YT – ‘Oi!’ review: underground rap star makes his biggest bid for mainstream success yet

2 April, 2025

YT Oi!

As one-third of UK trap’s holy trinity, alongside Fimiguerrerro and Len, YT represents the unadulterated rebellion taking over London’s musical underbelly with unruly, genre-blurring innovation. In the last year, the Essex rapper has started to really gain recognition for his part in this, going from UK underground mainstay to the next big thing threatening to break into the mainstream. With his fifth mixtape ‘Oi!’, the 23-year-old boosts his sound and proves he has what it takes to get there.

Over his releases so far, his love for bass-heavy, nostalgia-drenched production has cast a spell over fans, transporting them back to the late 2000s, an era that was all about being a jerk and obtaining endless swagginess. Throw in the hyperrap-inspired tropes of the UK’s ferocious trap scene, and YT has concocted a formula for success and bundles of club-friendly hits. Over time, though, following that blueprint can get monotonous.

Take ‘Black And Tan’ – the boisterous new-age jerk classic with Lancey Foux that arrived last year. Packed with burgeoning bass, whirling sirens, and restless hi-hats, it swiftly became a UK rap staple. But it, along with YT’s breakout solo single ‘Prada and Celine’, feels dull next to the rest of the record – proof that even the Oxford grad’s signature hedonistic chaos has an expiry date.

He does try to revamp his elated, larger-than-life style with ‘Make It’. The mixtape’s closer adds a level of introspection rarely seen in YT’s work, as he often raps about the frivolous things in life. However, over the wistful and delicate beat, he chronicles his grind to the top and his absolute self-belief: “You ain’t gotta tell me, I been doin’ it by myself… / Now they see it, but I knew it before anybody else.”

With a new mixtape also comes shiny new anthems to obsess over. YT is known for his tongue-in-cheek lyrics, teetering between serious cockiness and humorous sass – and that’s all over ‘Oi!’ too. His producer tags are brilliantly juvenile, introducing the toyetic production on tracks like ‘Girls Trip’ and ‘Arena’ with witty lines like “Tola, you make this music and all these boys think they can rap too – and they can’t!” and “I wanna be like YT when I grow up”. ‘Don’t Miss Me Too Much’ also oozes cheekiness from its title alone, but when you get to the verse, that spirit ramps up even further. “Oh, is that your girl?” YT teases, “I’m Gary Barlow, finna take that.”

It’s mixtape highlight ‘Put Your Hands Up’ that encompasses all of YT’s aforementioned strengths. Sampling Swedish House Mafia and Pharrell’s 2010 masterpiece ‘One (Your Name)’, the track throws Gen Z back to their childhood, finding joy in a once-inescapable song. With funny quips and a supersonic makeover, the young star avoids what could have been a corny rework and, instead, provides a feverish rush. ‘Diamonds’, too, lets the rapper shine as he teams up with Fimiguerrerro once more. The duo are already a force when it comes to making upbeat, sonic serotonin (see last year’s ‘MVP’), and they’ve done it again with this triumphant-yet-brooding follow-up that celebrates the glitz and glam of their newfound fame.

‘Oi!’ is YT at his most electrifying — bass maxed out, quotables flying, and every track built with the kind of chaos that makes you feel invincible. But, five mixtapes deep, that same rush is starting to feel like it could soon start to pack less of a punch. The beats are bigger, the bass is heavier, and the nostalgia hits just as hard — but what happens when the buzz wears off?