Yung Lean is one of hip-hop's more enigmatic and endearing personalities. His story is a fascinating one, plagued with dark times and personal triumph; at one point, Lean spent time in a mental hospital, where he seemed to be suffering from delusions. Luckily, the young Swedish rapper managed to emerge all the stronger, and last year's Stranger was his most compelling project yet. Now, he seems to be in a great place both creatively and mentally. Coming off an extensive North American tour, Leandoer sat down with Pitchfork for an installment of their "Over/Under" series. Granted, Lean didn't really end up rating anything, but he did provide plenty of hilarious anecdotes and commentary.
When asked about Elon Musk, Lean reflects on his time in the mental hospital. "I have a weird relationship with Elon Musk," reveals Lean. "When I was in the mental hosptial I bought his book... I thought I read the full book, but you know, I was insane. Basically, I read the first two pages sixty times, so I knew exactly what sort of octopus he ordered, how he ate it, why he loves his Tesla so much."
He also shares an anecdote about meeting Charlie Sheen outside a photoshoot, where Lean asked the actor for a cigarette. After Sheen hooked him up, Lean breaks into a hilarious impression. "He's like 'oh, so you wanna boost a little work?'" says Lean. "He brings out this little bottle...kinda like some small leprechaun, and I was like...'I don't want to boost right now, I just woke up...Then I was like 'fuck, I just disappointed Charlie Sheen. This is not good."
He did, however, attempt to salvage the situation. "I was like 'wait Charlie, you and me, we should go on a bender soon.' He was like 'yeah, that's my boy! That's my boy!" For more wisdom from Leandoer, be sure to check out the full video below
