The acronym was popularized by Canadian rapper
Drake, who planned to release a 2011 joint
mixtape titled YOLO along with American rapper
Rick Ross.[13] To promote this mixtape, "YOLO" was mentioned prominently on several of their tracks such as "
The Motto", released on November 29, 2011, with the aim of promoting the tape. This use is said to have elevated the word into prominence and common colloquial use.[14] In late 2012, Drake expressed a desire to obtain
royalties for use of "YOLO" due to the proliferation of merchandise bearing the phrase and lyrics from his song, which have been commonly seen at stores such as
Walgreens and
Macy's, but he does not own a trademark on the word.[12][15]
In the opening monologue of Saturday Night Live on January 19, 2014, Drake apologized about pop culture's adoption of the phrase, saying he had no idea it would become so big.[17]
In popular culture
A restaurant in
Fort Lauderdale, Florida, has held a trademark to the phrase "YOLO" in the context of the
frozen yogurt business since 2010.[15][18]
During the January 2021
GameStop short squeeze members of
Reddit's WallStreetBets—often touted their long-shot wagers against
short-selling hedgefunds with the expression "YOLO".[20]
Reception
Online media including The Washington Post and The Huffington Post described YOLO in 2012 as the "newest acronym you'll love to hate"[21] and "dumb".[22] The word was criticized for its use in conjunction with reckless behavior, most notably in a Twitter post by aspiring rapper Ervin McKinness just prior to his death, caused by driving drunk at 120 mph (190 km/h): "Drunk af going 120 drifting corners #FuckIt YOLO."[23]