Cole Bennett wears many hats, but above all, he’s a curator at heart.
Although directing, editing, brand development and business acumen have allowed the Lyrical Lemonade founder to flourish in the music industry, it seems as though much of his prior work has led up to this moment: Crafting the long-awaited Lyrical Lemonade album.
Taking to Instagram in September 2022, Bennett marked the first day of the album’s process with an exciting message. “I’m ready to dedicate a lot of my time and energy to this project,” he wrote. “[It’s] going to be an otherwordly experience… I’ll be treating this album like a movie. Day-by-day. Step-by-step.” He initially teased that the project would bring “worlds and collaborations together you’d never expect” back in February.
In March, Bennett sat down with OGM host Hakeem Rowe to discuss the conception of LL’s forthcoming compilation tape, saying that “expansion” has become a main focus for him and the brand lately. “I want Lyrical Lemonade to have many different meanings, for many different people, for different reasons,” he said, also acknowledging his unwillingness to flesh out the LP earlier in his career. Now that he feels he’s “matured,” he’s gained the confidence to give the culture what it needs when the time is right.
Obviously the Lyrical Lemonade album has always been in discussion. It would be a compilation album with a lot of the artists that we work with, just creating different vibes and bring different worlds together… I was so DIY and anti-industry, I never wanted to do it because the timing was wrong. I hated labels for a long time. It rubbed me the wrong way. I just knew the time wasn’t right… I’m big on timing with everything. If I feel even the tiniest gut feeling in the opposite direction, I follow it.”
Cole Bennett to OGM
Bennett may have just teased the first track off the album with a snippet of Lil Yachty’s highly-anticipated track “Holster (Poland Pt. 2)” on Thursday (March 23). This would be the pair’s third Lyrical Lemonade visual together with Yachty as the leading artist, however, it’s unconfirmed whether the track will be a loose Yachty single or will wind up on Bennett’s LL compilation.
The 25-year-old singer-rapper’s January album Let’s Start Here asserted his arrival and undoubted evolution as a genreless creative — wowing longtime fans and critics with a left-field, psych-rock inspired LP. He also posted up with BabyTron and viral Jewish emcee BLP Kosher in another photo.
Bennett’s 2022 was nothing short of extraordinary — launching his innovative Shot on iPhone music video series, collaborating with Yeat and The Minions, celebrating the brand’s 9-year celebration next month and looking forward to his fifth Summer Smash festival July at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, Illinois.
A full musical endeavor orchestrated by one of our generation’s most influential minds is certainly something worth waiting for. Drawing from the many collaborations Cole has collected over the years — with stars like Lil Uzi Vert, Lil Yachty, Yeat, Trippie Redd, Ski Mask The Slump God, LUCKI and more — the Chicago-based creative is essentially looking to put a Summer Smash lineup in the palm of your hand.
Perhaps the LL album drops as his festival looms closer? Wistful thinking of course, but it would be legendary.
This story will be updated.
Check out Cole’s interview below!
