Lil Yachty Claims Hip Hop's In A "Terrible Place," Thinks Artists Play It Too Safe

BY Caroline Fisher
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Lil Yachty The Field Trip Tour - New Orleans, LA
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - OCTOBER 11: Lil Yachty performs during The Field Trip Tour at The Fillmore New Orleans on October 11, 2023 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Kaitlyn Morris/Getty Images)
Lil Yachty says there's "a lot less originality" nowadays than there used to be.

During a recent event, Lil Yachty shared his thoughts on the current state of hip hop, revealing that he thinks it's in a "terrible place." He spoke on a panel at Rolling Stone’s Musicians on Musicians event in Brooklyn this weekend, alongside Tierra Whack and Delisa Shannon. According to him, the genre's at such a low point because artists are afraid to take risks now, resulting in far too much repetition. For this reason, he thinks hip hop as a whole is simply boring these days.

“Hip-hop is in a terrible place," he began. "The state of hip-hop right now is a lot of imitation. It’s a lot of quick, low-quality music being put out. It’s a lot less risk-taking, it’s a lot less originality… People are too safe now. Everyone is so safe. I rather take the risk than take the L.”

Lil Yachty On The Current State Of Hip Hop

This wasn't the only time Lil Yachty discussed the current state of hip hop, however. During a recent episode of his A Safe Place podcast, he asked for J. Cole's take on it. J. Cole had a similar, though slightly less negative, view of the genre nowadays. "My favorite era is what I grew up on," he explained. "I can't put nothing past how I feel and how I felt outside of my own... you know what I mean?"

"I try to push myself to that, but bro, I'm grown, I was listening to that when I was a kid," he continued. "Now it's new kids that got their new favorites. I wouldn't feel comfortable being like, 'Hell yeah, that s**t was in a better space!' Because I don't feel negatively about this space. I feel like this space is clearing the way for the next space, and the next space." What do you think of Lil Yachty's take on the current state of hip hop? Do you agree with him or not? Share your thoughts in the comments section down below, and keep an eye on HNHH for more updates.

About The Author
Caroline Fisher is currently a News Editor at HotNewHipHop. Her time at HotNewHipHop began in 2023 when she began writing about music and pop culture full-time. Since then, she has helped cover major stories including the YSL RICO trial, Drake and Kendrick Lamar’s explosive feud, Diddy’s ongoing legal battle, and awards shows such as the BET Awards. Being from Chicago, she also got the opportunity to attend Summer Smash 2024 and review Chief Keef’s historic homecoming show. She additionally covered sets by Flo Milli, Playboi Carti, Bktherula, and more.

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