"They hate on me but they hated jesus," read's Lil Yachty's Twitter bio. Ha. The Atlanta rapper's debut mixtape, Lil Boat, was one of the most polarizing releases in recent memory, and shame on you if you were one of the hip-hop-police types pointing fingers at the Sailing Team captain's new, young, and colossal wave. Look, Mt. Rushmore of rap (we see you, Kendrick) never was and never will be Yachty's lane, and his debut studio album Teenage Emotions, makes that point clear (minus tracks like "DN Freestyle" and "X Men" where he actually goes in w/ bars). Fun, positive, and full of lighthearted takes on what kids these days concern themselves with, Lil Boat picks the right beats (variety of producers contribute music, including Diplo, WondaGurl, Lex Luger, Ricky Racks, & more) and laces them with his auto-tuned, radio-friendly sing-rap. It's a vibe, and this is what pop music in 2017 sounds like. Songs to check out: "Peek A Boo," "Forever Young," "Harley," and "Say My Name."

• pink vinyl pressing
• music label: Quality Control Music 2017

reviewed by nakaveli 08/2017