Lil Yachty is an American rapper with a unique laid back druggie style of music popularly referred to as mumble rap (Bubblegum trap). He became popular when his songs “One Night” and “Minnesota” from the EP Summer Songs went viral in August 2015. Yachty’s very first effort at releasing a body of work was in March 2016 when he released the mixtape Lil Boat. Since then, his career has been on a steady rise and more people have become interested in knowing him beyond his songs.
The Rapper’s Real Name and What Inspired His Career
Lil Yachty’s real name is Miles Parks McCollum. He was born in Mable, Georgia in the United States on August 23, 1997, and was raised by his mother, Venita McCollum.
As a child, Yachty was privileged to meet with hip hop greats, an opportunity which was made possible by his dad Shannon McCollum, who was a professional photographer and often took him to his photoshoots. Meeting several popular hip hop artists went a long way in igniting the quest for him to build a career as a rapper. It became his life dream and he worked towards it relentlessly.
Career Beginning and How He Came Up With His Stage Name
Miles McCollum assumed the stage name Lil Yachty when he moved from his childhood neighborhood in Atlanta to New York City. In New York, the aspiring rapper squatted with a friend while he sought opportunities in modeling with online street fashion personalities. He also began to build for himself a commendable number of fans on Instagram.
In doing all these to make ends meet, Yachty was equally making music and sharing them on the online music sharing platform, SoundCloud. His break came when his song “One Night” was used as a soundtrack for a comedy video that went viral in December 2015.
Lil Yachty debuted properly as a model on Season 3 of Addidas Yeezy in February 2016. Thereafter, he released his first mixtape titled Lil Boat in March of 2016. He then collaborated with American singer, rapper, and actor DRAM in April 2016 on the hit song “Broccoli” which got to No. 5 on the US Hot 100 Billboard Chart that year. On June 10 of the same year, Yachty signed a joint record deal with Capitol Records, Motown Records, and Quality Control Music, before releasing his second mixtape titled Summer Songs in July 2016.
As for how he got his stage name, the rapper has revealed that he was once in a group called the Yacht Club. Other members of the group were older than him so he became Lil Yachty.
What Lil Yachty’s Bubblegum Trap Style is All About
The rapper’s genres range from mumble rap to trap, hip pop, and pop-rap. But if you ask Lil Yachty, he would proclaim that he is a bubblegum trap rapper. So essentially, the rapper found his brand by fusing upbeat pop music with the subgenre of hip hop that uses synthesized drums and complicated hi-hat patterns.
While people have come to admire his style for being different, Yachty has insisted that his music-making procedure is simple and not something he takes seriously. According to him, most of his beats which are largely made by his friend Burberry Perry, are sampled tones from Super Nintendo, Cotton Candy, Mario Bros. or theme songs from cartoons and animated series.
In a nutshell, the rapper has thrived in making songs that are very flippantly made with little regard to what’s ideal or lyrics that are punchy.
His Style Has Been Well-Received
As he grew in popularity, Lil Yachty featured in Kyle Harvey Thomas’ breakout hip-hop single “iSpy” as well as Tee Grizzlies’ “From the D to the A” which was released in March 2017.
The rapper’s debut album, Teenage Emotions, which featured guest appearances from popular artists and rap groups like Migos, Diplo, Evander Grim, Steffon Don, and Grace, was released on the 26th of May 2017. He also released a couple of complementary singles dropped alongside the album, including songs like “Harley”, “Bring it Back”, and “X-Men”. On March 9, 2018, his second album Lil Boat 2 was released.
Yachty’s style of music may have defiled everything expected of someone who wants to be taken seriously as a musician but it has surely paid off for the rapper. The recording artist has enjoyed a steady rise on the ladder of musical success and through it, he has come to accumulate a wealth estimated at $8 million.
Meet Lil Yachty’s Mom
The Bubblegum trap rapper clearly adores his family, especially his mom. Yatchy featured her on the music video of his song “Keep Sailing”. Not long past, he bought his mother a house which he shared with his fans on Instagram. He also posted a text he sent his mother, thanking her for everything she has done for him.
Venita McCollum has been very active in the upbringing and career of her son. She illustrated this in her book titled Raising A Rapper. The book has been praised for offering insight into what it takes to live through the difficulties of the entertainment industry as a parent with a kid that’s part of the industry.
According to Venita, she wrote the book because it is not alright for parents to feel like they must have another person manage their kid’s career.
How Supporting Her Son’s Career Has Changed Her Life
Lil Yachty’s mom believes that supporting the rapper in his career has completely changed her life in all ramifications. It has made her more creative as a person and has taught her a lot of things about the entertainment industry and people in general.
Venita used to be part of corporate America as she previously worked a 9 to 5 job while raising her boy. All that has since changed and become a thing of the past as she now works with her son. According to her, things have been more flexible and she has been able to capitalize on her son’s fame to launch her own brand which Lil Yachty fully supports.