Allmusic writer Jason Birchmeier awarded the album three stars and described it as "typical of the genre".[2] Matt Gonzales of PopMatters also gave the album a lukewarm review, viewing Yo Gotti as "lyrically indistinguishable from a sea of bitter, street-hustling rappers exactly like himself".[3] Geoff Harkness, writing for The Pitch saw merit in Gotti's lyrics, but opined that "the played-out beats, the hoary "Dirty South" shout-outs and Gotti's perfunctory delivery ... hinder the album beyond repair."[4] The Memphis Flyer commented on the "vintage Def Jam-style production" and "facility with R&B hooks", and viewed the album as revealing "a wider range of musical and emotional options than is usually heard on Memphis rap records".[5] The New York Times' Kelefa Sanneh, reviewing his next album, described Life as "an uncelebrated gem".[6] Several reviewers commented on the cover art, with Gonzales stating that from the cover the album could be mistaken "for a Wayans Brothers project skewering the worn-out conventions of hardcore rap".[3] Harkness described the cover showing Yo Gotti "surrounded by snazzy cars, diamond-encrusted hubcaps and a flurry of $100 bills -- not exactly indicators that songs about the current political climate or uplifting one's spiritual self will be found inside."[4]
