YL - LAY UP LINES (PROD. $MOOVE)

"Basketball Diaries" EP Out Now.

YL's Basketball Diaries: A Slam Dunk for Hip-Hop Lovers

New York rapper YL dribbles into new territory with his latest EP, Basketball Diaries, released today. Inspired by the 1995 Leonardo DiCaprio film of the same name, the project fuses cinematic themes with raw, authentic lyricism to paint a vivid picture of life in the Big Apple. Featuring eight tracks and a standout collaboration with fellow NYC emcee The Musalini on “There You Go,” Basketball Diaries is a masterful exploration of ambition, struggle, and perseverance.

Basketball Diaries (EP) - Streaming Link

A Hoop Dream Metaphor for Real Life

With basketball as a recurring theme, YL uses the sport as a metaphor for navigating life’s trials and triumphs. The court becomes a stage for personal battles, much like the mic is for his lyrical ones. The EP delivers a cohesive narrative while maintaining the versatility and dynamism that fans of New York’s underground hip-hop scene have come to expect from YL.

From the first track, “Surreality,” YL sets the tone with a dreamy yet determined vibe. His verses capture the tension between aspiration and reality, a theme that runs throughout the project. Over haunting production, YL’s wordplay shines, pulling listeners into his world of street-level wisdom and unyielding ambition.

Highlights That Shine Bright

“Ruin It” offers a reflective look at self-doubt and personal accountability, while “Out The Kitchen” turns up the heat with hard-hitting bars and a jazz-infused beat that evokes images of late-night hustle and relentless work ethic. YL’s delivery is sharp and purposeful, his voice carrying the weight of someone who’s seen it all but still believes in brighter days ahead.

The collaboration with The Musalini on “There You Go” is a clear standout. The track is a seamless fusion of gritty bars and smooth flows, showcasing the chemistry between two of New York’s most promising talents. With soulful production and lyrical depth, the song feels like a love letter to the city that raised them.

“Lay Up Lines” is where the basketball theme truly comes alive. The track captures the anticipation and excitement of preparing for a big moment, with YL’s confident delivery driving the message home. It’s the perfect anthem for anyone gearing up to take their shot in life, whatever their “court” may be.

A Reflective and Triumphant Closing

“Jimmys Interlude” slows things down with introspection, allowing YL to reflect on his journey and the lessons learned along the way. This moment of vulnerability adds depth to the EP, balancing the hustle-driven tracks with a softer, more contemplative tone.

As the project nears its end, “Superstar” bursts onto the scene with high energy and triumphant vibes. The track captures the thrill of chasing greatness, while “No Regrets” closes the EP on a powerful note. It’s a reminder to embrace every challenge and decision as part of the journey, a fitting conclusion to a project that’s all about striving and thriving.

Why Basketball Diaries Scores Big

YL’s ability to weave personal storytelling with universal themes is what makes Basketball Diaries such a compelling listen. His lyrics are raw yet poetic, his delivery confident yet approachable. The production, ranging from soulful and jazzy to hard-hitting boom-bap, perfectly complements the themes and tone of the EP.

The inclusion of The Musalini on “There You Go” is a testament to YL’s respect for the art of collaboration. Together, the two emcees create a track that’s both nostalgic and forward-thinking, a blend of old-school authenticity and new-school flair.

Final Thoughts

Basketball Diaries is more than just an EP; it’s a reflection of YL’s growth as an artist and a person. It’s a project that speaks to dreamers, hustlers, and anyone navigating the challenges of life with determination and heart. With sharp lyricism, dynamic production, and a cohesive vision, YL proves once again why he’s a name to watch in the hip-hop scene.

Stream Basketball Diaries today and let YL take you courtside to his world—a place where dreams are made, lessons are learned, and victories are celebrated. This is hip-hop at its finest, and YL is just getting started.

Papo2oo4 & Subjxct 5 - Bad Man Feat. YL

Co Produced By Omari Lyseight 

Shot &Edited By Pretty Bull Productions 

Jimmie D & Nicholas Craven - Drug Diet, Pt. 2 (Feat. YL & Starker)

Nicholas Craven is a Hip-Hop artist from Montréal, Québec. He has produced for Ransom, Tha God Fahim, Roc Marciano, Mach-Hommy, Boldy James, Styles P, Freddie Gibbs, Dark Lo, Navy Blue, Armand Hammer (Billy Woods & Elucid), Sha Hef, Sheek Louch, Eto, Planet Asia, Your Old Droog, Griselda (Westside Gunn, Benny The Butcher & Conway The Machine), Rigz, Jimmie D, 38 Spesh, Hus Kingpin and many more.

Following a run of singles with Griselda, three albums with Montréal's Jimmie D and placements on projects like Mach-Hommy & Tha God Fahim's "Dollar Menu 3: Dump Gawd Edition", Nicholas Craven released his first solo album "Craven N" on December 11th, 2017. It was followed by "Rockhead Paradise" with Jimmie D on August 31st, 2018, "Valenti & Rizzuto" with Eto on November 11th, "Garbage Music For Trust Babies" with Jimmie D on December 22nd, 2018, and "Tha Myth Who Never Quit" with Tha God Fahim on June 12th, 2019. On December 27th, 2019, "Craven N 2" was released.

March 9th, 2020, Ransom & Nicholas Craven released a feature-less 4 track EP entitled "Director's Cut". This was followed up by the 6 track "Directors Cut Scene Two" on April 24th and the 10-track LP "Directors Cut Scene Three" on August 14th, 2020. A few songs that that didn't make it onto these 3 projects were compiled as the "Deleted Scenes" EP and were released Friday November 13th, 2020 followed by "Crime Scenes" on December 18th, 2020.

In 2021, after placements on Mach-Hommy's "Pray 4 Haiti" (Kriminel), Roc Marciano's "Mt. Marci Deluxe" (The General's Heart) and Ransom's "Se7en" (Envy), Tha God Fahim & Nicholas Craven released "Dump Gawd: Shot Clock King" on August 3rd, a 7 song collaborative EP featuring Your Old Droog. A sequel, "Dump Gawd: Shot Clock King Vol. 2", was released on August 30th and followed by a string of collaborations: "RIP Bergdorf" with Westside Gunn, "1000 Mile Stare" with Roc Marciano, "Bandoleros" with Ransom & Rome Streetz, "Yuri" and "Dom Perignon" with Your Old Droog, the whole album "Hull" with D-Track and "Yzerman" with Boldy James to name a few. The Mach-Hommy album "Balens Cho" followed and featured 4 Craven produced songs (Labou, Separation Of The Sheep And The Goats, Lajan Sal & Traditional).

In 2022, Nicholas Craven released the song "Breaking Atoms" with Evidence and produced the song "Bull Market" for Your Old Droog & Tha God Fahim. On February 18th, "Craven N 3" was released. Following this, Your Old Droog & Craven dropped the "YOD Wave" EP on March 4th. The collab album run continued: "Boulangerie" with Raz Fresco on April 1st, "Dump Gawd: Shot Clock King Vol. 3" with Tha God Fahim on April 26th, "Dump Gawd: Triz Nate" with Mach-Hommy on May 5th, "Latin Quarter Part 1" and "Part 2" with Akhenaton on May 20th and June 24th respectively and "Fair Exchange No Robbery" with Boldy James on September 30th.

YL - REAL PEOPLE

Air Max Music Vol. 1 Out Now.

Air Max Music Vol. 1 by YL

 

YL just released Air Max Music Vol. 1

YL & STARKER - SUPERSTITIOUS (PROD. THE BUILDER)

Diamond Collection Out Now.

YL & STARKER - BOYZ 2 MEN (PROD LOOK DAMIEN!)

Prod. Look Damien!

Shot. Derek Balarezo

Edit. YL

YL - COOL GRAY (PROD. JUNIE.)

"Don't Feed The Pigeons Deluxe" is out now.

YL & STARKER - SSX (PROD. NOFACE)

brainorchestra. - MAKE IT & GLOW FT. YL PROD. BY ZOOMO

 

brainorchestra. releases the ZOOMO produced track "MAKE IT & GLOW" featuring YL.

YL - ADAPTATION

YL from New York drops the "ADAPTATION" project.

 

YL - ELISA LAM (PROD. NOFACE)

 

YL shows the visual to the NOFACE produced track "ELISA LAM". 

YL - SLOWPOKE RODRIGUEZ (PROD. DRIVEBY)

YL shows the visual to the DRIVEBY produced track "SLOWPOKE RODRIGUEZ". 

Fatboi Sharif & Roper Williams - Fly Pelican (Ft. YL)

Fatboi Sharif shows the visual to the Roper Williams produced track "Fly Pelican" featuring YL from the "Gandhi Loves Children" album.

 

YL - WALK IT OUT (PROD. ZOOMO)

YL shows the visual to the ZOOMO produced track "WALK IT OUT". 

YL - IT NEVER ENTERED MY MIND

YL from New York brings the "IT NEVER ENTERED MY MIND" album.

 

YL - BANG BROS FT. STARKER & YUNGMORPHEUS (PROD. ARGOV)

YL shows together with STARKER and YUNGMORPHEUS the ARGOV produced track "BANG BROS" as visual.

 

YL - PURPLE HAZE (PROD. ARGOV)

YL shows the ARGOV produced track "PURPLE HAZE" as visual.

 

phiik - UNSOLVED CASES feat. YL, DFNS, S!LENCE, LUNGS prod. by OLASEGUN

phiik brings the OLASEGUN produced track "UNSOLVED CASES" featuring YL, DFNS, S!LENCE and LUNGS.