Y’all better stop sleeping on Yeat. Following the Labor Day break, the Portland rapper eased out his EP, Lyfë, a project that he plans to follow up with a long-anticipated studio album.
Yeat has been busy all year, hustling with a work ethic that matches that of his hip hop ancestors. In 2022 alone, the Geffen Records signee churned out more than 10 singles and a full-length clout-worthy project with 2Alivë, which consisted of 20 songs with alley-oops from Young Thug, Gunna, Ken Car$on, and SeptembersRich.
Fast-forward to the fall season and the new fearless — or rather flawless — EP only has one feature on its 12-track listing, and the position has been reserved for the one and only Lil Uzi Vert, who has collaborated with Yeat in the past.
Lil Uzi Vert joins Yeat on “Flawlëss,” the first track on the project. The BNYX-produced track runs nearly three minutes beginning with commentary from underground music artists and social media personalities, sharedatbitchlikeapizza and NoLoveJRoc, a gracious nod to some of the rising cultural conduits who don’t necessarily get their just-due in the limelight.
It’s a good start for the EP, reassuring a primetime Yeat. Led by the rambunctious single, “Talk,” a single where Yeat hands naysayers the business with assertive lyrics that revels in his success, Lyfë yet again solidifies his ascension as a rapper among the hip hop freshmen class to watch.
As he’s done in the past, Yeat collaborated with music video director Cole Bennett for his second single, “Out Thë Way.” The slow-paced orchestration is subdued even more by Yeat’s eccentric drawl, clearly influenced by the forefathers of SoundCloud rap, Autotune, and artists with sauce of the south.
Simple in nature, the visual for “Out Thë Way” takes place in a dreary mystical land filled with amusement park attractions and artifacts covered by sand dunes and an occasional air-floating car as Yeat is engrossed in his own world. The single is a standout among many catchy tracks on Lyfë.
“Wat It Feel Lykë” gives a familiar sound to that of an early Chief Keef before Yeat ups the gear to a more rhythmic Young Thug-esque flow. That same Atlanta influence can be heard throughout the project, such as the complexly paced “Can’t Stop It,” where guitars and horn-like instrumentation create a lively mix of southern hip hop and contemporary rock. “Krank” is one of those slow burns that hit the listener with its dopeness in a subtle way, it nearly catches you off guard. Because of that and its replay value, it’s already a top selection on The MouthSoap Playlist.
As with many of Yeat’s songs, there’s a few ways you can ingest his sound: either the listener gets it right off the bat because they’re in tune with his wave, or the listener is captured in Yeat’s mesmerizing web of creativity after several listens. Red pill or blue, Yeat is not for everyone but in the game of rap, he’s definitely someone.
Don’t believe me, take a listen yourself:
