Questlove has heaped high praise on Lil Yachty‘s new album Let’s Start Here, saying it has made him “hyped about music’s future.”
On Saturday, January 28, the famous Roots drummer posted a photo to Instagram in which he presented the Atlanta rapper with roses for what Quest referred to as his “exit record.”
The Philadelphian said he wasn’t astonished by Yachty’s ability to pull off the record, which replaces his prior (and contentious) form of hip hop with psychedelic rock, but rather that such a risky move wouldn’t be expected from any artist in general.
“I had to let 24 hours go by just so I could process this,” he began. “Then I hesitated cause I didn’t wanna use hyperbole to naturally give the trolls ammo to hate it or to further evidence sort why my co-signs are whack.”
He continued: “I dunno man: after about 3 listens (and I thought I’d NEVER say this – & not because ‘I didn’t expect this from Lil Yachty’ – but just in general I didn’t expect this from MUSIC).
“How should I put it? I really really really really love this @lilyachty record and I love when artists pull off a good departure record (departure albums are when musicians pull a COMPLETE creative left turn. Most times as a career sabotage of feeling doomed to not be able to live up to a standard they set. Not being able to make Thelma & Louise jump. Quitting the job/relationship before you give em a chance to fire you—).”
Questlove expanded on the idea of the “departure record,” citing legendary albums by The Beatles, Beastie Boys, Prince, Bob Dylan, Miles Davis, Marvin Gaye, Radiohead, Q-Tip, Amy Winehouse, and Solange.
