When you look at the landscape of modern rap, everything feels weirdly familiar. The colorful hair, the obsession with skater brands, and those icy, minimalist beats that sound like they were made in an alien's bedroom—it's all everywhere now. But honestly, if you trace the DNA of this whole "Internet Rap" thing back to its source, you end up in a bedroom in Berkeley, California, around 2005.
That’s where Young L of The Pack was essentially building the blueprint for the next twenty years of hip-hop.
Most people remember The Pack for "Vans." It was that catchy song about sneakers that MTV censored because they thought it was a commercial. But Young L was way more than just the guy who made a hit. He was the sonic architect. He was the one sitting in front of a computer, messing with Fruity Loops and GarageBand, creating a sound that didn't fit into the "Hyphy" movement happening in Oakland, nor did it fit the bling-era dominance of the mid-2000s.
Why Young L of The Pack Matters More Than You Think
If you ask the average fan who started the "Based" movement, they'll say Lil B. And they aren't wrong—Lil B is the prophet. But Young L was the engineer. He produced the entirety of the group's debut material. We’re talking about a kid who was literally 17 or 18 years old, creating a genre-defying sound that would eventually inspire people like Playboi Carti, Tyler, The Creator, and A$AP Rocky.
The sound was dissonant. It was sparse.
It was "Based."
When Lloyd Omadhebo (Young L’s real name) started making beats, he wasn't trying to be Mac Dre. He was influenced by the Bay, sure, but he had this weird, punk-rock energy. He and his friends—Lil B, Stunnaman, and Lil Uno—were skaters. In a world where rappers were trying to look as tough as possible, these kids were wearing tight jeans and singing about canvas shoes.
The Genius of "Vans" and the 5-Minute Beat
It's actually kind of hilarious how "Vans" came to be. Young L has mentioned in interviews that he cooked that beat up in about five minutes. It was just a simple, infectious loop. When Lil B heard it, the lyrics "Got my Vans on but they look like sneakers" just came out.
It was pure intuition.
That song wasn't just a hit; it was a cultural shift. Rolling Stone ranked it as the fifth-best song of 2006. Think about that for a second. In a year of massive budget records, a group of teenagers from Berkeley with a GarageBand beat were topping the critics' lists.
The Birth of the "Based" Philosophy
A lot of people get the "Based" thing wrong. They think it just means being weird or positive. But Young L and Keith Jenkins (Stunnaman) have explained that the term actually came from "baseheads"—people addicted to crack. In the Bay, calling someone "based" was originally an insult. It meant you were acting crazy or fried.
The Pack took that word and flipped it.
They decided that being "based" meant being yourself without caring what anyone else thought. It was about creative freedom. If you wanted to rap about a video game character like Kirby or Boo from Mario, you did it. Young L even has a Boo tattoo on his hand. This "I don't give a damn" attitude is the literal foundation of every SoundCloud rapper who blew up in 2017.
Life After The Pack
The group eventually drifted apart around 2010. Jive Records didn't really know what to do with them. They were too "internet" for a label that was used to traditional radio pushes.
Young L didn't just fade away, though. He’s always been three steps ahead of the curve. He moved into fashion, co-founding the brand Pink Dolphin. If you were alive in 2012, you saw that brand everywhere. It was the uniform for the new generation of rappers.
Even now, in 2026, his influence is popping up in unexpected places. You'll hear a beat on a random playlist and think, "Man, that sounds like a Young L track." That icy, synthetic minimalism he pioneered in the mid-2000s has become the default setting for modern trap.
The Young L Discography: Where to Start
If you're just getting into his work, you've got to go beyond the singles. His solo projects like Cutty Row and Based Sensation (2009) show a much more melodic side. He was experimenting with auto-tune and singing way before it was the industry standard.
- Skateboards 2 Scrapers (EP): This is the raw energy. It’s the sound of four kids changing the world from a garage.
- Based Boys (Album): Their major-label debut. It has some "polished" moments, but the weirdness still shines through.
- Loud Pockets: This solo track from 2011 is a cult classic. It’s peak Young L production—simple, bouncy, and undeniably cool.
- Young Lloyd (2025): His more recent EPs show that he hasn't lost his touch. The beats are still futuristic, but they have a certain maturity now.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Bay Area Scene
There’s this misconception that everyone in the Bay was doing the same thing during the Hyphy years. While E-40 and Keak Da Sneak were the kings, The Pack was the "alternative" scene. They were the kids who liked the hippy vibes of Berkeley just as much as the street culture of Oakland.
Young L has always been vocal about this. He didn't want to be a statistic. He wanted to express himself. Honestly, that’s why his music stays relevant while other "hitmakers" from that era have been forgotten. Authenticity has a much longer shelf life than a trend.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Creators
If you’re a producer or a fan of rap history, there are a few things you can learn from Young L's career:
- Minimalism is a superpower. You don't need a thousand layers to make a hit. "Vans" proved that a simple, catchy idea beats a complex, boring one every time.
- Don't wait for the industry. The Pack blew up on MySpace. They didn't wait for a label to tell them they were good. They built a cult following first.
- Fashion and Music are inseparable. Young L understood that the way you look is an extension of the sound. Pink Dolphin wasn't just a side hustle; it was part of the world-building.
- Own your "weird." The things people make fun of you for today might be the things they copy tomorrow.
The story of Young L of The Pack is a reminder that being "first" is often harder than being "biggest." He might not have the Grammys of the artists he inspired, but he has the respect of anyone who actually knows where this culture comes from.
Go back and listen to those early Pack tapes. You'll realize you've been listening to his influence for years without even knowing it.
To keep exploring this era, check out the early mixtapes from Lil B (like 6 Kiss) that Young L had a hand in, or look into the early lookbooks for Pink Dolphin to see how the "internet aesthetic" was born.
