How Oprah Winfrey And Her $2.6 Billion Fortune Inspired Rap’s Latest Hit

Four weeks ago, a Lil Yachty song emerged on the Billboard Hot 100 charts with a title seemingly more relevant to Forbes than to his world of bubblegum trap: “Oprah’s Bank Account.”  

“Diamond in the rough, you look as good as Oprah’s bank account. I just want to take you out,” Yachty—full name Miles Parks McCollum—sings on the song, which is co-written by DaBaby, features Drake and was produced by Earl on the Beat.

The rap song, which sits at number 74 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 23 on the rap chart, compares a woman—he says it’s not about anyone in particular—to the billionaire celebrity, who has a net worth of $2.6 billion. The accompanying music video goes so far as to have Yachty donning a wig and hosting a talk show as “Broprah.”

“I was trying to think of a new way to say a girl was beautiful,” says Yachty, a member of Forbes 30 Under 30 class of 2017. “I didn’t know exactly how rich she was …I was kinda really freestyling; she’s the first person that came to mind.”

And Oprah seems to have no problem with that. 

“I love it. I love it. I loveeeeee it! Yes, I love it!” she told The Associated Press. “I haven’t seen the video…But it’s nice to be in a Drake song no matter what — especially for your bank account, OK!”

Yachty gained widespread recognition in 2016, when his song “Minnesota” was featured on Drake’s OVO Sound Beats 1 show. His 2016 song “Broccoli” peaked at number five on the Billboard Hot 100. “Oprah’s Bank Account” marked Yachty’s first time working with Drake, who helped propel him to fame. “I was excited to have him. It was cool to finally do something together,” he says.

Released last month, “Oprah’s Bank Account” is the first single off of Yachty’s  forthcoming album Lil Boat 3, whose release date is still to be determined due to the coronavirus shutdown. Yachty is still recording from home, though he says that “it’s hard to gather inspiration at a time like this.”

While his bank account isn’t big enough for him to  join Winfrey in the three comma club quite yet, the 22-year-old rapper has earned millions thanks to touring, music sales and endorsements deals with Sprite, Nautica, Target
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and more. It was enough to buy a Mercedes G Wagon, his first big purchase, and two Bentleys, which are mentioned in his latest hit. As for a namesake yacht?

“I don’t like boats; I’m not a big yacht guy,” he says. Winfrey, it turns out, doesn’t have one either.