Yeat, the rage-rap sensation, has quickly immortalized a specific post-Playboi Carti sound through repetitive lyricism and otherworldly production.
During his performance at The Armory in downtown Minneapolis on April 15, Yeat sent the crowd into a frenzy with sinister beats and morphed vocals that maintained his mysterious persona.
Hailing from Portland, Oregon, Yeat rose to fame in 2021 through viral YouTube videos.
Subsequently, after the release of “2 Alive” in February 2022 and then more recently “AftërLyfe” in February of this year, Yeat successfully garnered a loyal following.
Julian Green, a University of Minnesota alum and the content director at MPR’s Black-music subsidiary Carbon Sound FM, said Yeat’s admirably weird persona contributes to his success.
“People are going to make fun of you. But there are always going to be some people who see themselves in that and really latch on to that and become a fan. Then you have that cult fan base, like Yeat does, because his fans can form that parasocial relationship with him,” Green said.
During the show, the crowd moshed with such intensity that the show stopped multiple times for the safety of the audience. When hit songs like “Poppin” rang out over the speakers, water bottles, shoes and sweatshirts were tossed into the air by fans.
Fans relished the spirited and sweaty crowd atmosphere to the fullest and many wore fuzzy balaclavas, matching the artist’s style. Dante Jones, a Yeat fan, did not jump into the mosh pits during the show but said he enjoys how much energy Yeat’s music offers.
“Yeat’s music is something to give me energy. It doesn’t matter the moment, my spirits are lifted,” Jones said.
Although Yeat barely talked to the audience between songs, the connection his fans felt to the artist undeniably contributed to the experience.
Dorborwulu Cooper, a University alum and hip hop artist, said they liked Yeat’s beats and instrumentation while at the show Saturday.
“It makes me feel geeked,” Cooper said.
Before the show even started the venue had to turn all the lights on and tell fans to back up for the safety of those on the front barricade. The crowd complied but not without a deafening chorus of “We want Yeat” chants echoing throughout The Armory.
