25 Creative Lobster Dishes To Enjoy In Honor Of National Lobster Day
Restaurants nationwide are giving lobster the special treatment, as it so richly deserves. Spicy, fried, or with pasta – there's endless creative and delicious ways to enjoy the most luxurious of crustaceans as you never have before.
Seared Lobster Tails With a Cashew, Fennel Glaze, and Palak Sauce at LORE Brooklyn.
Delicate lobster is bursting with a blend of unexpected flavors that pair beautifully.
'This juicy lobster tail dish is seared with ginger and garlic for a bold kick, glazed with a creamy coconut sauce infused with fennel and smoked paprika. Served over sautéed spinach and mint, it's a mix of comfort, insane flavors, and fullness in every bite,' said Chef Jay Kumar, owner and chef of LORE Brooklyn.
Lobster Knuckles "Escargot Style" at Breva Brighton Beach in Brooklyn, New York.
At Breva Brighton Beach, a decadent twist on a French classic, this dish swaps snails for succulent lobster knuckles, prepared in a rich, Pernod-infused butter sauce and served with warm country bread.
'As we're just steps from the ocean, we wanted to create something that reflects where we are,' said Chef Travis McGinty. 'The lobster knuckles 'escargot-style' nods to a classic French technique, but swaps in local lobster, which feels true to our cooking and our style. It's a new dish on the menu, but it has quickly become a local favorite."
Maine Lobster Pot Pie at Bourbon Steak DC.
The Maine Lobster Pot Pie, with baby leeks, black trumpets, lobster dumplings is found at Bourbon Steak. A decadent twist on the classic pot pie, this signature dish features sweet, tender Maine lobster, earthy black trumpet mushrooms, and delicate lobster dumplings, all wrapped in a flaky golden crust and finished with a velvety lobster bisque.
'Bourbon Steak was born here in DC, and it's been incredible to see the Lobster Pot Pie become a hallmark of the MINA experience nationwide. It's one of those dishes that stops people in their tracks. When the crust cracks and that lobster bisque starts pouring in, there's this collective hush at the table. No matter where it's served, it delivers effortless indulgence and that unmistakable wow factor," said Quentin Welch, Executive Chef, Bourbon Steak DC.
Lobster BLT at Sailor's Choice, Hudson Yards in New York City.
At Sailor's Choice, Hudson Yards in New York City, the Lobster BLT is a a perfect union of crisp Applewood-smoked bacon, peak-season heirloom tomatoes, crunchy lettuce, and sweet, poached Maine lobster. Served on a griddled bun and finished with a bright tarragon aioli, it's both familiar and indulgent.
Kerry Heffernan, Culinary Director at Sailor's Choice says: 'We created the Lobster BLT as the ultimate mash-up — the soul of a classic BLT meets the lobster roll we've been perfecting for over a decade at Grand Banks. We use heirloom tomatoes at their sun-ripened best, Nodine's incredible smoked bacon, and our signature lobster roll base. It's everything we love about coastal summer days, packed into one killer bite.'
Lobster Rolls at Cathedrale.
At Cathedrale in New York City and Las Vegas, this dish featuring sweet Maine lobster is dressed in Calabrian chile mayo for a subtle kick, topped with fresh chives, and served on housemade Pain au Lait buns.
'We treat high quality ingredients like sweet Maine lobster, simply dressed and kicked up a notch with Calabrian chile-spiked mayo to offer the best of a Connecticut-style, lightly dressed and married with the just-warm-enough, buttery house-made pain au lait bun, to offer the decadence of a Maine-style roll all wrapped into one,' said Chef Jason Hall.
Chicken Fried Lobster at Phil's Steak House, located inside Treasure Island Hotel in Las Vegas.
At Phil's Steak House, located inside Treasure Island Hotel in Las Vegas, the chicken fried lobster dish includes chicken fried lobster served with truffle aioli and charred lemon.
'At Phil's Steak House, we enjoy putting a unique spin on classic flavors, and our Chicken Fried Lobster is a perfect example. Crispy, golden-fried chicken meets rich, buttery lobster in a dish that's pure comfort with a touch of luxury," said Chef Shaun Muldoon.
Lobster en Croûte at Carversteak at Resorts World in Las Vegas.
A two-pound Maine lobster wrapped in puff pastry, lobster-cognac cream at Carversteak at Resorts World in Las Vegas.
'En Croûte means baked in pastry or crust. The lobster en croûte is a dish that was created with two inspirations in mind. Having a heavy French culinary background, I took one of my favorite classic dishes known as Lobster Thermidor and combined it with one of my favorite childhood dishes, Pot Pie," said Carversteak Executive Chef Daniel Ontiveros.
Lobster Roll Éclair at Bar Collins at Loews Miami Beach Hotel.
At Bar Collins at Loews Miami Beach Hotel, twist on the traditional lobster roll, made in bite size, savory éclair form with Maine lobster, creamy mayonnaise, vanilla bean and diced apple, garnished with fresh ginger gelee and tarragon.
Loews Miami Beach Hotel's Executive Chef Christopher Aguirre says, 'This dish keeps the soul of a classic lobster roll - creamy mayo, butter, celery and Maine lobster, but reimagines it with a light éclair in place of the bun. Fresh vanilla bean in the mayo adds a floral sweetness that complements the lobster, while diced apple brings crunch and brightness. A citrus-ginger gel and fresh tarragon finish it with bold pops of flavor.'
Lobster Roll at Benny's on the Beach in Lake Worth Beach, Florida.
At Benny's on the Beach in Lake Worth Beach, Florida, they've been serving Maine lobster rolls for nearly 40 years at its landmark location perched above the Atlantic Ocean on the Lake Worth Pier. 'While we serve up both warm and cool temp versions at Benny's, our warm lobster roll on a split-top brioche roll complete with house made garlic butter is by far a best selling menu item, despite our warm climate year round. I attribute this to our house made tomato relish, an unexpected ingredient on our warm roll which most guests are surprised by, but end up falling in love with,' said Dylan Lipton, Co-Owner, Benny's on the Beach.
Loaded Lobster Grilled Cheese at Floridays Woodfire Grill & Bar in Anna Maria Island, ... More Florida.
At Floridays Woodfire Grill & Bar in Anna Maria Island, Florida, this restaurant is a fun experience, with seafood dishes inspired by Florida's Gulf Coast and quirky decor. 'Continuously one of our best selling items, Floridays' Loaded Lobster Grilled Cheese is an elevated take on a casual favorite. We're serious about the 'loaded' part, so our version features a generous portion of cold water lobster meat nestled in between golden grilled sourdough, with butter, cheddar, swiss cheeses and topped with applewood smoked bacon,' said Executive Chef Ken Gilcrest, Floridays Woodfire Grill & Bar.
Mezzelune Di Aragosta at Serena Pastificio (locations in Atlanta & Boca Raton).
At Serena Pastificio (locations in Atlanta & Boca Raton), lobster, ricotta and mozzarella filling, lobster meat, lobster tomato jus, confit heirloom tomato, charred cippolini, chive.
'Similar to a ravioli, our mezzelune pasta, which is house made, is stuffed with a delightful combination of lobster and cheese. It is rich, fresh and full of flavor,' said Stephane Buliard, VP of Operations.
Lobster & Smoked Bacon Mac 'N Cheese at Halls Chophouse in Greenville, South Carolina,.
At Halls Chophouse in Greenville, South Carolina, a signature lobster mac & cheese made with the house mornay sauce, al dente Cavatappi pasta and lobster claw meat. A white cheddar blend is melted over top before being finished with buttered parmesan bread crumbs and parsley.
Lobster Tortellini with Red Curry at Repeal 33 in Savannah, Georgia.
At Repeal 33 in Savannah, Georgia, this dish is made with red curry butter sauce, carrots roasted in coconut oil, and pomegranate seeds, with fried shallots.
Executive Chef Greg Garrison says: 'The tortellini is made with a classic, French-style lobster filling. As we were testing the dish, we really liked the combination of red curry and, ultimately, we ended up adding more and more. It is among our most bold and flavorful dishes and one of the most popular. It's now a mainstay on the menu.'
Spiny Lobster at Four Flamingos, A Richard Blais Key West Kitchen.
At Four Flamingos, A Richard Blais Key West Kitchen, the Spiny Lobster entrée is served as two lobster tails split with Jamaican curry and drawn butter, with a side of yucca fries.
Leo Minelli, Executive Chef: 'Sourced from the warm Caribbean waters, our Spiny Lobster tails are meaty, sweet and irresistibly tender. The vibrant Jamaican curry adds a bold and aromatic kick, beautifully balancing the lobster's natural sweetness. On the side, we serve crispy yucca fries which are crunchy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, delivering an earthy, nutty contrast that perfectly complements the dish's tropical essence. The Spiny Lobster is a true celebration of the islands: juicy seafood, lively spices and comforting flavors that provide a little slice of paradise.'
Lobster Chirashi Don at Sake No Hana in New York City.
At Sake No Hana in New York City, from the all-night bar menu, this dish offers seasoned sushi rice topped with fresh lobster and adornments like yuzu and kizami nori for a perfect cocktail accompaniment.
Longevity Noodles at The Fulton at Pier 17 at The Seaport in New York City.
At The Fulton at Pier 17 at The Seaport in New York City, this dish is made with glazed Maine lobster, green chili and ginger.
'The vision for the Longevity Noodles is to celebrate the idea of sharing long, unbroken noodles as a symbol of health and good fortune. So we paired this tradition with the freshest Maine lobster, gently glazed to showcase its natural sweetness. The addition of green chili and ginger brings a vibrant heat and subtle warmth that balances the richness of the lobster, making each bite both comforting and exciting," said Chef Noah Poses.
The Whole Chili Lobster at Chops Lobster Bar in Boca Raton.
At Chops Lobster Bar in Boca Raton, the specialty Whole Chili Lobster is a unique lobster dish made with the 'Rolls Royce' of lobsters and served with spicy chili lobster sauce and grilled shishito peppers.
Chef Schumann says: 'Chili Lobster is a bold and spicy interpretation of a classic poached lobster. The buttery decadent lobster is presented with grilled Shishito peppers that bring a lovely umami contrast and finished with a bright squeeze of lime. This dish is lovely to share as an appetizer or enjoy as a main course.'
Lobster Ravioli at The Italiano in Scottsdale, Arizona.
This gorgeous dish, featuring butter-poached Maine lobster and herb-whipped mascarpone, served with a cognac-infused lobster bisque demi, can be found at The Italiano in Scottsdale, Arizona. "Why travel to the Amalfi Coast when you have the most delicate and delicious lump lobster ravioli, made daily and to die for at The Italiano?' said Joey Maggiore, chef and co-founder of The Maggiore Group and Chef Joey Concepts.
Spicy Whole Lobster at Tempe-based Filthy Animal.
At Tempe-based Filthy Animal, this dish channels the wild, open-fire spirit of the restaurant. A whole lobster is served over creamy Tteokbokki mac and cheese, layered with fermented kimchi and sweet corn.
'One of our owners, actually threw out the idea of Tteokbokki in a random meeting, and it stuck with me. Later, when someone suggested lobster mac and cheese for a revamp, I knew that wasn't us. I stopped by the local Asian market, saw the Tteokbokki, and it all clicked bringing in those known flavors and old memories but making them ours. I leaned into the process, bringing in the Filthy Animal edge and letting the dish come together with our mother house sauce, Mala. This wasn't just about reworking a dish, it was about creating something bold, fun, and totally Filthy Animal," said Chef Rene Vargas, Executive Chef of Filthy Animal.
Lobster Tagliatelle at Wren & Wolf in downtown Phoenix.
At Wren & Wolf in downtown Phoenix, the Lobster Tagliatelle involves delicate ribbons of pasta that are bathed in a white wine and garlic sauce, crowned with half a Maine lobster, stuffed with a sumptuous blend of king crab and Spanish chorizo.
'We wanted a pasta dish that celebrated multiple cuisines—the brininess of Italian puttanesca, the satin glaze of French beurre montè and the American delight of crab-stuffed Maine lobster. The pasta is buttery with olive and garlic, accented by the texture and smoked paprika of Spanish chorizo. The best part is finishing it off by dragging the lobster and crab cake stuffing through the sauce for a truly mouthwatering bite," said Chef Kyle Bateman, Executive Sous Chef Wren & Wolf.
Lobster Boil at The Boiling Crab.
The Boiling Crab isn't just about boiling crab, you can boil all kinds of seafood, including delicious lobster. Choose your shellfish of choice, along with spice level and sauce preference. It's like an interactive lobster choose your adventure.
'At The Boiling Crab, every day is a good day for lobster, but today, we crack a few extra claws in its honor. On National Lobster Day, we celebrate the timeless joy of sharing seafood around the table, and there is no better place to do it than with us,' says David Nguyen, COO.
Lobster Kale Caesar
Chopt Creative Salad Co. is known for their creative salads. In fact, it's part of their name. But their collaboration with Hamptons-based LUNCH brought their summer salad arsenal to the next level with the Lobster Kale Caesar. Made of crisp kale and romaine topped with LUNCH's lobster salad and served with a toasted bun and lemon wedge, it's kind of if a Caesar went coastal and it can make any lunchtime feel a whole lot more fancy. This limited time offer will only be available on Thursdays throughout the month of June at five select NYC locations.
Lobster & Shrimp Quesadilla at Friendly's Restaurants.
A star of the new summer menu at Friendly's restaurants, this seafood-centric upgrade on the classic quesadilla is made with mixed cheese, lobster, and shrimp wrapped in flour tortillas, served with salsa, sour cream, of course, a side of fries.
Athenian-Style Lobster Pasta at Estiatorio Milos at Hudson Yards.
At Estiatorio Milos at Hudson Yards (as well as other locations), this is a signature Milos dish, made with Athenian-style lobster pasta tossed with pasta, and finished simply with herbs and olive oil. Chef Costas Spiliadis says: 'Our cuisine is not based on recipes but on ingredients that the land and sea can provide us with.'
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I'm a student before anything.' Lacy has mastered a kind of low-key fame, in which his fans are legitimately obsessed with him, and the music's always good enough to make a splash in the mainstream — enough for him to get invited to fashion shows in Paris. He cites artists like Frank Ocean, Tyler, the Creator, and Solange as having the type of career he can see for himself. 'They never conformed to the shape of pop music. But they can probably do whatever they want and headline whatever festival,' he says. 'They all designed their own worlds, and people come to them.' It's par for the course among the current generation of superstars. Everywhere you look these days, the biggest names in music are looking to shed the artifice of celebrity in search of more authentic audience connections. It's Charli XCX hosting raves, or Drake linking up with young streamers and content creators like Kai Cenat, or Justin Bieber's new album, Swag, where he ditches his polished heartthrob image for a more unfiltered and down-to-earth persona influenced by his actual personal taste. Lacy embodies this naturally, which often means treating fame more like an annoying sibling following him around than a fact of life. 'I don't drink the Kool-Aid because I'm a student first before anything,' he says. 'I remember when I was first popping and people were talking crazy at me online. I remember bitching to my mom like, 'Why the fuck is anybody bothering me? I just want to make music.' She was like, 'Steve, you're blessed with this platform. You need to be grateful.' ' Lacy says he's been able to pass on that knowledge to up-and-coming stars like PinkPantheress, who said in an interview in i-D that he helped her navigate the sudden onset of viral fame. 'Matt Martians was like that to me,' Lacy says. 'So it's cool that I can pay it forward and be that person for the other youngsters.' In 2022, as 'Bad Habit' reached peak virality, live venues began easing Covid restrictions, making for a long-awaited return of concerts. As he toured in support of Gemini Rights, Lacy went from being a relatively obscure act with a devoted fan base to a mainstream star with thousands of screaming teenage fans. He caught some heat after smashing a camera a fan threw onstage during one of his shows; a clip of the incident went viral. He brings up how many outlets got the facts of the story wrong. 'That's when I kind of understood what fame was,' he says. 'The story was that I broke this [guy's] phone and I ended the show. I was like, 'Oh, wow. Niggas just lie.' I finished the show. I was like, 'Just make sure that person gets kicked out.' Because why the fuck are you throwing shit at me?' Going viral right at the start of his tour was a learning experience for Lacy. 'It was a culture shock for me because I was so used to being niche, a cool music-nerd person,' he says. 'I think going on the road post-Covid and going viral at the same time invited a lot of rambunctious kids who are going to concerts for the first time. So at first, my body rejected it. And then I think by the end, I was so happy with their rambunctiousness because I'm like, 'Oh, this is their first show. I'm showing them how to be at a concert, so I want to embrace that energy myself.' ' After that tour, Lacy went relatively quiet, a move that's somewhat atypical for an artist who just had a Number One hit and the biggest song of his career. 'Anyone else in my position would be like, 'Ride this wave,' but I know I'm going to be here for a little bit. I ain't worried about that shit,' he says. He sees vindication for his approach in the devotion of the Internet's fans, who still obsess over clues around possible new music, seven years after their last album. (Lacy says the group has been 'hanging out' and that we can expect new music soon.) 'Time is crazy, man, it really tells you. And I think this is why I feel so confident in my choices and my timing, because everything has been so slow and drawn out,' he says. ' 'Dark Red' went platinum five or six years later. So I don't feel super stressed or entitled to quick virality. I remember even when I first signed to RCA, they were like, 'So what do you want?' I was like, 'Man, I want to be as big as I should be. I don't want to be bigger than I need to be.' ' Now, after scoring a chart-topping single and a Grammy-winning album, just how big should Steve Lacy be? Outside the YSL show, the 20-year-old singer-songwriter Sombr, real name Shane Michael Boose, comes up to Lacy and tells him he's one of his heroes. You could say that Sombr is among the first artists to emerge from the generation most directly influenced by Lacy's music. The budding pop sensation is having a Lacy-esque rise himself. In the past year, he's nabbed two Top 40 singles, in part thanks to the hyperactive powers of TikTok's algorithm. For his part, Lacy can sometimes feel unmoored by the age difference between him and some of his fans. 'This one girl was like, 'Man, we need the music. I had just graduated high school since the last thing came out,' ' Lacy says. 'I was like, 'Why the fuck do you got to say it like that?' ' 'My little ass was gassed the fuck up. I needed to be humbled. It was good for me.' One of the reasons Lacy wanted to attend the YSL show, beyond his love of the clothes, was to formally introduce his new hairstyle, a sharp, clean-cut fade, which he says is the first part of his new era. For years, he sported medium-length braids. 'I always change my hair right after I'm done with some shit,' he says. 'I couldn't imagine what else I could do from those braids.' Lacy has the same barber as Tyler, the Creator, and ran into him at one of Tyler's listening parties in Los Angeles last year, after spending several days contemplating the change. Taking the encounter as a sign, Lacy went ahead with the cut, though the transition was intense. 'It was so emotional. I cried on the way,' he says. Lacy has an easy, sun-soaked California cool. Even when dressed to the nines, he carries an air of comfortable grace, like a dancer. The haircut uncovers his face, chiseled and boyish, like a young Michael Jackson. Before he heads to the show's afterparty, we stop for a drink at a nearby restaurant, where Lacy explains how he stopped smoking a few years back in service of his voice. A stoner at heart, he's taken to edibles as his high of choice. It's all part of a more intentional ethos that's been guiding Lacy since the release of Gemini Rights. He says on this new album he 'understand[s] energy more than I did on the last one.' One theme that stands out on the album is romance — or a lack thereof. Lacy's new music maintains his sly sense of humor, but with a barefaced melancholy that pushes it to new emotional depths. 'I remember I was playing the songs for the label a couple of months ago,' Lacy says. 'They were like, 'All right, now play some happier ones.' And I was like, 'Fuck.' ' He attributes much of the doom and gloom of those early tracks to a breakup last fall that, for a while, had him reevaluating his relationship to love. Thankfully for Lacy — and the label — he has been making happier songs, too. Lately, in fact, he's feeling very romantic. A few weeks before he left for Paris, he met someone. They met 'how the kids meet,' he says coyly, by which he means 'digitally.' 'On our third date, it was his birthday, and he wanted to see me, and he was with all of his friends rolling deep as fuck with maybe eight or nine people,' Lacy recalls. 'I've stopped talking to people I was dating because they wanted me to hang out with their friends, but with him, I met all his friends, and I even hosted the afters for him. That's how I know I'm crushing hard, because I don't do that shit for anyone.' Lacy's ex was even seated near him at the YSL show, though he was emotionally prepared this time as opposed to last year, where their presence at the same event arrived like a 'jump scare.' He partially credits his new romance with his current sense of peace with the situation. He's found a renewed love for music as well. On one of his trips to Paris this year, he found a particular guitar that managed to rekindle his passion for the instrument. Up to then, Lacy had been feeling like the sound was becoming cliché. 'I went to Paris, and I bought this Gibson from 1990, and it's got me playing guitar again, so that's pretty exciting,' he says. 'For a while, I was just on this synth and on my bass, but I feel like a rock star again, a guitar rock star.' LACY WAS BORN in Compton, the California city he describes as equal parts magical and misunderstood. 'I don't have to worry about putting Compton on the map,' he says, citing the city's history of producing legendary artists. 'There's a lot of negative stuff, but there's also so much positive stuff to come out of the city.' Lacy's mother is Black, and his dad was Filipino. They met at work — Lacy's mom was a nurse and his father was a handyman at the hospital where she worked — before getting married and having two kids, Steve and his younger sister. (His mother had two daughters from a previous marriage.) Lacy's parents split when he was young, and when he was 10, his father died of lung cancer. He says he never got to engage much culturally with his dad's side of his identity. 'It's slipped away from me,' he says. 'I have to rely on stories of loved ones to give me more information.' 'I grew up around lots of death. It affects the way I treat life.' Growing up in Compton with identifiably Black features, Lacy remembers friends asking him who his dad was. 'When I was younger, I just looked Black,' he says. 'My Filipino features came in as I got older. So I was like, 'Somebody's lying to me. Who the fuck is this man picking up my sister and I?' ' Lacy only saw his father sporadically growing up, so when he died, Lacy was unsure how to feel. He remembers crying once. 'It was so abstract to me. I remember questioning how sad I could be with someone who was so occasional,' he says. 'And then as I grew up, I understood that there are just things that you learn from your father that I just don't have. I think the saddest part is kind of just finding out for yourself what those things are. But he still be around, though. I got a relationship with the dead. I feel him sometimes.' Having family overseas taught Lacy about different levels of poverty around the globe. Even after his father died, his mom would send money to his family in the Philippines. 'We grew up in a three-bedroom with one bathroom, and we would pass up on McDonald's,' he explains. 'She was still communicating with [his family] via Facebook and sending MoneyGram for like 50 bucks. She's like, 'In the Philippines, you're rich, so you got to remember that.' ' Lacy mentions never seeing his parents show intimacy. He sees his current relationships as 'trying to, like, correct their wrongs somehow. I guess I just want to prove to myself that I'm not them.' Lacy comes from a musical family. His mother was once an aspiring singer and has sung background vocals on Lacy's songs, along with his sisters. When he was around 10 years old, Lacy started playing guitar after watching the band in his church. 'At the end of the service, they would just shred, and I would sit there and watch with my jaw to the floor, not moving,' he says. By then, he'd already become enamored with the guitar thanks to hours playing Guitar Hero. 'When I was 10, I was obsessed with the instrument. I wanted to touch it. I wanted to be around it. I wanted to hear it,' he says. Before long, he'd start lessons. When Lacy was in high school, his mother encouraged him to join the jazz band, which he did. Around 2012, his friend and classmate Jameel Bruner (Thundercat's younger brother) would fatefully introduce him to Matt Martians and the rest of the Internet, just as Odd Future started taking off. He started hanging around the bandmates, who were all much older than him, as they rehearsed. 'It's kind of like the first freedom I got as a teenager because I grew up super sheltered. But my mom started to let me chill a little bit. I would go there, just watching. And I was really quiet. They called me Lil Steve.' ('I literally just changed his contact in my phone a couple months ago from 'Lil Steve,' ' Syd tells me.) Martians wanted to ensure that Lacy was well positioned to launch his own career. 'I would start telling him, 'Look, we need to put together an album. Doesn't have to be long, doesn't have to be crazy, convoluted, but the world needs to be presented you by yourself,' which is why on Ego Death, he's in the band, but I chose to put him as a feature on 'Palace/Curse.' I wanted to set up that transition to him being known as his own entity.' In 2017, right before he turned 19, he released Steve Lacy's Demo, recorded largely using GarageBand on a beat-up iPhone. Even early on, his songwriting skills stood out. Demo includes the sleeper hit 'Dark Red,' a bouncy earworm that to date has racked up nearly 2 billion streams on Spotify alone and feels almost like a precursor to the equally infectious 'Bad Habit.' John Troutman, chair of the Smithsonian's division of culture and the arts, heard about how Lacy recorded the EP after reading about it in Wired. 'It sounded like one of those stories that is just so incredible on so many different levels because it reflects his extraordinary talent at such a young age musically and as a producer,' Troutman says. Troutman and his team were putting together an exhibit called 'Entertainment Nation,' and they reached out to Lacy in 2017 to acquire the legendary iPhone. The show opened in 2022. 'We opened right when 'Bad Habit' was top of the charts, so the young folks who came through knew exactly who he was and were so surprised and delighted to see the iPhone,' says Krystal Klingenberg, a curator at the Smithsonian. 'We've seen teenagers bowing down in front of his phone,' Troutman adds. In 2019, Lacy sang about his queer identity for the first time, on his debut studio album, Apollo XXI. On 'Like Me' he opens with a sort of preamble: 'This is about me and what I am/I didn't wanna make it a big deal/But I did wanna make a song.' Lacy says he 'kind of waited' to come out. 'I hid everything until I started doing things,' he says. 'For example, I really love dance, all styles, contemporary, tap, hip-hop. I love modern dance. But growing up, I couldn't explore that 'cause I never wanted anyone to call me gay before I told them I was anything, gay or whatever, you know? It'd probably be easier if it were just like, 'I'm g-word,' but I'm not g-word. It's fluid, and queer is a lot harder to explain than just being a gay dude.' 'For a while, I was just on this synth and on my bass, but I feel like a rock star again, a guitar rock star.' Lacy maintains a mischievous relationship with social media. He's liberal with how much he posts to his main feed on Instagram, and he'll occasionally pop out on TikTok, posting clips using current trends or showing up in videos with popular creators. And though he hasn't been doing it so much lately, Lacy's also known to clap back in the comments. Before officially coming out, fans on Tumblr and Twitter had already put together that he was queer. After a since-deleted tweet about racial dating preferences, a full-blown hate train emerged. Lacy says he learned from the experience. 'I appreciate it now, I understand where it's coming from, and I have empathy for it,' he says. 'I remember at the time it was really hard to hear,' he says. 'I was just 18, that's how I came out, bro,' he says. 'People found out about me kissing boys and girls from me getting canceled. But I needed that because my shit was too perfect. My little ass was gassed the fuck up. So I needed to be humbled. It was good for me.' As a queer Black artist, Lacy is cautious not to position himself as any kind of spokesperson. For Lacy, it's more important that all shades of experience see the light of day. 'I feel like my whole mission is the humanization of Black people,' he says. 'We have so many spectrums of emotions. I think it's so limited when it comes to what we can watch and ingest.' That idea is part of what made Kendrick Lamar's Pop-Out concert so special for Lacy, who appeared onstage alongside a host of West Coast rappers. 'That was so beautiful and profound because I think when you're in Compton, you only see one type of music being blasted. So I never expected what I was doing to be respected or a part of the conversation of what Compton is,' he says. 'So to be there and to feel that love and to be amongst other artists from Compton, who are doing the thing that Compton is too, was very special.' Though his appearance at the event seemingly miffed Drake, who called him a 'fragile opp' (something akin to being an enemy) on a stream with xQc last year, Lacy says he found the comment endearing: 'I love Drake; I grew up listening to Drake and shit.' A word that comes up a lot in our conversation is 'fluid.' I get the impression that very little remains fixed with Lacy. 'I love how my fluidity has just felt through the music,' he says. 'I feel like a lot of people use the gay bug to market their shit. And I never did.' Music allows Lacy to express all of the different parts of himself. 'It helps me form an identity somehow. Like the story writes itself, you know?' He says his favorite song of his is 'Static,' from Gemini Rights, 'because it was so honest.' The song finds Lacy unfiltered about his romantic frustrations. 'Lookin' for a bitch, 'cause I'm over boys,' he sings. 'I was so pissed off when I wrote that song, and I remember listening to it back, and I was like, it feels like when you're so mad you want to cry.' His new music, he says, is fueled by the same level of transparency, 'but more.' 'I'm like, I want more emotion, raw emotion. And I want to just say it to you directly.' 'I think he's always been very open,' Syd says. 'I think that's one of his superpowers. His ability to be himself no matter what anybody else thinks.' Some of Lacy's directness comes from his relationship with death. 'I grew up around lots of death,' he says, citing not just his father but also the violence in his neighborhood. 'I think it affects the way that I treat life and people. I don't feel so entitled to people's time. I just kind of want to make the most of it.' After Lacy heads to the YSL afterparty (I'm not invited), I meet up with a friend in town and head to a party hosted by a local gallery. As it happens, I run into Lacy there. He tells me the official afterparty was boring and seems to be enjoying this function, a far more low-key affair, much more. He mentions he's now run into two exes on this Paris trip — the one from last fall and his first ex, from when he was 19. Not only that, but these two exes have apparently become friends. (He jokes later about 'putting that dick on the map.') It's a scenario that would send me running for the Seine, but one that seems not to bother Lacy, as he exchanges friendly conversations with both. 'I love how my fluidity is just felt through the music. I feel like a lot of people use the gay bug to market their shit. And I never did.' It's a little after midnight, and the party has migrated from the sweaty dance floor to the sidewalk, where cigarettes and nondescript party favors exchange hands with clandestine rhythm. Lacy greets me with a hug, though I can tell he's being careful not to get too loose in front of a journalist. 'You're gonna be a part of this moment, you know,' he tells me. I joke with him about the lyrics to his new song: 'If there were ever a time to let it out, it'd be now.' He sings the unreleased lyrics in a stirringly perfect pitch before someone taps him on the shoulder to chat. The next day, we're back in Paris traffic, this time headed to L'art de L'automobile, a private garage that's more like a winding concrete shrine to classic sports cars. It's owned by Lacy's friend Arthur Karakoumouchian, known among artists as a purveyor of the finest and rarest European sports cars. The two had a mutual friend in the late designer Virgil Abloh, whom Lacy met at an Apple event before walking in Abloh's first Louis Vuitton show. ('I had a sad realization the other day,' he remembers. 'The only gift that I ever got from Virgil was a clock that went backwards.') While not totally a car guy, Lacy has an affinity for Porsches and remembers driving a Tesla when he got into an accident back in 2020. Living in Topanga at the time, Lacy was navigating a curve when a drunk driver hit him head-on. 'They were coming in my fucking lane, bro,' he recalls. 'I had a thought, 'Man, we put so much trust in these lines in between us.' ' Lacy, thankfully, wasn't hurt, but 'saw the black flash,' he says. 'It was intense, and my brain was going so many different places. I remember afterwards being like, 'If you were to die in that moment, would you have been satisfied with everything?' And I remember being like, 'I think the only thing I would've changed was I want to be more transparent.' That was my only note for myself.' This reminds me of something he told me earlier that day, about the time he met Jay-Z, not long ago. They were backstage at an event and Jay was watching one of his kids, halfway paying attention to the people around him. 'I have nephews and stuff, so I know when I'm bored with adults, I'm going to focus on the kid, you know? He was kind of doing that — watching the kid, but sitting around. And no one's talking to him. So I'm like, 'I'm about to go sit and talk to Jay-Z.' ' Does Jay-Z know who Steve Lacy is? 'I don't know. I don't think he did. So, I'm talking to him: 'How you doing, man?' He was like, 'I'm good, chilling.' I was like, 'I like your fit. What's that jacket?' He's like, 'The Row.' I was like, 'Oh, shit,' and I showed him I'm also wearing the Row. I'm stoned also, but off the ones that make me talky.' Like any stoned person would in the presence of hip-hop royalty, Lacy decided to break the ice with a joke. 'I was like, 'Man, it's fucked up you didn't book Lil Wayne in New Orleans at the Super Bowl.' He's like, 'Nah, it was all there. It would be crazy not to have Kendrick, you know?' And I was like, 'Nah, I know. I'm just fucking with you.' ' So far, so good. Feeling emboldened, Lacy mentioned one of his favorite Jay albums: 'I told him I love 4:44. He's like, 'Man, I'm happy you brought it up.' Then I was like, 'Man, you a cool dude, bro.' Then after I walked away, I was like, 'Why the fuck did I just tell Jay-Z he's a cool dude?' ' It's the type of transparency you get with Steve Lacy these days. You can be sure that whatever he's saying, he really means it. Production Credits Produced by CHIARA LAFOUR and ZOE ARICH for LAFOUR STUDIOS. Styling By KK OBIE At CLM-AGENCY. Grooming by ALEXA HERNANDEZ At THE WALL GROUP. Set Design By FELIX GESNOUIN at TOTAL WORLD. CGI MAKY. Video Director of Photography CHARLES DEVOYER for BFA. Camera operator: LAURENT GANIAGE for BFA. Videographer ETIENNE H. BAUSSAN. Video Editor: RYAN JEFFREY. Photographic assistance KAI CEM NARIN, MATHIEU BOUTANG, SCOTT GALLAGHER and PAUL MERELLE. Digital Technician ROMAIN BOE. Production Assistance GERMAIN CESENA, AUDREY GUYON and MARTIN DWERNICKI. Production Intern DUNE ALLANTE. Styling Assistance ALISA DATSENKO and LIBAN ALI. Set Design Assistance ELIJAH DEROCHE. Boat PARIS YACHT MARINA { pmcCnx({ settings: { plugins: { pmcAtlasMG: { iabPlcmt: 1, }, pmcCnx: { singleAutoPlay: 'auto' } } }, playerId: "4d2e11b7-633a-417a-962e-4b7e105b5998", mediaId: "9cd617c4-b9d7-470f-bf99-c230af54a203", }).render("connatix_player_9cd617c4-b9d7-470f-bf99-c230af54a203_2"); }); Best of Rolling Stone Sly and the Family Stone: 20 Essential Songs The 50 Greatest Eminem Songs All 274 of Taylor Swift's Songs, Ranked Solve the daily Crossword
