In the past few months, Lil Yachty’s managed to piss off a lot of rap fans for his lack of regard for anything regarded as old school rap, as undefined as the term may be. He’s called old rappers washed up, claimed he couldn’t name songs from either Biggie or Tupac and a handful of other remarks that turned into perceived slights by other artists, media and different groups of fans.
And his dad wants everyone to know they’re wrong about his son.
In a sitdown with Hip-Hop Wired’s Maurice Garland, Shannon McCollum explained that Yachty’s musical roots ran much deeper than what’s been portrayed in the media and even by Yachty himself.
McCollum, a photographer and videographer in his own right, points out that the 19-year-old wasn’t even out of diapers by the time Biggie and Tupac died. In fact, neither artist’s music was a musical mainstay in their home. “By the time he got to be five or six, I really was playing Miles Davis, because I was so into Miles Davis, and that’s where his name comes from.”
He goes on to cite a diverse number of acts that dominated the stereo at home: Bilal, Outkast, A Tribe Called Quest, Kanye, Steely Dan, The Beatles and Coldplay. The latter group was one that little Lil Yacthy took a strong liking to. “I played Coldplay so much to where it got embedded in his head. He knew every word to every song.”
Lil Boat’s pops also makes mention of the fact DJ Jamad’s legendary Afromentals series were more of what was on constant rotation around the Yachty household. Anyone who’s familiar with the eclectic nature of those mixes can probably see why the boom-bap standards weren’t the requisite for Yachty.
For any “old heads” wondering, dad had one very explicit message regarding the melodic music his son makes. “You know what I would say to the older cats — because I’m an older cat,” he said. “I would say it’s not for you! He calls himself the ‘King of the Teens,’ not the ‘King of the Old Heads.’ It’s for your kids, let your kids rock with it.”
McCollum has a point. As much as we all would love for our children to inherit our superb taste in music, they’re going to have their takes and influences from their peer group that outweighs what their parents want. That’s true in almost every aspect of being a teen where rebelling against grown folks wishes is the most fun you can have.
Yachty’s father seems like a pretty informed guy and probably a cool ass dad to have, all things considered. Hopefully, there are behind closed doors listening sessions where he is bringing Yatchy up to speed on certain golden era acts or at least he’s advising him how to be respectful in the media towards those who paved the way for him to make his form of music today. Most “old heads” know young kids aren’t listening to De La Soul Is Dead. However, that doesn’t give new artists the liberty to disregard their rap forefathers.
