it. I was young. I didn’t know nothing. Back then, I was trying to be the spokesman for the new generation because no one else wanted to talk. I felt, “I’m going to stand up. I’m going to speak.” But [now] I don’t speak for nobody but me.

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