Music [Album of the Week #2] Teenage Emotions - Lil Yachty

Before you read the review, I'd like to give a *disclaimer* that this album is heavily NSFW, and some of the lyrics I will be mentioning in this review are as well. So, if you're not comfortable with that sort of content, I'd advise against reading this.

Background

Teenage Emotions is Yachty's first studio album, and 3rd project overall, following Lil Boat and Summer Songs 2. At 18 years old, Yachty blew up in early 2016 after his song One Night and his verse on D.R.A.M.'s song, Broccoli, started gaining traction online. His first tape, Lil Boat, was met with positive reception, and became one of rap's newest icons, with a unique hairstyle and music style. He describes his music style as "Bubblegum Trap", as many of his beats sample works like the Rugrats, Super Mario, and even the GameCube start up. Rolling Stone described his music as "catchy, intentionally dinky-sounding tunes packed with off-color boasts delivered in a proudly amateurish singsong."

Likes

Before I talk about the music, I?d like to appreciate the cover. The whole concept of diversity and finding a common ground is what I took from it, and I think it?s a dope piece of artwork. Anyways, onto the album. This definitely is a summer album, as Yachty comes through with multiple pop anthems and overall nice music for a beach picnic. It?s a really themed project, and listening to it is supposed to bring you back to your teenage years.

Dislikes

From what we have seen of Yachty in the past, he?s capable of making a fun pop-rap record. Tracks like Minnesota, Wanna Be Us, and One Night still are often played from me from his first mixtape. The simplicity yet neo-childish beats set him apart as a unique artist, yet it seems as he?s lost what made him himself on this new album. Most of the tracks seem to be Yachty trying to experiment with new styles, a few of which work, but the majority simply do not. For the example, he tries to create 80s ballads on tracks like Lady In Yellow, yet also features Atlanta trap. Not that I expected any Shakespearian dialogue from Yachty, but this album is not lyrically profound in the slightest. Not one line I heard made me really think or caught my attention, besides from the atrociously incorrect wordplay such as ?she blow me like a cello?. Almost none of the tracks were even memorable, as well. After my first listen, I could only remember about 3 tracks out of 21. Speaking of the 21 tracks, this album is extremely long, and truth be told, Yachty doesn?t hold much variety. It seems like the same track?s been playing over and over again, just with different lyrics. A lot of the production isn't even the same style, which could be a good thing, but he tried to take a more acoustic approach which really doesn't support his voice at all. I?m a fan of Yachty?s work, but I really don?t think anyone wants to hear over an hour of auto-tuned crooning.

Favorite tracks

The one track I really enjoyed from this is All Around Me, which features YG and Kamaiyah. From the production to the features, this is just a fun, upbeat track which I adore. This gave the listener a glimpse of the Yachty we?ve seen in the past. It?s energetic, it?s dynamic, and it?s just a summer party anthem. In my opinion, Kamiayah?s verse really shines through, as does YG?s. This song is certainly going on my summer playlist this year. There?s not really much else I can say about it, it?s just a fun song, and that?s what Yachty is best at creating.

Least favorite tracks

Honestly, I didn?t really like the remainder of the tracks on this album, but the song Priorities really stood out to me as a disaster of a track. Priorities is a ?I?m a cheater and I ain?t shit? song in its prime, which can be a good thing in some circumstances. For example, It Wasn?t Me by Shaggy is still a classic, and it covered the same material. However, this just takes the concept, and runs it into a wall. Every single line on this song is just awful. Especially ?'Cause she get wet and she suck me like a insect / She my step sister, so I guess that's incest / I could not stop lookin' at those big breasts?. I don?t really think I have to talk more about this song, as that simply says enough about this project as a whole.


Thanks for reading! Feel free to leave any thoughts of your own below, this is an open discussion!​