How Yeat Built a Cult Fanbase

Kristine Decena
15 minutes ago
10 min read

Yeat commanding the stage with his unique style.

Yeat is a young rapper who rose from obscurity to build an almost cult-like following in just a few years.

Born Noah Olivier Smith in 2000, he grew up in California and Oregon, and by 2021 he was suddenly one of the most buzzed-about new artists in hip hop. With a genre-bending sound and an enigmatic persona, Yeat carved out a unique lane for himself, gaining viral success and a cult-like fanbase devoted to his music. His rise was no accident – Yeat mixed catchy internet virality with a one-of-a-kind style and authentic connection to listeners. This introduction will explore how Yeat’s distinctive music, clever use of social media, and immersive fan culture all combined to create a fiercely loyal following. By looking at real-world examples and case studies from Yeat’s journey, we can see how he turned from an underground SoundCloud rapper into a phenomenon with fans who treat him almost like a legend.

A Unique Sound and Persona

One of the first keys to Yeat’s cult fanbase is his unique sound and mysterious persona. Yeat’s music doesn’t sound like anyone else’s – it blends booming trap beats with quirky, almost otherworldly touches like ringing bells and video game-like melodies. His songs often feature heavy autotune and slurred, hypnotic vocals that make listeners feel like they’re entering Yeat’s own sonic universe. This experimental production style immediately set Yeat apart. It was as if he “immortalized a specific post-Playboi Carti sound” with repetitive yet catchy lyrics and eerie production choices. In simpler terms, Yeat made music that sounded different – futuristic, wild, and fun – and that uniqueness drew curious ears toward him.

Yeat matched his strange sound with an equally enigmatic persona. He rarely gives long speeches or interviews; on stage he “barely talked to the audience,” maintaining an aura of mystery. He often hides his face under balaclavas or turbans, wears oversized hoodies or headscarves, and uses unusual spellings (like adding umlauts ¨ to his song titles) as part of his image. This persona might seem weird to some – and indeed, even Yeat’s friends noted that people might make fun of his odd style. But many young listeners see themselves in that quirky, outsider vibe and latch on to it. By embracing his weirdness instead of toning it down, Yeat made his fans feel that being different is cool. This helped people form a personal bond with him. As one music commentator explained, some fans form a parasocial relationship with Yeat – they feel connected to him and invested in his success because of his admirably weird persona. In short, Yeat’s distinctive music and image made him stand out from the crowd and attracted listeners who were looking for something new and exciting to believe in.

TikTok Virality and Meme Power

Yeat’s rise to fame is deeply tied to social media virality, especially on TikTok. In mid-2021, Yeat dropped a song called “Sorry Bout That.” The track featured eccentric, playful lyrics (he famously mispronounced a restaurant name in a funny way) and a bouncy beat. This catchy oddball song struck a chord with TikTok users. Hundreds of thousands of TikTok videos used “Sorry Bout That” as their background sound, turning Yeat into a minor viral sensation. Riding that buzz, Yeat signed with a major label and quickly released a new project Up 2 Më, showing how fast his internet fame was translating into real opportunities.

His breakout moment, however, came with the next viral hit: “Gët Busy.” In August 2021, a short snippet of “Gët Busy” leaked online and created a frenzy among those who had discovered Yeat. Fans who had been following him on SoundCloud were literally begging on their knees for the full song. Why? Because “Gët Busy” had a now-legendary line that made everyone do a double-take: “Yeah, this song already was turnt but here’s a bell.”🔔 Immediately after that lyric, a comically loud bell sound starts clanging in the beat. This random, quirky choice was so unexpected that it became an instant meme. TikTok users found the bell drop hilarious and catchy – they started making thousands of videos referencing “the bell,” at first jokingly but also out of genuine love for how fun it was.

Viral “Bell” Moment: The bell lyric in “Gët Busy” led to over 35,000 TikToks about it. People would act out skits or dance, timing the big bell sound for comedic effect. This meme gave Yeat massive exposure, as even those who hadn’t heard of him saw these funny videos.

From Meme to Fanbase: Importantly, the “Gët Busy” meme didn’t just make people laugh – it made them fans. The buzz around the song transformed Yeat from just a one-time viral curiosity into an artist with a cult following. Listeners realized Yeat wasn’t afraid to be different, and many loved him for it.

Drake’s Co-Sign: The song even caught the attention of superstar Drake, who posted a clip of “Gët Busy” on his Instagram to show off the bell drop. Getting a shout-out from Drake further amplified Yeat’s reach and credibility – if Drake was vibing to it, more people got curious. Yeat’s catchphrase about his money “twerkin’” in another song, “Monëy So Big,” also trended widely, proving his knack for memorable lines.

In essence, Yeat mastered the art of the meme. By creating songs with fun, unconventional hooks, he invited the internet to join in on the joke. TikTok virality gave him a huge platform, but unlike many viral stars, Yeat managed to convert those fleeting views into real fans. His secret was that behind the memes, his music was actually good and original, not just a gimmick. As one analysis noted, Yeat kept pushing further into the unconventional, making up his own slang like “twizzy” and “tonka” and even adding odd spellings (like random umlauts) to his song titles. This consistency in being unapologetically himself turned TikTok hits into a steady rise in loyal listeners.

Worldbuilding and Fan Culture

Another reason Yeat’s fanbase feels cult-like is because he has built an entire world and culture around his music. He didn’t just make songs – he created a whole vibe that fans can immerse themselves in. For starters, Yeat developed a unique language and style that fans adore. He uses nonsense slang and catchphrases that became inside jokes among listeners, calling friends “twizzys,” referring to big cars as “tonkas,” and peppering his lyrics with quirky made-up words. To outsiders these terms might not mean much, but to fans they’re part of a secret code. Yeat even stylizes his song and album titles in unusual ways (like 2 Alivë or AftërLyfe with special characters). This gives a feeling that all his content comes from the same distinct universe – the Yeat universe.

Fans eagerly participate in this world. At Yeat’s live shows, it’s common to see concert-goers dressing like him. Many wear fuzzy ski masks, balaclavas, turbans, or headscarves similar to Yeat’s signature look. By emulating his fashion, they feel like they’re part of his story. The crowd even imitates his vibe: one article joked that devoted fans speak with an “accent” like Yeat’s unique slurred delivery and act like it’s a special dialect. All of this makes the fan community feel exclusive and tightly-knit – they have their own lingo, style, and rituals that outsiders might not fully get.

Real-world examples show just how strong this fan culture is:

Concert Fervor: When Yeat performed in Minneapolis in 2023, he sent the crowd into a frenzy with his sinister beats and distorted vocals. Fans were moshing so hard that the show had to be stopped multiple times for safety. Many in the audience showed up in fuzzy hoods and balaclavas to match Yeat’s style, and before Yeat even stepped on stage, a deafening chant of “We want Yeat!” erupted through the venue. This almost ritualistic chanting shows how passionately devoted his followers are – they treat seeing Yeat like a life-changing event.

“Twizzy” Community: Yeat is closely associated with a collective of friends and fellow artists known as Twizzy Rich. This crew collaborates on music and shares a similar aesthetic. By being part of a collective, Yeat created a sense of family or team that fans could cheer on. Listeners don’t just follow Yeat; they also support his “twizzy” friends, deepening the community feeling. This collective spirit helps strengthen loyalty, as fans feel they’re backing an entire movement of creatives, not just one person.

Idol Status: Yeat’s fans often talk about him in superlatives, calling him “the G.O.A.T. (Greatest Of All Time)” enthusiastically. One viral joke on social media even claimed that Yeat (along with a couple of similar artists) are “like K-pop idols but for boys”. This comparison highlights how idolized Yeat has become – much like K-pop stars have armies of devoted fans, Yeat has inspired a young generation of mostly Gen Z fans who champion him relentlessly. They celebrate his releases like holidays and form online fan pages, sharing memes, fan art, and slang related to him.

Yeat’s worldbuilding – the creation of a distinct world of sounds, symbols, and slang – means that being a Yeat fan is more than just liking a few songs. It’s an identity. Fans feel they are part of something special and rebellious. And because Yeat stays true to his peculiar style in every project, he continually rewards his followers with more of the unique content they love. This in turn inspires unceasing devotion. His listeners aren’t casual – they’re die-hards who feel a personal connection to the artist and each other.

Strategic Moves and Breakout Moments

While Yeat’s core fanbase grew from his own style and internet buzz, he also made some smart moves that helped turn that cult following into broader success without losing its loyalty. One such move was embracing mainstream opportunities that still fit his brand. For example, in 2022 Yeat contributed a song to a major Hollywood film – but not just any song, a very Yeat-like song. He recorded “Rich Minion” for the movie Minions: The Rise of Gru, thanks to a suggestion by music video director Cole Bennett. This was a brilliant crossover moment: the Minions are cute, babbling cartoon characters, and Yeat is known for his playful, unintelligible lyrics and absurd vibes. It turned out to be a perfect match. The movie’s promotion used “Rich Minion,” which features silly Minion voices in the beat, and it blew up online.

Yeat’s viral crossover with the Minions franchise. The Minions collaboration sparked the #Gentleminions trend on TikTok, where teenagers donned suits and sunglasses to attend the Minions film in large groups, all while blasting Yeat’s “Rich Minion” as an anthem. Major influencers like Mr. Beast and JoJo Siwa jumped on the trend and used the song in their videos, causing a cultural explosion of popularity for Yeat. Suddenly, people who had never heard of Yeat were encountering his music through this funny trend. “Rich Minion” became his biggest viral hit to date, introducing him to a much broader audience. This mainstream exposure boosted his profile tremendously – his streaming numbers peaked as millions checked out who he was. Yet, interestingly, not everyone who heard the meme song became a long-term fan. Instead, the Minions moment mostly energized the fans he already had, showing how strong his base was. The core of Gen Z listeners who loved Yeat just felt even more proud and united seeing their favorite artist go big.

Another strategic aspect of Yeat’s rise was his high-profile collaborations and co-signs. We already saw how Drake’s public co-sign helped validate Yeat’s hype. Additionally, Yeat’s 2022 album 2 Alivë featured guest verses from well-known rappers like Young Thug, Gunna, and Lil Uzi Vert. Teaming up with these respected artists did two things: it brought Yeat attention from their fans, and it positioned him as a rising peer among rap’s elite. Despite brushing shoulders with big names, Yeat never toned down his style – even on tracks with superstars, he’d still drop a bell sound or use his odd flow, staying authentic. This earned him respect for sticking to his brand. By 2023, he even landed a collaboration with Drake on the song “IDGAF,” which debuted near the top of the charts. Each big collaboration acted like a bridge, inviting new listeners into Yeat’s world while showing that his existing fanbase was powerful enough to get attention from industry giants.

Finally, Yeat has kept his cult fanbase growing by never letting the momentum die. He is prolific – meaning he releases a lot of music in a short time. From late 2021 through 2023, Yeat released multiple projects (studio albums like Up 2 Më, 2 Alivë, AftërLyfe, plus mixtapes and EPs) one after another. Each release gave fans new songs to obsess over and share. On social media, there was almost always a fresh Yeat track to make a TikTok with or a new lyric to turn into a meme. This consistent output kept casual listeners from forgetting about him and kept devoted fans excited that their favorite artist was constantly evolving. Importantly, Yeat used each project to double down on his uniqueness – more bells, more creative lingo, more wild beats. As a music analyst pointed out, Yeat’s willingness to push deeper into his weirdness with every release is what truly converted many listeners into hardcore fans over time. In other words, he didn’t play it safe after going viral; he went even more extreme in his style, which showed fans he was the real deal and not a one-hit meme. This strategy of staying true to his art while feeding fans plenty of content helped cement the loyalty of his cult following.

Conclusion: Turning Virality into Loyalty

Yeat’s journey from internet obscurity to having a cult fanbase offers valuable lessons in building an audience through authenticity and creativity. He proved that it’s possible to go from a TikTok meme to a respected artist if you engage listeners on a deeper level. By creating a distinct sound and image, leveraging viral moments, and nurturing a sense of community, Yeat turned brief spikes of attention into a sustained movement of fans who will go the extra mile for him. His story shows that viral success alone isn’t enough – it’s Yeat’s persona and worldbuilding that sustained the hype and made listeners feel like part of something special. From the funny bell that made everyone pay attention, to the dedicated kids in turbans shouting his lyrics, every piece of Yeat’s strategy added up to a fandom that’s both fierce and lasting.

In summary, Yeat built his cult-like fanbase through a combination of bold originality and savvy use of modern platforms. He embraced his uniqueness, making music that broke the mold and encouraged fans to embrace it too. He mastered social media by turning songs into memes and trends, capturing the imagination of Gen Z online. He created a culture around his brand – with special slang, fashion, and an inclusive “twizzy” community – so that being his fan feels like joining a club. He also seized opportunities (like the Minions collab and big-name features) that expanded his reach without betraying who he is. And he did all this while constantly delivering new content, keeping his audience energized and growing.

Yeat’s rise is a testament to the power of authenticity in the internet age. By staying true to his style and engaging fans in a fun, creative world, he fostered loyalty that most artists only dream of. His cult fanbase wasn’t built overnight – it was earned by making people feel connected and excited every step of the way. If you need help with this or other career-boosting opportunities, reach out to us. We’re here to guide you in turning your unique talents and ideas into the kind of success story that inspires others, just like Yeat did with his dedicated following.

RECOMMENDED FOR YOU

Our recently upgraded Plus Plan is the perfect option for attracting record labels while seeing a return on your investment. Here's how it works...