Lil Yachty has picked up on how people keep shifting the narrative around rappers’ longevity — and he’s ready for some credit for outlasting every prediction.
In a video shared on Instagram, the 28-year-old artist opened up about the way his career has been discussed over the years.
“Well, first they said I was a one-hit wonder,” Yachty said. “They were like, ‘You’re not going to make it past ‘One Night.’ That’s it.’ And then they said ‘one year.’ Like, ‘We won’t hear him by next year.’ Then it became the average rapper has a lifespan of five years. And now the conversation is, ‘How is he still relevant?'”
His breakout single, “One Night,” turned Yachty into an overnight star in 2015, with his debut mixtape dropping the following year. He kept the momentum going with “Broccoli” alongside DRAM, and soon after signed a joint venture deal with Quality Control Music, Motown Records, and Capitol Records.
From there, Yachty stacked multiple Billboard 200 entries, teamed up with artists ranging from Drake to James Blake, and even dove into psychedelic rock with his boldly experimental 2023 album Let’s Start Here. He also just finished a global run with Tyler, the Creator on the Chromakopia Tour.
More recently, Yachty found himself pulled into the fiery feud between his former Concrete Boys member Karrahboo and rising underground artist Jorjiana — whom he collaborated with on “ILY XL.” Karrahboo didn’t hold back, posting on X, “I am not no industry bitch u will get yo ass beat.”
