GRAMMY CHEW:
THE YEAT BEAT

One of 2022’s breakthrough acts, Geffen/Field Trip’s Yeat is among the few new hip-hop stars to generate both major buzz and chart heat. The Pacific Northwest-raised, L.A.-based artist’s newfound success and unique sound should put him in contention for Best New Artist as well as the Rap categories. His use of synths and distortion align his sound most closely with those of Playboi Carti and Travis Scott, while his melodic flows recall Lil Uzi Vert.

Fans responded warmly to the rapper’s 2 Alivë album and headlining U.S. tour, which saw a shutdown of the Sunset Strip when an overflow Roxy crowd spilled onto the street. Yeat’s major-label debut—his first project to chart—enjoyed a Top 10 bow in February. With a deluxe addition and a new EP released last month, he now ranks in the Top 50 of 2022’s most-streamed artists.

On top of Yeat’s progressive beats, he raps in his own lingo, concocting words and phrases to complement his futuristic sound. Rappers who've successfully employed similar tactics include Future and Young Thug, Yeat’s major influences. Yeat also went viral this year with “Rich Minions,” from the Minions: Rise of Gru soundtrack, which paired him, cannily, with the animated franchise’s gibberish-spouting characters.

If Grammy seeks to honor a breakthrough that occurred during the eligibility period, Yeat should surely be in the mix.