Lil Yachty’s looking to continue a damn near flawless run with an unexpected J. Cole collaboration filled with live instrumentation and introspective bars.
The new Yachty/AMD Visuals co-directed video for “The Secret Recipe” sees the Let’s Start Here creator lock in comfortably with the 16-time Grammy-nominated Cole, who we last heard in August alongside Gucci Mane on Mike Will Made-It’s “There I Go.” In addition to the exciting deviation that was Yachty’s latest album, the 26-year-old has powered through the year with singles like “Strike (Holster)” and, just a month ago, “Tesla.”
But circling back to that word for a second, "unexpected." Talking to Complex’s Ecleen Luzmila Caraballo this week, Lil Boat—who just embarked on his 39-date Field Trip Tour—reminded fans, “I’m just an artist, and you should never expect anything because I will always do something unexpected. Just don't expect it. … You know, I hate to disappoint, but I'm here to disappoint if you start expecting shit.”
Related Stories
“I Just Care a Lot”: Lil Yachty Opens up About His Tour and Friendship With Drake
Lil Yachty checked in with Complex in an exclusive pre-tour interview.
Lil Yachty Looks Back on ‘Let’s Start Here’ Leak: ‘The Saddest I’ve Ever Been’
Yachty also spoke about leaks in general, noting the negative impact they often have on an artist's rollout plans.
Lil Yachty on Weight Loss and Haircut: 'I Did Not Stop Drinkin Lean For N***as to Bully Me and Tell Me I Look Like I Have Leukemia'
Yachty debuted a new look after he lost some weight and potentially cut his trademark braids.
On "The Secret Recipe," Cole, 38, takes a moment to flex about the attention he brings other artists when he turns in a guest verse, rapping, “I’m on your song, your streams going up/Not quite the Drake Effect, but don’t complain bitch, take what you get and cut the label check.”
A press release fittingly proclaims that the track "embodies hip-hop’s competitive essence as both Yachty and Cole unpack their frustrations with the rap game while addressing the undeniable influence they’ve had on the culture throughout their careers."
While Cole’s been quiet on the album front since May 2021, this year he helped propel Lil Durk’s Almost Healed single “All My Life” to No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. It’s been on the chart for 19 weeks and currently sits at a strong No. 16. Durk wasted no time admitting Cole "smoked my ass on that."
See Lil Yachty and J. Cole connect on “The Secret Recipe”—which is definitely more Let's Start Here than "Poland"—above via YouTube, and catch the song on Spotify and Apple Music soon.
