Photo courtesy of Lil Yachty on IG / @wtfckjay
Perhaps the most undeserving of a content breach, Lil Yachty’s album SONIC RANCH leaked online in its entirety on Christmas Day.
The Atlanta native, whose entrance as a SoundCloud-era pioneer paved his path as a generational influencer, took to Twitter to display the dismay he had with the situation in a now-deleted post. Fans initially pointed out the 13-song leak on Sunday (Dec. 25), as tracks such as “The Ride,” “Running Out of Time,” “Blind,” “Say Something” and others highlighted the record.
SONIC RANCH was reportedly dropping alongside Yachty’s upcoming Concrete Boyz tape in 2023, with the former coming as soon as next month. He teased a new LP in an interview with Complex in September, saying “My album is done. It’s mastered and done. When you’ll get it, I don’t f*cking know. My date has been pushed back like five times.” Fans have come to Boat’s support in troves, imploring other users to NOT listen to the album before its official release.
The rapper’s 2022 was defined by viral moments. His contributions on Drake and 21 Savage’s Her Loss ranged from production credits, ad-libs on “BackoutsideBoyz” and even choosing the album’s cover art of Qui Yasuka (aka Suki Baby). “I chose this cover because this photo is so raw. So authentic. Not fabricated. Suki can and will only be Suki,” he revealed on Instagram.
Boat also expertly maneuvered the leak of “Poland” earlier this year — dropping the track just hours after it surfaced online in October. “Ima just drop dat joint den f**k it,” he wrote in a now-deleted tweet, as fans hope that Yachty takes a similar approach to SONIC RANCH’s impending release. Additionally, Yachty and producer F1LTHY have been teasing a collaborative mixtape since the end of 2021, which could drop in 2023 stemming from the timing of SONIC RANCH’s leak.
Prior to “Poland,” Boat’s been without an official drop since the Cole Bennett-assisted “YAE ENERGY” and his mixtape Michigan Boy Boat in 2021. Detroit rapper Veeze spoke on Yachty’s impact on the city and its artists for creating a project that took the popularity of Detroit’s sound to new heights.
As he and his camp regroup, know that no one deserves to have their work put out prematurely — especially Yachty.
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