Lil Yachty

Miles Parks McCollum, born August 23, 1997, and known professionally as Lil Yachty, is an American rapper, singer-songwriter, record producer, and professional wrestling manager. He first gained recognition in 2015 for his viral song "One Night," the lead single from his debut extended play, Summer Songs. He is also widely recognized for his guest features on the hit 2016 singles "Broccoli" by DRAM and "iSpy" by Kyle, as well as his former cherry-red hairstyle, lighthearted musical tone, and optimistic public image.

McCollum was born in Mableton, Georgia. He attended Alabama State University in late 2015 before dropping out to pursue a full-time music career. Adopting the stage name Yachty, he relocated from Atlanta to New York City, where he lived with a friend, worked at McDonald's, and networked with online street fashion personalities while building an audience on Instagram. In February 2016, he debuted as a model in Kanye West's Yeezy Season 3 fashion line.

In March 2016, Yachty released his debut mixtape, Lil Boat. That June, he signed a joint venture record deal with Quality Control Music, Capitol Records, and Motown Records, and appeared in XXL magazine as part of its 2016 Freshman Class. His debut studio album, Teenage Emotions, arrived in May 2017 and peaked at number five on the Billboard 200 chart. During this period, Yachty also appeared in high-profile promotional campaigns for brands including Sprite, Nautica, Urban Outfitters, and Target.

Yachty released two studio albums in 2018: Lil Boat 2, which debuted at number two on the Billboard 200, and Nuthin' 2 Prove, which reached number 12. In 2020, he released his fourth album, Lil Boat 3, supported by the lead single "Oprah's Bank Account." He followed with the Detroit-influenced mixtape Michigan Boy Boat in 2021 and scored another viral hit with the standalone single "Poland" in October 2022.

Yachty originally described his style as "bubblegum trap," incorporating melodic hooks and sound samples from video games and cartoons. In January 2023, he pivoted away from hip hop with his fifth studio album, Let's Start Here, an experimental psychedelic rock project that received widespread critical acclaim. He continued exploring the genre on his 2024 collaborative album with English artist James Blake, Bad Cameo.

In addition to his music career, Yachty joined the e-sports organization FaZe Clan in 2018 under the alias FaZe Boat. In 2026, he began making regular appearances for WWE as an on-screen manager for wrestler Trick Williams on Friday Night SmackDown, later announcing a match against Baron Corbin. His career has also included legal matters, such as a March 2023 settlement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission regarding cryptocurrency promotional disclosures.

In his personal life, McCollum publicly supported Bernie Sanders during the 2016 U.S. presidential election. In October 2021, he welcomed a daughter named Varsity with designer Selangie Henriquez.