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On June 5, Complex Magazine posted an exclusive one-on-one interview with Lil Yachty and James Blake, as the duo prepares to drop their collaboration album Bad Cameo, later this year.
The interview aimed to draw out responses from both Yachty (Lil Boat) and Blake hoping to get an insight into the sonic value of their collaboration project. The article revisited their early relationship by referencing the first time Boat had ever texted James but never got a response.
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Playfully laughing off this instance, James would explain why he's been "a fan of Lil Yachty's music for years" shedding light on Boat's 2023 album Let's Start Here. when he said:
"And when I heard his last record [Let's Start Here], I was like, this is really a turn. Not many artists are brave enough to do something that’s kind of opposite of the last thing they did."
Complex explained their upcoming album is an "ambient" record that mixes Yachty's melodies with Blake's soulful and "sharp production skills". They stated that Bad Cameo's production will include some of Boat's deepest lyricism to date, with James stating that Lil Yachty appears extremely vulnerable on the album.
Highlights from Lil Yachty and James Blake's 2024 exclusive interview
The interview had both Yachty and Blake seated in a "beautiful home" in Hollywood Hills, with each of them asking each other questions as well as sharing songs by passing the aux every few minutes.
This environment was seemingly created to simulate a familiar, comfortable surrounding that could prompt "private conversations" and hints about their upcoming album Bad Cameo. Several questions were posed to both artists, with major highlights, from their interview together, listed below:
1) James Blake said his favorite song is Poland
The first question, picked by Lil Yachty, read:
"What is a song you love but everyone hates?"
Blake wasted no time in grabbing his phone to play the chorus for Boat's 2023 single Poland, calling the song pure "avant-garde". Yachty then played Bon Iver's 715 - CR∑∑KS, stating this as his favorite song because there isn't a beat and all the melodies come from Iver's acapella performance.
"I think Bon Iver is one of my favorite songwriters. I can't wait to sit down and have a talk with him, but I think the mesh between the strong filters that he runs his vocals through, it sometimes makes it easy to get lost in translation of the feeling." - Yachty explains his appreciation for Bon Iver's music.
2) James Blake explained his thoughts on "Therapy"
While discussing the first song they ever memorized, James diverted into Yachty's mentality when it comes to making music and even highlighted the themes he delves into on Bad Cameo when he stated:
"On this record you were talking about so many different things. There's pain, there's happiness, there's everything in between. But that vibe is so sunny and it's kind of what your disposition is in your music."
When Yachty asked Blake if everyone should be in therapy, James highlighted the importance of communication and how it helps in resolving a lot of unresolved dynamics between relationships. He explained that therapy is very useful in maintaining a healthy mind but also cited that it should only be a part of the "being happy" ecosystem.
3) Yachty played an unreleased song dedicated to his daughter
While discussing the last song that made them cry, the interview humorously cut to a black screen with the following words written across it:
"SORRY, OUR LAWYERS WON'T LET US PLAY THIS UNRELEASED SONG."
Yachty explained this song is dedicated to his daughter and recounted how writing down his feelings helped him realize deeper thoughts about himself and being a father since channeling his thoughts into words helps clear his head. He explained:
"For me it's like, when you vocalize something, it makes things feel a lot more real."
4) Yachty called 'the BLACK Seminole' the closest song to "Perfect" he's ever made
Lil Yachty dived into Lets Start Here., when trying to explain why he believes he came the closest to perfection with the BLACK Seminole citing how the idea for the song came to him one day when he was alone in his room thinking he could never match up to the music that Roger Waters (Founding member of Pink Floyd) made.
"Obviously by all means, it is nothing like Pink Floyd. I never want anyone to think that’s what I’m saying. But it just made me feel like I made a record that will be played for the rest of time." - Yachty broke down his thought process behind 'the BLACK Seminole'
5) James Blake compared 'Bad Cameo' to Talk Talk's 1988 album 'Spirit of Eden'
While discussing songs they wish they had made, James Blake brought up Talk Talk's 1988 album Spirit of Eden citing The Rainbow as his favorite song. Lil Yachty agreed with James citing he listened to the album while making Let's Start Here.
"It goes from sounding like an acoustic song and then it just kind of shifts. And his voice is the same." - Yachty explains while discussing Talk Talk's 'Spirit of Eden' album.
James then drew comparisons between the sonic value of Bad Cameo and Spirit of Eden by expressing how he believes both projects were intellectually and creatively crafted similarly. He called the 1988 album "completely limitless" and shed light on how freely the band comes off on their fourth studio album.
"I think I'm going to be bold and say this, which I don't know, it might be sacrilegious, but I think our album reminds me of this album in terms of the intention. They went in there and they just made whatever came." - James Blake states while comparing 'Bad Cameo' with 'Spirit of Eden'.
Lil Yachty recently dropped his first label collaboration project titled It's Us Vol. 1, featuring Camo!, Draft Day, DC2trill, and KARRAHBOOO. The album was distributed to all DSPs via Concrete Rekordz and Quality Control Music on April 5, 2024.
