Lil Yachty is taking stock of how far he’s come—and how often people underestimated him along the way.
In a new Instagram video, the 28-year-old rapper spoke about the ongoing conversation surrounding longevity in hip-hop. According to Yachty, the benchmarks set for him have constantly shifted since he first emerged.
“Well, first they said I was a one-hit wonder,” he 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 moment did come fast. “One Night” turned him into an overnight star in 2015, leading to his debut mixtape in 2016 and a breakout hit with DRAM on “Broccoli.” Shortly after, he signed a joint venture record deal with Quality Control Music, Motown Records, and Capitol Records.
Over the years, Yachty has shown he’s more than the carefree SoundCloud-era kid critics once labeled him as. He’s earned multiple entries on the Billboard 200, collaborated with artists ranging from Drake to James Blake, and shifted genres entirely with his 2023 psychedelic-rock album Let’s Start Here. Most recently, he wrapped a world tour with Tyler, the Creator on the Chromakopia Tour.
Yachty has also remained in the conversation outside of music. He recently made headlines for siding with rising underground artist Jorjiana—his collaborator on “ILY XL”—amid her heated back-and-forth with his former Concrete Boys member, Karrahboo. The tension escalated online when Karrahboo wrote on X, “I am not no industry bitch u will get yo ass beat.”
Eight years after he first went viral, Yachty seems to be reminding fans and critics alike that he’s still here—and still evolving.
