Lil Yachty remains one of the biggest artists in hip-hop right now. However, he has caught quite a bit of flack over the years thanks to his comments about the genre. He hasn’t always been extremely complimentary of the culture as a whole. Moreover, he has even claimed that doing a psych rock album made him feel like a true artist, implying that being in rap doesn’t make you an “artist.” These criticisms have been at the forefront of people’s minds, and Yachty has been scrutinized greatly for it.
That scrutiny continued this weekend as Yachty was performing at Summer Smash in Chicago. Overall, this was a massive festival especially with Chief Keef returning to the city after 10 years. During Yachty’s set, he fished for a viral moment as he brought out the controversial rapper Ian. Subsequently, Ian did Yachty’s now infamous stage entrance which got a huge cheer from the crowd but an eye-roll from Twitter. Ian is known for ripping off the sounds of Gucci Mane and others, which has led to Culture Vulture discourse. As you can imagine, that discourse was prevalent over the weekend as Ian made his Summer Smash debut.
Lil Yachty x Ian
In the tweets below, many noted that Yachty shouldn’t be co-signing someone like Ian. Moreover, others felt like this was a horrible display for hip-hop and sets a bad example for the future. There were plenty of others trying to keep it light by simply saying that Ian has “no aura.” If anything is for certain here, it is that Ian is a controversial figure who will never receive universal acclaim. Instead, he will likely continue to face this criticism for as long as he remains active.
Fans Begin To Weigh In
Let us know what you think about the debate surrounding Ian, in the comments section down below. Do you believe that the young artist is as bad as people say he is? Do you believe that it sets a bad precedent for Yachty to bring him out on stage like this? Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the music world. We will continue to keep you informed on all of your favorite artists and their upcoming projects.
About The Author
Alexander Cole is the current Managing Editor of HotNewHipHop. He started at HotNewHipHop back in 2018 where he began as a Sports and Sneakers writer. During this time, he has shown an expertise in Air Jordans, Yeezys, and all things that have to do with Nike. His favorite kicks are the Air Jordan 1 High OG, the Air Jordan 4, the Air Jordan 6, and the Adidas Yeezy Boost 350 V2 in the “Beluga 2.0” colorway. Although his collection might not be the biggest, he is always looking to add new styles to it.
When it comes to sports, Alex has a particular interest in the NBA and the NFL. His favorite teams are anywhere LeBron goes, and the Kansas City Chiefs. As a Montrealer, the Montreal Canadiens hold a special place in his heart, even if they haven’t won the Stanley Cup in his lifetime.
Alex also works for the Concordia Stingers, where he provides play-by-play and color commentary for the football, hockey, and basketball teams
His favorite hip-hop artists are Kendrick Lamar, Playboi Carti, Travis Scott, and Lil Uzi Vert.
