Every few years, someone comes along in Hip Hop who has a sound and style that’s totally their own and is beloved by young fans of more eccentric music but pushed back upon by older or more classic fans. This is how the genre has seemed to go for a long time. Someone will come along who completely goes outside the box of what is popular or cool; initially, the mainstream will reject it, but slowly, the mainstream will start to gravitate towards and morph with this new sound as it becomes more and more undeniable. Some artists from recent history who have had this effect are Travis Scott, XXXTentacion(RIP), Lil Uzi Vert, and Playboi Carti. All of these artists went so against the grain and were opposed by a lot of people in the industry when they first emerged, but their impact eventually became undeniable. Yeat fits perfectly into this mold. It has been fascinating to see how quickly he has risen over the last couple of years, going from what a lot of people would probably consider a “meme” rapper to one of the artists at the forefront of evolving the genre. I am not going to lie, it is not tough to see why Hip Hop fans were so thrown off by his sound. To put it simply, his music is very extreme and striking compared to a lot of the other Hip Hop music being made today. It certainly stands out and pushes boundaries that, for what it is worth, really needed to be pushed. Yeat has not been around for super long and has already made a huge impact on Hip Hop. He first popped off when his 2021 mixtape Up 2 Me and 2022 record 2 Alive gained traction online, with multiple songs from these projects going viral on TikTok. Yeat’s 2023 album, Afterlyfe, was the first point where it seemed like the Hip Hop industry as a whole started to accept his over-the-top sound. This album was widely lauded for its experimental and weird nature, and it cemented Yeat as someone who can not be ignored. Yeat dropped an even more experimental album, 2093, near the beginning of 2024. This one took the striking and harsh sound that he had been known for to this point and infected some more Electronic and Poppy elements into it, making music that is just incomparable to any of his peers(in the best way). Yeat recently dropped a new mixtape titled LYFESTYLE, which supposedly brings him back to his roots a bit more(whatever that means). Below, I wanted to highlight some of my favorite songs from Yeat’s LYFESTYLE, then go over some overall thoughts on the record to close things out. Please let me know in the comments what your favorite songs are from LYFESTYLE, and also comment on how you feel about this record as a whole!
STFU
After beginning the record on a very futuristic and dystopian note with the song ‘GEEK TIMÉ,’ Yeat brings in a bit of an old-school element with ‘STFU.’ This track samples the underground 1994 Hardcore Trap track ‘Test My Nuts’ by 2 Low Key. ‘STFU,’ feels like a modernized, Trap-infused version of that 1990s Hardcore sound. The tempo and melody keep the feeling of ‘Test My Nuts,’ but of course, there is a low, grating Yeat sort of flair to this one. The bass that vibrates through this melody has this vibrating feeling to it that makes me think of a motorcycle revving when I hear this one. The melody is complemented by some slightly brighter synths that come in and out, which give it texture. Yeat’s vocals on ‘STFU’ are great. His high pitch and raspy tone contrast the melody super nicely and give the song a different level of emphasis that is pretty cool. The only holding this song back for me is its length. At 1:44, I do want more. Regardless, ‘STFU’ is a fun banger that will no doubt be going on my workout playlist.
HEARD OF MË
When I listen to ‘HEARD OF MË,’ the first thought that comes to mind is that this is a typical Yeat song. That is not a bad thing at all; this song highlights all of the things about Yeat that so many people are drawn to. I can not lie and say that is close to the most riveting or convoluted songs on the record. It is actually probably one of the more straightforward ones. ‘HEARD OF MË’ has a menacing and imposing melody that makes me think of a horror movie. This is the kind of melody I would expect to hear during a chase scene in a stalker movie like The Strangers. As you can probably imagine, the beat is super bass-heavy and hard-hitting, going very well with the imposing feeling of the melody. One thing that makes this one stand out a bit is Yeat’s vocal range. He hits some very low and gruff notes on this track as well as some pretty high notes; the high notes especially really pop on this instrumental. I could see ‘HEARD OF MË’ becoming a favorite for fans of the sound Yeat originally became known for.
SPEEDBALL
‘SPEEDBALL’ is a track that is quickly becoming a fan favorite from this record, and it is definitely not tough to see why. This is easily one of the weirdest and most intense songs on the record, which is obviously saying something for Yeat, whose music is already typically pretty out of the ordinary. Somehow, the melody for ‘SPEEDBALL’ is inviting and grating at the same time. The squeakiness to some of the synths on this one has a screeching element that is very harsh, but the warm tone on some of the other synths is honestly kind of welcoming. The beat of this song is enormous, taking on a crashing feeling that is larger than life. Yeat raps with a variety of interesting flows and tones on ‘SPEEDBALL’ which gives the song so much life. The instrumental for this one is very outlandish, and Yeat’s vocals match this energy so well. ‘SPEEDBALL’ is a song that stands out for its abrasive sound, and that is what makes it pop off so awesomely.
ORCHESTRATË
Saying that a song is super intense on a Yeat album is pretty relative, as every song is super fierce. Somehow, ‘ORCHESTRATË’ may be the biggest and most imposing track on this record, which is saying a ton. When initially listening to this one, the first thing that came to my mind was: “Man, this song hits hard.” Everything about this track is mean; it honestly has a pretty frightening sound. The melody for ‘ORCHESTRATË’ is extremely powerful. The melody is driven by a raucous Heavy Metal guitar riff that is complemented by very menacing synths that make it feel so weighty. ‘ORCHESTRATË’ also has one of the most crashing, harsh beats out of anything on the record; this beat complements the exceptional feeling of the melody perfectly. I will say that Yeat’s vocals on this track are not very noticeable. He sort of gets drowned out by the instrumental; this is not necessarily a bad thing, though, because the instrumental is so cool. ‘ORCHESTRATË’ may not contain one of Yeat’s most engaging vocal performances, but it is still a very enjoyable song.
BË QUIET FEAT. KODAK BLACK
Compared to the rest of the album, ‘BE QUIET’ is probably the most “low-key:” song. That is not saying much, though, because do not get me wrong, this track is a banger. Out of everything on this record, ‘BË QUIET’ probably feels the least like a Yeat song. It kind of reminds me of ‘STAND ON IT’ with Future on 2093. I remember thinking that song kind of sounded more like a Future song than anything. ‘BË QUIET’ is not entirely this way, as the melody for this one is still pretty dark and fierce, and at least sort of stays in the lane of what one would expect from Yeat. I would be lying if I said the pacing and overall more laid-back feeling of the track does not lean towards what Kodak Black is known for, though. That said, Both Yeat and Kokak Black kill it on ‘BË QUIET.’ Both of their flows on this track are addicting and fit the instrumental perfectly. Their chemistry on this one is also palpable, making the song so engaging. ‘BË QUIET’ is a song where Yeat adapts to the sound of his feature, and both artists excel on this one in a major way.
FOREVER AGAIN
In 2093, the best song on the record was probably the weird, sort of out-of-place Dance music track, ‘Breathe.’ The quite random Dance music track from this project, ‘FOREVER AGAIN,’ once again stands out in the best way. This sort of feels like Yeat’s best impression of The Weeknd. One would be lying if they tried to say The Weeknds’ signature brand of New Wave Synth Pop is not incredibly influential on this one. Now, as one would hope, Yeat does put his own spin on this sound in ‘FOREVER AGAIN.’ The melody does have some shimmering, 1980s-esque Synth-Pop tendencies, but it has a brash, vibrating underlying bassline that makes it feel very melancholy and strong. I love Yeat’s vocal performance on ‘FOREVER AGAIN.’ His flow on this track is excellent, and the way he flexes his range gives the song so much vitality. ‘FOREVER AGAIN’ is a track where Yeat goes way out of his comfort zone, and it really pays off.
ON 1
‘ON 1’ immediately follows ‘FOREVER AGAIN’ on the tracklist, and it does bring us right back to the sound that Yeat is known for. Similar to ‘ORCHESTRATË,’ ‘ON 1’ is a song that I would assume that fans of the music Yeat came up with will love. There is not anything about this track that necessarily sets itself apart, but it is still very enjoyable. Everything about this song is just fun and cool(if you are into Yeat’s typical sound). The melody is very foreboding and the beat is massive. Yeat’s vocals on this track are entertaining and fit the nature of the instrumental nicely. He does not do anything vocally that necessarily puts this song over the top, but his flow is undeniably smooth and his tone sits on the melody very well. ‘ON 1’ is not a song that will pop off among fans of Yeat’s bolder music, but it is a solid track that is perfect for his die-hard fans.
LYING 5 FUN
As one would probably expect from Yeat, most of this album has a very heavy and dark sound. ‘LYING 5 FUN’ is a track that sets itself apart for its more bright and vibrant nature. Maybe it is because the tone of the melody is a bit more colorful or sweet, but when I hear this one, I think of some of the more positive-sounding music from artists like Playboi Carti or Ken Carson. Now, I do not want to say this is Yeat’s best Carti or Ken Carson impersonation, but the instrumental is not the only thing that makes me think of those artists. I also get their influence in the vocals. Yeat raps with a very raspy and high-pitched tone that is completely reminiscent of both of those artists. This song interests me, as it sets itself apart among the rest of the tracks here, but does not sound that individual in the grand scheme of modern underground Trap music. ‘LYING 5 FUN’ may not be the most original-sounding song here, but it is still cool for what it is.
NEW HIGH (FEAT. DON TOLIVER)
Now, considering how different the music they are known for is, one would probably never expect Don Toliver and Yeat to come together on a track. Despite their styles being so different, though, their chemistry is palpable. Unlike ‘BË QUIET,’ where Yeat seems to adapt to his feature, it seems like he made sure to get Don Toliver to adapt to his sound on ‘NEW HIGH.’ This instrumental kind of feels like a fusion of the sounds that both these artists are known for. It definitely has a very harsh and fierce tone that fits into Yeat’s typical sound well, but also has a melodic Trap sort of feeling that leans into Don Toliver’s style of music as well. I really enjoy how these two artists’ vocals mesh on this track. The gruff tone that Yeat sings with contrasts Don Toliver’s sweet pitch and high tone very nicely, giving this track such a cool texture. ‘NEW HIGH’ is a collaboration one could have never predicted, and it is better than I could have imagined.
SO WHAT
‘SO WHAT’ is probably one of the weirder tracks here, which makes it stand out intriguingly. Somehow, this song feels very light and very heavy at the same time. The actual basis of the melody for this one is pretty foreboding, but also softer and not as grating as a lot of the other instrumentals on this project. This melody is littered with pretty crazy sound effects that really make it pop, though. The thing that stands out the most is the bells that come in and out. These bells give this track a pretty intimidating element that I enjoy a lot. Yeat delivers one of his most dynamic vocal performances of the record on this track as well. He flexes his range on this song and takes its threatening feeling over the top. ‘SO WHAT’ is an over-the-top banger with a tad of an inviting tone that makes it super fun and enthralling.
When Yeat released his album 2093 earlier this year, he received a decent amount of pushback from a lot of his diehard fans. It was clear on that record that he tried to go outside of his element and push himself a bit. To the naked ear, one may not notice the differences in the sound of that record and some of his previous work, as it is a bit nuanced. Mose people who are not super familiar with his sound would probably say that it was just as ferocious and hard-hitting as any of his other music. 2093 was a bit more poppy and a bit more feathery than Yeat’s music from before that point for sure, though. It had a dystopian and robotic theme that rand throughout the record, and some of the more Dancey music rubbed some of his biggest fans the way. I personally loved the far-out sound of that record, though, and I was happy to see Yeat take that risk. On LYFESTYLE, Yeat seems to try to return to his roots. Now, whether this was to appease certain fans or just because he wanted to get back what he knew, I do not know. I will say that all of the people who were not as into 2093 are probably very into this record. As with a lot of mixtapes these days, the thing that holds LYFESTYLE back the most is the sheer length of the album. Even though this record does have a ton of quality, it does get pulled back a bit by some of the duds. It is pretty tough to make a 22-song album where every single song is engaging; there are always going to be a few tracks that feel like filler. The high points on this album are super high. If you are into Yeat’s typical sound, there is a ton for you to love on this album. In my opinion, the best tracks, though, are the couple where Yeat does go in a different direction than what he is known for. ‘FOREVER AGAIN,’ ‘BË QUIET,’ and ‘NEW HIGH’ are the absolute highlights from this record for me, and they are the songs that are the most unlike the rest. Overall, LYFESTYLE is solid for what it is worth. There is a lot to love here, and Yeat once again shows why he is one of the most enticing and innovative rappers in the game right now. LYFESTYLE may not be quite as cool as 2093 to me, but it is still a more than adequate addition to Yeat’s discography.
EAST SIDE VIBES 