Lil Yachty - Nuthin' 2 Prove

Lil Yachty
Nuthin' 2 Prove
2018
Spotify

There was nothing wrong with Lil Yachty going after the youth culture and trying to harness this "teen" vibe. Teenage Emotions garnered the rapper a lot of hate, but at least He was trying something new. On this new tape Nuthin' 2 Prove Yachty is content with trap mediocrity. There are some decent beats here, and some decent lines, but god it is not compelling at all. Yachty is so desperate for respect that it is the only thing on his mind throughout the whole album. He never switches gears, He never changes style and instead He just goes through the usual motions. His voice is so much more compelling when He sings that it makes you wish He would never rap again. That is the thing with Yachty, He has talent and ability. There is a place in pop music for Lil Yachty's style, but there is no room in Hip Hop and Trap culture for another person trying to flex. "Yacht Club" is really funny, there are lines that are goofy, childish yet cutting at the same time and you realize why Yachty was endearing in the first place. Often when Yachty sings the lyrical content is a bit lighter, but He still relies on some aggressive lines that just don't square with the personality He originally tried to cultivate. He is trying so hard to be a rapper here that he uses too many words and switches his delivery to be far more aggressive. The big name features like Cardi B, Offset, Trippie Redd and Playboy Carti don't do much to shake things up as everything always comes back to Yachty's words on Nuthin' 2 Prove.

It can't be ignored that Lil Yachty made an album called Nuthin' 2 Prove where all he does is try to prove something: that he belongs. It's like the critics were far to in his head, much like Eminem, and he couldn't stop himself from responding. The key is to just do your music, and make it reflect the art you want to create. Songs like "Worth It" and "Next Up" could populate a solid Lil Yachty album but they become outliers on this one. I think that is what is so frustrating about Lil Yachty, He found a lane and it worked but that wasn't enough for him. He needed some kind of old school hip hop validation that A. doesn't matter and B. He doesn't deserve. No one would claim Lil Yachty is the best lyricist of all time, and why should they? His music wasn't about dropping bars, it was about creating a vibe. He remembers that at times, but too much on this album He forgets it. Lil Yachty's career was never going to be the stereotypical rap superstar experience and the sooner He realizes that the sooner He can start making something that represents him.

5.9 out of 10