Lil Yatchy on music, inclusion, trust issues

New York

If it weren't for Grammy-winning rapper Young Thug, Lil Yachty's latest album might be filled with slow, melodic love songs, the opposite of what fans received last month.

"I played it for Young Thug. He was like, 'Nah. Nahhhhh,'" Yachty said with a laugh. "He was like, 'You need to make it more up-tempo, bro. You need more hits, more energy.' And I was like, 'OK, Young Thug.' So I went back again and started over."

But that wasn't the first time the 22-year-old scrapped an entire version of "Lil Boat 3" and started from scratch. The final version, which was crafted out of 200 songs he recorded, experienced several starts and stops.

"I just kept getting re-inspired. Like one time, it was this alternative album that was just trippy and all over the place," said Yachty, now free of his signature red-dyed braids he says severely damaged his hair. "I was like, 'Nah, it's been too long since I dropped. I can't come back like this ... It's gotta be turnt.'"

The final incarnation of "Lil Boat 3" is a 19-track project filled with familiar ATL-vibed sing-song melodies and energetic trap beats, assisted by other hip-hop heavyweight guests like Drake, Future, DaBaby, A$AP Rocky, Tyler, the Creator and Young Thug.

In an interview with The Associated Press before Yachty totaled his red Ferrari in Atlanta after spinning out of control, the rapper talked about his album, experiencing fame at a young age and inclusivity.

AP: Were you able to learn anything from Drake while working together?

Yachty: I just learned that there is a lot richer you can be. I thought I was rich. That guy — wooooo! (He) makes me feel poor. That's a big motivation because, like, man, it's so many more levels and so many more steps. And I can never be content and just be comfortable where I am,...