Yeat
Noah Olivier Smith[1] (born February 26, 2000),[2] known professionally as Yeat (occasionally stylized as YEAT /ˈjiːt/ YEET),[3] is an American rapper, singer-songwriter, and record producer. He is known for his experimental sound, unique lingo, and unconventional fashion sense featuring a mix of designer brands and balaclavas.[4][5]
Yeat
Noah Olivier Smith
- Luh Geeky
- Kranky Kranky
- King Tonka
February 26, 2000
Irvine, California, U.S.
Portland, Oregon, U.S.
- Rapper
- singer
- songwriter
- record producer
2015–present
Yeat rose to prominence in mid-2021 following the release of his mixtape 4L and debut studio album Up 2 Me, with the tracks "Money So Big" and "Get Busy" from the latter gaining considerable popularity on TikTok. In 2022, he released his second studio album, 2 Alive, and the EP Lyfe, with both projects debuting in the top ten on the Billboard 200. In 2023, he released his third studio album, Afterlyfe, which debuted at number four on the Billboard 200, and was featured on Drake's song "IDGAF"; the track debuted at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 and at number one on the Global 200.
Early life
Noah Olivier Smith was born on February 26, 2000, in Irvine, California to a Romanian mother and an American father of British and Mexican descent. His paternal grandmother is Mexican and from the city of Tijuana while his grandfather is British-American.[6] Yeat has two younger brothers. Yeat spent his early childhood in Fullerton, California before he and his family moved to Portland, Oregon,[7] where he attended Lakeridge High School in the suburban town of Lake Oswego.[8] After finishing high school, Yeat briefly moved to New York City before returning to the Greater Los Angeles area in pursuit of a music career.[7]
Career
2015–2021: Career beginnings
Yeat began his career in 2015, originally making music under the name Lil Yeat, but these releases have since been deleted from the Internet.[9] On June 30, 2018, Yeat made his first public appearance under his current moniker, premiering a track called "Brink" on Elevator, a YouTube channel.[10] Yeat has stated that he created the name Yeat while high and trying to come up with one word that sounds familiar to people.[9][7] His stage name has also been described as a combination of "yeet" and "heat".[3] Yeat has mentioned how his use of LSD was able to help him pursue his music career.[9] He released his first mixtape, Deep Blue Strips on September 20, 2018.[11] On February 21, 2019, he premiered the music video for his track "Stay Up" on Elevator.[12]
Musical style
From the start of his career, Yeat has utilized Auto-Tune-infused vocals.[42] In 2021, he adopted a more aggressive and synth-based sound, joining a growing group of rappers that used "rage beats", a sound that became a SoundCloud staple influenced by the lively vocal deliveries and EDM-influenced beat selections of artists such as Playboi Carti, specifically on Whole Lotta Red (2020).[16] His vocal style has drawn comparisons to Playboi Carti, Future, and Young Thug.[16] Yeat has stated the latter two are some of his biggest inspirations. He also cited American rapper T-Pain as one of his biggest influences growing up, calling him "The GOAT of Auto-Tune".[7] Yeat's signature vocal preset is based on a vocal chain given to him by frequent collaborator and fellow musician Weiland.[9]
On 2093, Yeat uses a more futuristic and experimental sound, using elements of Rage-Rap and Electro in his songs.
Yeat has also been noted to employ a unique lingo in his music, coming up with ad-libs and phrases such as "twizzy", "krank", and "luh geeky", and often referring to luxury SUVs as "Tonka trucks" or "Tonkas" in his lyrics.[9] His father was one of the inspirations for him creating these unique words, as he himself would make up his own words when Yeat was a child.[9]
Certain aspects of Yeat's music have led him to be associated with various Internet memes and trends, especially the frequent use of bell sounds in his music; an example being one of his breakout songs, "Get Busy", in which he raps "This song already was turnt but here's a bell" followed by the ringing of bells throughout the rest of the track.[30][43][44][45]
