This year’s Young Hollywood creators are focused on the people at the front of the culture, pushing us to think, laugh, dance, and cry. It takes extraordinary talent to shine through a year of pandemic, protests, and a presidential election. But these rising stars did just that. Meet the Class of 2021.
Lil Yachty isn’t exactly new to fame. Since earning the coveted spot on XXL’s Freshman Class in 2016, the talent has collaborated with Chance the Rapper, the Migos, and Diplo (to name a few) — in addition to putting out four studio albums. Yet he’s still young – not old enough to legally rent a car on his own. But he’s got the air of an old soul, a person for whom fame and money hasn’t changed so much as chiseled into something finer, more observant, more disciplined.
The Atlanta-native, born Miles Parks McCollum, decided to leave college at Alabama State University to pursue his music career. Shortly after, he shot to fame thanks to his 2016 mixtape Lil’ Boat. Since then, he’s made his presence known in the rap game with a slew of successful projects, all of which showcase vast musical influences that range from Soulja Boy to Daft Punk.
It’s been a whirlwind ride since 2016. With touring a no-go due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Yachty’s had a chance to catch his breath and reflect. It’s not a complete standstill, though. He’s always working. He’s branching out into TV (stay tuned for an upcoming show) and cryptocurrency, teaming up with Swiss-based startup Fyooz to launch his own “YachtyCoin” that fans can invest in. And if you haven't heard one of his viral TikTok songs—where have you been?
Teen Vogue: How has social media helped you create your own path?
Lil Yachty: I mean whatever you put out is who you're perceived as. It's really easy to create a narrative. You can use social media in any way possible to build an image or break an image. I've learned how to successfully bend the narrative of any situation possible that I'm involved in because I know how to work the internet.
TV: If feels like your generation has so much more control over your brand and who you are than artists from previous generations.
Yachty: Yeah. Maybe just to be free. That's the biggest message that I feel like the older generation still has not accepted. To be free, to be yourself, be open, be honest, accepted too. Just be you. That's still not a thing, like it's still not and not accepted all the way.
TV: You're into cryptocurrency, how'd you get into that?
Yachty: I was just talking about it two seconds before we got on the phone. I've known of cryptocurrency for maybe five, six years, since like 2015. Just doing stuff on the dark web. I had already experienced Bitcoin in high school. So I had always known, like I'm not new to the cryptocurrency at all. Like I've been on the wave for quite some time.
TV: What’s working as an actor that has been like?
Yachty: Trying to, trying to. Trying to. It's a slower process. It takes time. I'm working on my TV show, Public Figures, HBO Max. And it just takes time. Everything's very slow. And then corona’ doesn't speed anything up, any faster.
TV: What can you tell me about the show before it hits?
Yachty: It's about me. That's about it. I wish I could tell you more, but I can't. [laughs]
TV: What do you think the hardest thing about being famous is for you?
Yachty: So many people create opinions when you're a celebrity on everything you do, whether you change your hair color, whether you wear a bright, a different color shirt, or you decide to try something new. People have an opinion on everything you do. If your family does something, someone does, whatever happens, everything is under a microscope. You can't fuck up peacefully. You can't make any mistakes in peace. Everything you get ridiculed for. The hardest thing is learning to adjust and learn how to move more precisely which takes fucking up. You have to fuck up to learn. And that's the only way you learn actually is by messing up and fucking up.
TV: What does your support system look like? Like I know your mom is really involved. She manages you.
Yachty: Yeah, but she doesn't understand. I mean it's not that big, I got my best friend, and I have my manager, and that's about it. It's just difficult. I don't have many celebrity friends, so certain things on certain scales of levels, they're just hard to explain, especially not to come off without sounding like, I don't know, sounding like a certain way.
TV: What’s something you learned about yourself in 2020 that kind of surprised you?
Yachty: I just matured a lot. I learned how to live alone. And I just matured a lot. I learned a lot about my growth. I just grew all of a sudden. I have been moving so much. I've been on the road constantly for four years. Then I had this type of real halt. First time stopping, like really stopping. I had time to finally take everything in and really understand the things, the success I had, the things I've done, where I've been, where I came from, who I am, where I'm going, I just had the time to finally take all that stuff in. There wasn’t a specific moment. I was like, wow, now I really made it, but not on a full level. Everything happened too fast to ever take it in. I was constantly moving every day for years to where you could just sit and really... You just adjust. You quickly adjust.
TV: What advice would you give to folks coming up?
Yachty: I think you need to realize talent. I'm not saying be the cockiest person in the world, but you should definitely realize talent. If you have it first, that's really important. It's hard to come to a game being shy. And you need to realize, it's tougher said than done, but you should realize, if you don't have that talent, you maybe shouldn't be doing it, especially if it's not your passion, you're just doing it because you think it's a quick way for money, or you know somebody who made it, or you've seen somebody else do it.
People really think money solves everything, and you'll never understand this if you don't ever get it. You can never understand a rich man's problems, and the man who's been rich all his life could never, probably would never even try and understand a poor man's problems. It is what it is. That's just life.
I remember before I was famous, like motivational speakers would come to my school or someone talking to tell us how to follow your dreams. It just sounds so cliché. I hate saying it, but it's true. But that's why I hate saying it, because I hated hearing it. But it's true though.
Check out more from our Young Hollywood Class of 2021: Meet Teen Vogue’s Young Hollywood Class of 2021
CREDITS:
Photographer Grace Rivera
Culture & Entertainment Director Danielle Kwateng
Art Director Emily Zirimis
Stylist Michelle Li
Grooming: Courtney Housner at Exclusive Artists
3D Artist & Motion Designer Berenice Golmann
Motion Designer Natasha Smith
Designer Liz Coulbourn
Retouching Jinx Studios
Video Animator Melanie Duran
Visual Editor Louisiana Gelpi
Fashion Director Tahirah Hairston