Illustration by Nico Orgain
Rap isn’t just sexist party music devoid of meaning, yet Lil Yachty makes a strong case that enforces this idea with his latest album, Nuthin 2 Lose.
When comparing his newest release with his 2016 album, Lil Boat, Yachty’s lack of development is very apparent. His new lyrics are as juvenile and inane as those in songs like “One Night” and “F*cked Over”. These vapid bars about sex and relationships were understandable at the start of his career when he was a 19-year-old kid, and I enjoyed his earlier stuff without criticism. But now two years later, at 21 years old, a good artist would have evolved, building on his style and overall persona. Yachty has failed to mature both in his craft and in the themes he raps about.
His earlier music at least had decent structure and sound, but he seems to have lost his ear for putting together catchy songs. Instead of using beat drops or changes in pace to keep the listener on their toes, he kept everything at the same level, making the whole thing very flat. His beats were dry and uninspired making it one of the dullest albums I’ve ever listened to.
Ian Mendola, a Berkeley High School (BHS) sophomore, is a dedicated rap fan. He said, “Yachty’s music is known to have a very light-hearted lyrical style … AKA his lyrics are trash … his music doesn’t make people think, it’s more of an escape … this album seems to kind of make a lyrical effort … however he didn’t really succeed. His previous albums were better.”
BHS Sophomore Jack Cane said, “it was decent because the first seven songs were rapping Yachty and the last seven were melody Yachty. I think this was good because he has many fans liking different sides of him. Some like him rapping, some like him singing, some like both.”
The tracks can be split into two categories. Ones where he talks himself up, and trite love songs. In the latter, Yachty mumble raps at the same slightly too fast pace nearly the entire time, making it hard to absorb what he is saying. This is probably a blessing however, since each song features extremely insipid, and often misogynistic, lines. In the tradition of rappers who have lost their popularity, Yachty spends most of the time boasting about his wealth, sexual history, and general superiority.
These lines are so unoriginal and idiotic that it makes my head hurt, especially when he reduces women to the sexual interactions that he’s had with them. Yachty lacks the self awareness that makes artists good.
His love songs are just as banal and douchey. In “Forever World” he says “Never will I leave from your side/ I choose you, I know you gon’ ride/ I f*ck hoes on the side/ But that’s just for the neck girl no lie.” How sweet and pensive. As he says in “One Night,” it’s clear that he still “can’t have no wife.”
Track number nine, “Worth It,” was a perhaps an attempt to redeem his overall scumminess thus far. It’s a song about how he wants his girlfriend with self esteem issues to understand that she’s beautiful just the way is. Although it lacks originality and lyrical craft, one could appreciate that Yachty is trying to send out a positive message. But, when he says, “Imma f*ck that b*tch like a dog,” a few tracks later, it does little to improve my opinion of him.
Overall, Nuthin 2 Lose is just another empty, tired, and thoughtless album that is already fading away in the musical abyss.