Steve Lacy Finds Himself Back Where He Started on "Oh yeah?"

Steve Lacy's "Oh yeah?"

Julia Porras

Writer

July 19, 2026

Steve Lacy has had an iconic career. From releasing his single "Dark Red" in 2017 to his album Gemini Rights in 2022, with several projects in between, he's returned with this new album that has the same potential. His last album had a lot of vocal features, while this album really highlights his instrumentalism and production skills. This album dives into trying to find trust in a romantic relationship, having that trust broken, and recognizing when he's self-sabotaging.

The album starts with the title track, "oh yeah?," and immediately throws you in. The intro, with its strong chords, chill drum set, and Steve Lacy's vocals, blends together so well and flows in consistent waves. Even with limited lyrics, it goes into the passing of time and how quickly life changes. There's a sense of urgency to enjoy your youth and stay where you are in life forever.

"Breakups with your friends 

Memories of home 

Feels like life is moving on 

I don't wanna lose again"

"Let me out tonight 

We're too young to die."

His features on the album each hit on the main points of the record, whether it's cheating, self-sabotaging, or losing your true identity. On "is it cool?," he immediately starts with how he lost his father at a young age and how that might have caused the habit he's developed of cheating. This track is super chill and calm, especially compared to the confessions and everything he's going through. SZA acts as his hypothetical partner in this situation and goes into her own issues as well, forgetting about their problems and trauma and wanting to skip straight to physical intimacy, with both of them struggling with commitment.

"pure colour," featuring Erykah Badu, is a psychedelic kind of song and gives this feeling of losing yourself, which is exactly what the song is about. It's about losing yourself to desire and not being sure if you even want to get yourself back. Erykah Badu sings in a soft whisper, adding to the hallucinatory vibe of the song.

The last feature, "lovesexdrugbomb," featuring Cecile Believe, goes into this intense feeling of love for another person and the desire to be with them. When the two break up, there's an attachment that won't let them leave each other, and they keep finding their way back. Even while knowing it isn't a good idea and that it's a messy situation, he still chooses to self-sabotage and throw himself back into it.

Steve Lacy - bebe (Visualizer)

"bebe" is the final song on the album. It's a melancholy song about falling in love as if he's under a spell. There are small warning signs throughout the song, like, "My love, you took my number, but you failed to call," showing him falling into the same trap again, a common theme throughout the album. It's almost creepy how in love he is, as if it's fixed all of his problems and everything he's gone through. The song ends with the sudden line, "That's the story 'bout the time I got my life screwed up."

This prompts a loop, as if this entire album has been about what he's gone through and what he's done to people, all the relationships that have messed him up and changed him as a person. Now he's ready to fall into another problem and continue this vicious cycle.

All the long tones and soft instruments throughout the album make it a great listen for laying down or just cruising in your car. It also has songs with crunchier guitars and higher energy. This album is super personal and seems to be a recognition of the errors in his ways, and that's the first step toward getting better.

Edited by: Stephanie Rodriguez