Lil Yachty has been making his case for hottest rapper all 2023. Following the release of the psychedelic Let’s Start Here., he continued to make waves with a string of unorthodox, oft-melodic drops like “Strike (Holster),” “SOLO STEPPIN CRETE BOY,” and “TESLA,” all of which were subsequently added to an untitled EP upon release.

On Friday (Sept. 29), Yachty kept the pattern going with “The Secret Recipe,” a collaboration with J. Cole that the Atlanta talent produced alongside Rawbone and 98K. In spite of his North Carolinian counterpart’s rewind-worthy bars, Lil’ Boat more than managed to hold his own with a flurry of off-kilter rhymes centered around his lifestyle, detractors, and natural ability when it comes to music:

“I speak on what I need, I foresee everything I want, I block out anything I hate and still the hardest, still unpaid, the notice went unseen, the tenants too relaxed, the standards have collapsed, they wrote me in with lames, they treat me like I’m them, the hate I overcame, refuse to pat my back, refuse to shake my hand, refuse to give me props when I am not around, refuse to act like I ain’t shift the sound, like I ain’t push the culture, like several vultures ain’t come after me…”

The track also boasts a simple-yet-effective clip that was shot by AMD Visuals and shows the artists in an empty theater. Following Yachty‘s verse from the stage, the camera quickly pans to Cole in the stands before both casually walk off-screen.

Back in September, Yachty kicked off “The Field Trip Tour” with a wealth of supporting acts, including Draft Day, DC2TRILL, KARRAHBOOO, CAMO!, Nick Hakim, and more. The QC-signed star will continue his run through a wealth of big cities in North America and Europe until coming to a close in Austria this December.