Lil Yachty’s Let’s Start Here., his fifth studio album, has become his first No.1 and did so by claiming Billboard’s Rock Album Charts top spot.
Billboard reports that the alternative psychedelic rock album has secured the coveted spot atop the Top Rock & Alternative Albums, Top Rock Albums, and Top Alternative Albums charts for the week of Feb. 11, 2023.
His latest effort moved 36,000 units in its first week, and the LP’s success echoed the artist’s sentiments to be “taken seriously” as a musician.
“This album is so special and dear to me. I think I created it because I wanted to be taken seriously as an artist. You know? Not just some SoundCloud rapper,” the Mableton, GA-native, expressed during his listening session, according to Yahoo! News. “Not some mumble rapper. Not some guy that just made one hit.
“I wanted to be taken seriously because music is everything to me, and I respect all walks of music. Not just rap and hip-hop but everything. I wanted to make something that showed the world that shows it, just how great music is to me.”
And his album positively impacted a couple of acclaimed musicians in the game, including Questlove.
In a Jan. 28 post to Instagram, the iconic Roots drummer detailed how surprised he was at Lil Boat’s musical transition while praising his new body of work.
“How should I put it? I really really really really love this record and I love when artists pull off a good departure record (departure albums are when musicians pull a COMPLETE creative left turn —-most times as a career sabotage of feeling doomed to not be able to live up to a standard they set,” he captioned his post. “Not being able to make the Thelma & Louise jump. Quitting the job/relationship before you give em a chance to fire you—)—-some famous departure albums backfired (Sgt Peppers wound up making the Beatles even MORE important, further proving you can’t just do tin pan alley showtunes & think THAT is gonna get rid of the screaming fanbase….now the entire world wants a piece of you).
“This aptly titled #LetsStartHere lp might be the most surprising transition of any music career I’ve witnessed in a min, especially under the umbrella of hip hop. I remember @divinestyler_1 has a sophomore release that shocked me & im still processing the 3rd @junglebrothers4life lp some 30 yrs later. But man….whatever you put in your Wheaties bro….keep goin.”