| Let's Start Here | ||||
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| Released | January 27, 2023 | |||
| Recorded | 2021–2022 | |||
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| Length | 57:16 | |||
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Let's Start Here is the fifth studio album by the American rapper Lil Yachty, released on January 27, 2023, through Motown and Quality Control Music. The album was recorded over the course of six months between 2021 and 2022, with sessions primarily taking place at the CRC in Brooklyn. The album is primarily psychedelic rock, psychedelic soul, and funk, a departure from Lil Yachty's signature "bubble-gum trap"[1] sound. Drawing inspiration from a variety of musicians—the most notable being Pink Floyd and their 1973 album The Dark Side of the Moon—Lil Yachty sought to create an album that would make people take him seriously as an artist. Lyrically, the album explores themes of lust, ecstasy, overdose, and love. Its production was primarily handled by Patrick Wimberly with contributions from Jake Portrait, SadPony, Justin Raisen, Magdalena Bay, Jam City, Teo Halm, and Lil Yachty himself.
Let's Start Here was preceded by the non-album single "Poland" in October 2022, which received positive reviews from critics. In December 2022, a low quality version of the album was leaked on the Internet under the official name Sonic Ranch; weeks later, his record label accidentally sent the album's preorders early to Amazon, aborting Lil Yachty's plans to use various videos to introduce and contextualize the album. Following its release, Lil Yatchy released a music video for "Say Something", embarked on the Field Trip Tour across North America and Europe, and performed at Rolling Loud and on Saturday Night Live.
Let's Start Here debuted at number nine on the US Billboard 200 and at number one on three different Billboard charts, earning 36,000 album-equivalent units in its first week. The use of an AI-generated photograph for the album's artwork was controversial and was criticized by some fans. The album received generally positive reviews from music critics with some praising Lil Yachty's take on the psychedelic rock genre, while others believed it was repetitive and not experimental. It received praise from numerous high-profile musicians following its release. Several publications included it in their year-end lists.