Hawaii’s most prolific rapper OTUYYUTO is back with a 12-piece statement project, Y Life, which encapsulates his current state of mind.
Beginning with the album-opening title track, OTUYYUTO wastes no time in getting his message — and present sound — across to the listener; by the time the second track, “Cannabis,” comes on, the message is clear: This is a rapper firing on all cylinders.
“Extra Comfort” finds the 808’s finest MC, well, comfortable in his bag, discussing the luxury chairs he finds himself in nowadays while throwing in bars pertaining to his diverse heritage and upbringing: (“I go to [Seoul, South Korea neighborhood] Hongdae just for some Evisu jeans / I feel like FlightReacts, I’m so fresh, so clean”)
The album’s only credited feature, Devan Fujinaka, comes on “Rudy Gobert,” where the duo go back and forth on how they can and will mess up anyone that tries to get in their way. A standout track on Y Life is the spacey “Out of Line,” where OTUYYUTO trades his choppy flows for a more syrupy, ethereal sound reminiscent of Don Toliver. The vibe gets changed completely on the following track “Fendi,” where he opens up about the loss of a loved one, proving that he isn’t all rough and tumble all the time.
The project gets summed up quite brilliantly on the closing track “Haneda,” where OTUYYUTO leans into his Japanese heritage — even rapping in Japanese — and croons about going back to a place that will forever remain special to him.
Overall, Y Life is a snapshot into a young, hungry and unique creator’s mindset. OTUYYUTO has been on fire in 2024, releasing several singles and an EP, and if this is how he’s ushering in the second half of the year, we are in for a real treat.
You can stream Y Life by clicking here. The music video for the project’s title track can be viewed here.
Learn more about OTUYYUTO by following him on Instagram.