Jeffery Lamar Williams
(born August 16, 1991), known professionally as Young Thug, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. He is considered to be an influential figure of his generation, with his music impacting the modern sound of
hip hop and
trap music
Trap is a subgenre of hip hop music that originated in the Southern United States during the 1990s. The genre gets its name from the Atlanta slang word "trap", a house used exclusively to sell drugs. Trap music uses synthesized drums and is ch ...
.
Known for his eccentric vocal style and fashion,
Thug initially released a series of independent
mixtape
A mixtape (alternatively mix-tape, mix tape or mixed tape) is a compilation of music, typically from multiple sources, recorded onto a medium. With origins in the 1980s, the term normally describes a homemade compilation of music onto a cassette ...
s beginning in 2011 with ''I Came from Nothing''. In early 2013, he signed with
Gucci Mane
Radric Delantic Davis (born February 12, 1980), known professionally as Gucci Mane, is an American rapper and record executive. He helped pioneer the hip hop subgenre of trap music alongside fellow Atlanta-based rappers T.I. and Young Jeezy, ...
's
1017 Records, and later that year he released his label debut mixtape ''1017 Thug'' to critical praise.
Young Thug received mainstream recognition in 2014 with the singles "
Stoner" and "Danny Glover" in addition to appearances on several singles, including
T.I.'s "
About the Money
"About the Money" is a song by American hip hop recording artist T.I., released on June 3, 2014, through Grand Hustle Records and Columbia Records, as the first single from his ninth studio album '' Paperwork''. The song, which features gues ...
",
Tyga
Michael Ray Nguyen-Stevenson[Micheal Ray Stevenson ...](_blank)
's "
Hookah", and
Rich Gang
Cash Money Records is an American record label founded in 1991 by brothers Ronald "Slim" Williams and Bryan "Birdman" Williams. Distributed by Republic, formerly known as Universal Republic, the label has been home to a roster of mostly hip h ...
's "
Lifestyle
Lifestyle often refers to:
* Lifestyle (sociology), the way a person lives
* ''Otium'', ancient Roman concept of a lifestyle
* Style of life (german: Lebensstil, link=no), dealing with the dynamics of personality
Lifestyle may also refer to:
Bu ...
". That year, he also signed to
Lyor Cohen
Lyor Cohen born October 3, 1959) is an American record executive and entrepreneur. Cohen has been actively involved in hip hop at various record labels for more than 30 years. He started by managing rappers for Rush Productions, then led Def Ja ...
's
300 Entertainment
Theory Entertainment LLC, doing business as 300 Entertainment, is an American record label founded by Lyor Cohen, Kevin Liles, Todd Moscowitz, and Roger Gold. The label's roster includes acts across multiple genres such as hip hop, rock, pop, ele ...
and collaborated on the mixtape ''
Rich Gang: Tha Tour Pt. 1''. In 2015, he amassed a number of mixtapes, including ''
Barter 6
''Barter 6'' is the debut commercial mixtape by American rapper Young Thug. It was released on April 17, 2015, by 300 Entertainment and Atlantic Records. ''Barter 6'' features guest appearances from Birdman, T.I., Boosie Badazz, Young Dolph, Ya ...
'' and two installments of his ''
Slime Season
''Slime Season'' is the seventh self-released mixtape by American rapper Young Thug, released on September 16, 2015. It features production from a range of artists, including London on da Track, Metro Boomin, Ricky Racks, Wheezy, and WondaGurl, ...
'' series. Subsequently in 2016, Thug issued commercial mixtapes ''
I'm Up'', ''
Slime Season 3
''Slime Season 3'' (stylized as ''SLIME S3ASON'') is the third commercial mixtape by American rapper Young Thug. It was released on March 25, 2016, by 300 Entertainment and Atlantic Records. The mixtape serves as the third installment to the ''Sli ...
'', and ''
Jeffery''.
In 2017, Thug featured on the worldwide hit "
Havana
Havana (; Spanish: ''La Habana'' ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of the La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center. " by Cuban pop singer
Camila Cabello
Karla Camila Cabello Estrabao (; ; born March 3, 1997) is a Cuban-born American singer and songwriter. She rose to prominence as a member of the girl group Fifth Harmony, which became one of the best-selling girl groups of all time. While in ...
, which became his first number-one single on the
''Billboard'' Hot 100. In 2018, he released a compilation album ''
Slime Language
''Slime Language'' is the debut collaborative compilation album by American record label YSL Records and American rapper Young Thug, who is the leader of the label. It was released on August 17, 2018 for streaming and digital download by YSL Rec ...
'' with his label
YSL Records
YSL Records (also known as Young Stoner Life Records) is an American record label based in Atlanta, Georgia. It was founded in 2016 by the Atlanta-based rapper Young Thug. The company is a label imprint of 300 Entertainment. Its artists include ...
.
In 2019, he won the
Grammy Award for Song of the Year
The Grammy Award for Song of the Year is an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards. The Song of the Year award is one of the four most prestigious categories at ...
for his contributions to
Childish Gambino
Donald McKinley Glover Jr. (; born September 25, 1983), also known by his stage name Childish Gambino (), is an American entertainer, writer, director, and producer. After working in Derrick Comedy while studying at New York University, Glove ...
's "
This Is America".
Young Thug's debut studio album, ''
So Much Fun
''So Much Fun'' is the debut studio album by American rapper Young Thug. It was released on August 16, 2019, by YSL Records, 300 Entertainment and Atlantic Records. The album features guest appearances from Future, Machine Gun Kelly, Gunna, Li ...
'' (2019), debuted at number one on the US
''Billboard'' 200 and included the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 top-twenty singles "
The London
"The London" is a song by American rapper Young Thug featuring fellow American rappers J. Cole and Travis Scott. It was released through Atlantic Records and 300 Entertainment as the lead single and closing track from Thug's debut studio album, ...
" and "
Hot
Hot or the acronym HOT may refer to:
Food and drink
*Pungency, in food, a spicy or hot quality
*Hot, a wine tasting descriptor
Places
* Hot district, a district of Chiang Mai province, Thailand
**Hot subdistrict, a sub-district of Hot Distric ...
". The following year, his single "
Go Crazy" with
Chris Brown
Christopher Maurice Brown (born May 5, 1989) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and actor. According to '' Billboard'', Brown is one of the most successful R&B singers of his generation, having often been referred to by many contempo ...
from the collaborative mixtape ''
Slime & B
''Slime & B'' is a collaborative commercial mixtape by American singer Chris Brown and American rapper Young Thug. It was released on May 5, 2020, by Chris Brown Entertainment under exclusive licensing to RCA. The mixtape includes guest appeara ...
'' (2020) peaked at number three on the Hot 100, becoming his first top-ten single as a lead artist. Additionally, he reached number one on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 for the second time in his career with his feature alongside
M.I.A. on Travis Scott's single "
Franchise
Franchise may refer to:
Business and law
* Franchising, a business method that involves licensing of trademarks and methods of doing business to franchisees
* Franchise, a privilege to operate a type of business such as a cable television p ...
", In 2021, Thug released the compilation album ''
Slime Language 2
''Slime Language 2'' is the second compilation album by American record label Young Stoner Life. It was released in conjunction with the label’s founder, Young Thug, and one of the label’s artists, Gunna. The compilation was released via t ...
'' which debuted at number one on the ''Billboard'' 200. Later that year, Thug would reach number one on the Hot 100 a third time by featuring alongside
Future
The future is the time after the past and present. Its arrival is considered inevitable due to the existence of time and the laws of physics. Due to the apparent nature of reality and the unavoidability of the future, everything that currently ...
on
Drake
Drake may refer to:
Animals
* A male duck
People and fictional characters
* Drake (surname), a list of people and fictional characters with the family name
* Drake (given name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name
* ...
's "
Way 2 Sexy
"Way 2 Sexy" is a song by Canadian rapper Drake featuring American rappers Future and Young Thug. Released on September 3, 2021 as the lead single from Drake's sixth studio album ''Certified Lover Boy'', it is a bass-heavy take on Right Said Fr ...
". His second studio album, ''
Punk
Punk or punks may refer to:
Genres, subculture, and related aspects
* Punk rock, a music genre originating in the 1970s associated with various subgenres
* Punk subculture, a subculture associated with punk rock, or aspects of the subculture s ...
'', was released on October 15, 2021. It debuted at number one on the ''Billboard'' 200, becoming his third number-one album, as well as his second chart topping project of 2021.
Early life
Jeffery Lamar Williams was born in
Atlanta
Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...
, the tenth of eleven children. He is from
Sylvan Hills, a neighborhood in Atlanta (Zone 3),
and grew up in the Jonesboro South
projects
A project is any undertaking, carried out individually or collaboratively and possibly involving research or design, that is carefully planned to achieve a particular goal.
An alternative view sees a project managerially as a sequence of even ...
.
Other rappers from the neighborhood include
Waka Flocka Flame
Juaquin James Malphurs (born May 31, 1986), known professionally as Waka Flocka Flame, is an American rapper. Signing to 1017 Brick Squad and Warner Bros. Records in 2009, he became a mainstream artist with the release of his singles "O Let's ...
,
2 Chainz,
Ludacris
Christopher Brian Bridges (born September 11, 1977), known professionally as Ludacris (, homophonous with 'ludicrous' in American English), is an American rapper, actor, record producer and record executive.
Born in Champaign, Illinois, Ludac ...
and Williams's childhood friend
PeeWee Longway, from whom Williams lived four doors down.
Young Thug has told interviewers that he was expelled in the sixth grade for breaking a teacher's arm. He was sent to juvenile prison for four years.
Career
2010–2013: Early career and record deal
Young Thug began his musical career in 2010, debuting as a guest appearance on rapper TruRoyal's song "She Can Go". After releasing the first three installments of his
mixtape
A mixtape (alternatively mix-tape, mix tape or mixed tape) is a compilation of music, typically from multiple sources, recorded onto a medium. With origins in the 1980s, the term normally describes a homemade compilation of music onto a cassette ...
series ''I Came from Nothing'' throughout 2011 and 2012, Young Thug caught the attention of fellow Atlanta-based rapper
Gucci Mane
Radric Delantic Davis (born February 12, 1980), known professionally as Gucci Mane, is an American rapper and record executive. He helped pioneer the hip hop subgenre of trap music alongside fellow Atlanta-based rappers T.I. and Young Jeezy, ...
, who went on to sign Young Thug to his label
1017 Brick Squad Records, an
Asylum
Asylum may refer to:
Types of asylum
* Asylum (antiquity), places of refuge in ancient Greece and Rome
* Benevolent Asylum, a 19th-century Australian institution for housing the destitute
* Cities of Refuge, places of refuge in ancient Judea
...
/
Atlantic
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe an ...
imprint, in 2013. Thug subsequently released his first project on the label, his fourth mixtape, ''1017 Thug''. The mixtape was met with positive reviews from music critics, which noted it for its original style. ''1017 Thug'' was included in a number of year-end lists for 2013, such as the ''
Pitchfork
A pitchfork (also a hay fork) is an agricultural tool with a long handle and two to five tines used to lift and pitch or throw loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves.
The term is also applied colloquially, but inaccurately, to th ...
'' Albums of the Year: Honorable Mention
and ''
Complex
Complex commonly refers to:
* Complexity, the behaviour of a system whose components interact in multiple ways so possible interactions are difficult to describe
** Complex system, a system composed of many components which may interact with each ...
''s The 50 Best Albums of 2013.
FACT
A fact is a datum about one or more aspects of a circumstance, which, if accepted as true and proven true, allows a logical conclusion to be reached on a true–false evaluation. Standard reference works are often used to check facts. Scient ...
called it the best mixtape of 2013,
''
Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...
'' placed it at number five on their 10 Best Mixtapes of 2013 and ''
The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
'' placed it among The Five Best Mixtapes of 2013. Young Thug's song "Picacho" was noted as one of the standout tracks from the mixtape; although it was not released as a single, the song was included on a number of 2013 year-end lists, such as ''Rolling Stone''s 100 Best Songs of 2013, ''Pitchforks The Top 100 Tracks of 2013, and ''
Spin''s 50 Best Songs of 2013.
In July 2013, ''Complex'' included him in their list of 25 New Rappers to Watch Out For. In October 2013, Young Thug released his commercial debut single "
Stoner". The song spawned a number of unofficial
remix
A remix (or reorchestration) is a piece of media which has been altered or contorted from its original state by adding, removing, or changing pieces of the item. A song, piece of artwork, book, video, poem, or photograph can all be remixes. The o ...
es by several rappers, including
Wale,
Jim Jones
James Warren Jones (May 13, 1931 – November 18, 1978) was an American preacher, political activist and mass murderer. He led the Peoples Temple, a new religious movement, between 1955 and 1978. In what he called "revolutionary suicide ...
,
Jadakiss
Jason Terrance Phillips (born May 27, 1975), better known by his stage name Jadakiss, is an American rapper from Yonkers, New York. He began his career in the 1990s as a member of the rap trio The Lox, managed by Ruff Ryders and signed with B ...
,
Iamsu!
Sudan Ameer Williams (born November 16, 1989), better known by his stage name Iamsu! (stylized as IamSu! or IAMSU!), is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is also a part of the production team The Invasion and lead ...
and
Trick-Trick
Christian Anthony Mathis (born June 28, 1973), better known by his stage name Trick Trick, is an American rapper and record producer from Detroit
Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the large ...
, among others.
Thug expressed his disapproval for the remixes, commenting "If you feel like my song isn't tough enough to the point where you have to freestyle... Don't think I'm happy that you're doing it because of who you are. I'm ready for war." His song "Danny Glover" also received a number of remixes by
Waka Flocka Flame
Juaquin James Malphurs (born May 31, 1986), known professionally as Waka Flocka Flame, is an American rapper. Signing to 1017 Brick Squad and Warner Bros. Records in 2009, he became a mainstream artist with the release of his singles "O Let's ...
and
Nicki Minaj
Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty (; born December 8, 1982), known professionally as Nicki Minaj ( ), is a Trinidadian-born rapper based in the United States. She is known for her musical versatility, animated flow in her rapping, alter egos and accent ...
, among others. In October 2013, Young Thug also appeared on a few tracks on ''19 & Boomin'' by
Metro Boomin
Leland Tyler Wayne (born September 16, 1993), professionally known as Metro Boomin, is an American record producer, record executive, beatmaker, and DJ. He is known for his dark production style and its influence on modern hip hop and trap.
...
, including "Some More", the first song he made with
Alex Tumay
Alexander Tumay (born July 19, 1986) is an American audio engineer and DJ from Atlanta, Georgia. He has recorded and mixed songs for major artists across the American hip hop industry, including Young Thug, Travis Scott, Future, Kanye West, Dr ...
, who became his go-to engineer for almost everything from then until "Slime Season 2". In December 2013, Thug performed at
Fool's Gold
The mineral pyrite (), or iron pyrite, also known as fool's gold, is an iron sulfide with the chemical formula Fe S2 (iron (II) disulfide). Pyrite is the most abundant sulfide mineral.
Pyrite's metallic luster and pale brass-yellow hue giv ...
Day Off show in Miami, among
Danny Brown
Daniel Dewan Sewell (born March 16, 1981), better known by his stage name Danny Brown, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. He has been described by MTV as "one of rap's most unique figures in recent memory".
In 2010, after amassing ...
,
Trick Daddy
Maurice Samuel Young (born September 27, 1974), better known by his stage name Trick Daddy, is an American rapper from Miami's Liberty City (Miami), Liberty City.
Early life
Trick Daddy was born on September 27, 1974, at Jackson Memorial Hospita ...
and
Travis Scott.
Pitchfork
A pitchfork (also a hay fork) is an agricultural tool with a long handle and two to five tines used to lift and pitch or throw loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves.
The term is also applied colloquially, but inaccurately, to th ...
ranked ''1017 Thug'' as one of the best albums of the first half of the 2010s decade, at number 96.
2014: Rise to popularity and label issues
On January 18, 2014, Young Thug revealed that he had been offered $8.5 million to sign to
Future
The future is the time after the past and present. Its arrival is considered inevitable due to the existence of time and the laws of physics. Due to the apparent nature of reality and the unavoidability of the future, everything that currently ...
's
Freebandz
Freebandz is an American record label founded by American rapper Future. The label's releases are distributed through Epic Records.
History 2011–2012: We Global
Freebandz was founded by Future. Future signed a major label deal with Epic Rec ...
record label. In March 2014, Young Thug's affiliation with
Cash Money Records
Cash Money Records is an American record label founded in 1991 by brothers Ronald "Slim" Williams and Bryan "Birdman" Williams. Distributed by Republic, formerly known as Universal Republic, the label has been home to a roster of mostly hip h ...
and its
chief executive officer
A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a central executive officer (CEO), chief administrator officer (CAO) or just chief executive (CE), is one of a number of corporate executives charged with the management of an organization especially ...
(CEO)
Birdman, resulted in much speculation in the media about him signing to the label. However, the label's publicist later stated this was untrue. On March 28, 2014, Ronald "Caveman" Rosario, director of Urban Music at 1017 Distribution, cleared the situation, stating that Young Thug signed a management deal with Birdman's
Rich Gang
Cash Money Records is an American record label founded in 1991 by brothers Ronald "Slim" Williams and Bryan "Birdman" Williams. Distributed by Republic, formerly known as Universal Republic, the label has been home to a roster of mostly hip h ...
, not a record deal, and is still signed to 1017 Brick Squad.
In 2014, Thug also recorded several songs with
Kanye West
Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer.
Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the ea ...
, who praised him for his ability to make songs so fast. Thug announced that he had upcoming mixtapes with
Rich Homie Quan
Dequantes Lamar (born October 4, 1989), known professionally as Rich Homie Quan, is an American rapper. He was previously signed to labels T.I.G. Entertainment and Motown, and is an independent artist as of 2021. Quan experienced commercial suc ...
,
Chief Keef
Keith Farrelle Cozart (born August 15, 1995), better known by his stage name Chief Keef, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter and record producer. His music first became popular during his teen years in the early 2010s among high school s ...
and Bloody Jay.
Young Thug would go on to be featured on the March 2014 cover of ''
The Fader
''The Fader'' (stylized as ''FADER'') is a magazine based in New York City that was launched in 1999 by Rob Stone and Jon Cohen. The magazine covers music, style and culture. It was the first print publication to be released on iTunes.
It is o ...
''. On March 11, 2014, his debut single "Stoner", was serviced to
rhythmic contemporary
Rhythmic contemporary, also known as Rhythmic Top 40, Rhythmic CHR or rhythmic crossover, is a primarily American music-radio format that includes a mix of EDM, upbeat rhythmic pop, hip hop and upbeat R&B hits. Rhythmic contemporary never uses ...
radio in the United States by Asylum and Atlantic Records. On March 24, 2014, Thug stated his debut album would be titled ''Carter 6'', referencing the highly acclaimed ''
Tha Carter'' album series by American hip hop superstar
Lil Wayne
Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. (born September 27, 1982), known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record executive. His career began in 1995, at the age of 12, when he was signed by rapper Birdman (rapper), ...
, who has been the biggest influence in Young Thug's music career.
Two days later, it was revealed that Young Thug was working on a collaborative album with American record producer Metro Boomin, which is titled ''Metro Thuggin'' and set for release in spring 2014. The first song from the project, titled "The BLanguage", uses elements from Canadian rapper
Drake
Drake may refer to:
Animals
* A male duck
People and fictional characters
* Drake (surname), a list of people and fictional characters with the family name
* Drake (given name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name
* ...
's "
The Language
"The Language" is a song by Canadian rapper Drake from his third studio album ''Nothing Was the Same'' (2013). "The Language" was produced by frequent collaborator Boi-1da, along with additional production by Allen Ritter and Vinylz. It also fea ...
", was released the same day. In April 2014, Young Thug released a new 808 Mafia-produced song titled "Eww", which was named one of the five best songs of the week by ''XXL''. A remix of the song was supposed to be on Thug's debut album with verses from Lil Wayne and Drake, but that never happened.
On June 17, 2014,
Kevin Liles
Kevin Liles (born February 27, 1968) is an American record executive and co-founder and CEO of 300 Entertainment. In 2020, Kevin was recognized by Billboard Magazine as R&B/Hip-Hop Executive of the Year for both his efforts in activism and the c ...
confirmed that Young Thug had been officially signed to his and
Lyor Cohen
Lyor Cohen born October 3, 1959) is an American record executive and entrepreneur. Cohen has been actively involved in hip hop at various record labels for more than 30 years. He started by managing rappers for Rush Productions, then led Def Ja ...
's label
300 Entertainment
Theory Entertainment LLC, doing business as 300 Entertainment, is an American record label founded by Lyor Cohen, Kevin Liles, Todd Moscowitz, and Roger Gold. The label's roster includes acts across multiple genres such as hip hop, rock, pop, ele ...
. On July 1, 2014, Asylum Records and Atlantic Records officially released Young Thug's 2013 fan-favorite song "Danny Glover", re-titling it "2 Bitches". Also on July 1,
Mass Appeal Records
Mass Appeal Records is an American independent record label founded in 2014. The label is the music division of the Mass Appeal Media Group. In May 2014, it was announced that American rapper Nas was launching an indie label with Mass Appeal ...
released "Old English", the first single from their compilation album ''Mass Appeal Vol. 1'', which features Young Thug alongside fellow American rappers
ASAP Ferg and
Freddie Gibbs
Fredrick Jamel Tipton (born June 14, 1982), better known by his stage name Freddie Gibbs, is an American rapper from Gary, Indiana. After initially being signed to Interscope Records in 2006, Gibbs recorded his debut studio album under the label ...
. On October 16, 2014, the first single from Cash Money Records ''Rich Gang 2'' compilation, was released titled "Take Kare", featuring Young Thug and Lil Wayne.
The December 4, 2014 issue of Rolling Stone called Young Thug the "most exciting new voice of hip-hop" and "hip-hop's new crown prince." At the end of the year, music critic
Robert Christgau
Robert Thomas Christgau ( ; born April 18, 1942) is an American music journalist and essayist. Among the most well-known and influential music critics, he began his career in the late 1960s as one of the earliest professional rock critics and ...
named ''Black Portland''—Young Thug's collaborative mixtape with Bloody Jay—the fourth best album of 2014.
2015–2016: ''Barter 6'' and ''Slime Season'' series
In 2015, a series of data breaches leaked hundreds of unreleased tracks from Young Thug's archives to the Internet.
Young Thug's planned debut album was set for release in 2015, and was said to be named ''Carter 6'', in homage to Lil Wayne's upcoming album, ''Tha Carter V''. Lil Wayne, however, wasn't happy about the tribute, telling the audience of a show in April 2015 to "stop listening" to Young Thug. After claiming he's been threatened with lawsuits, Young Thug announced that he was changing the title to ''
Barter 6
''Barter 6'' is the debut commercial mixtape by American rapper Young Thug. It was released on April 17, 2015, by 300 Entertainment and Atlantic Records. ''Barter 6'' features guest appearances from Birdman, T.I., Boosie Badazz, Young Dolph, Ya ...
'' and clarified that it would be a mixtape rather than his debut album. Young Thug announced April 18, 2015, that his official debut album will be titled ''Hy!£UN35'', which translates to "HiTunes". In May 2015, after much confusion as to who he was signed to and managed by, having been aligned with Gucci Mane's 1017 Records, Future's Freebandz, Lyor Cohen's 300 Entertainment and Birdman's Rich Gang, Young Thug revealed "I manage myself. I'm signed with Atlantic. I have a big, special deal with Atlantic, and it's only Atlantic. Birdman is my homie." He also revealed he would be releasing another mixtape prior to the album, titled ''Tha Carter V''.
To circumvent their further spread of leaked tracks, Thug released the well-received compilation mixtapes ''
Slime Season
''Slime Season'' is the seventh self-released mixtape by American rapper Young Thug, released on September 16, 2015. It features production from a range of artists, including London on da Track, Metro Boomin, Ricky Racks, Wheezy, and WondaGurl, ...
'' and ''
Slime Season 2
''Slime Season 2'' (stylized as ''SLIME SEA2ON'') is the eighth self-released mixtape by American rapper Young Thug. It was released on October 31, 2015, as the second installment in the ''Slime Season'' series, which compiled mostly leaked and un ...
''.
Young Thug revealed in late June 2015 that he and Kanye West have discussed the prospect of a joint album together, both agreeing after a meeting in the spring. Details are still scarce, but Thug said Kanye was impressed after previewing his unreleased music. "I was letting him hear all the music. Then he said I was like Bob Marley and he wanted to do an album with me. I was like, 'Let's roll!'" the rapper said. Young Thug appeared on West's 2016 album ''
The Life of Pablo
''The Life of Pablo'' is the seventh studio album by American rapper and producer Kanye West. It was released on February 14, 2016, through GOOD Music and distributed by Def Jam Recordings. Recording sessions took place from 2013 to 2016, in It ...
'', and West tweeted that he would release further collaborations with Young Thug on
Tidal
Tidal is the adjectival form of tide.
Tidal may also refer to:
* ''Tidal'' (album), a 1996 album by Fiona Apple
* Tidal (king), a king involved in the Battle of the Vale of Siddim
* TidalCycles, a live coding environment for music
* Tidal (servic ...
. In July 2015,
300 Entertainment
Theory Entertainment LLC, doing business as 300 Entertainment, is an American record label founded by Lyor Cohen, Kevin Liles, Todd Moscowitz, and Roger Gold. The label's roster includes acts across multiple genres such as hip hop, rock, pop, ele ...
released a promotional single, "Pacifier", in support of Young Thug's debut album HiTunes (stylized as Hy!£UN35). The song features production from
Mike Will Made-It, and was noted by critics for its experimentation with more extreme vocal scatting. On February 4, 2016, Young Thug released a mixtape titled ''
I'm Up''. On March 26, 2016, he released the final installment of the ''Slime Season'' series in ''
Slime Season 3
''Slime Season 3'' (stylized as ''SLIME S3ASON'') is the third commercial mixtape by American rapper Young Thug. It was released on March 25, 2016, by 300 Entertainment and Atlantic Records. The mixtape serves as the third installment to the ''Sli ...
'', declaring the mixtape the end of a phase marked by leaked material. Young Thug toured the United States on his May 2016 Hi-Tunes tour, which featured artists
Dae Dae
Marquavis Goolsby (born July 29, 1992), better known by his stage name Dae Dae, is an American rapper from Atlanta, Georgia. He is known for his debut single "Wat U Mean (Aye, Aye, Aye)."
Early life
Dae Dae grew up in Atlanta's Boulevard Fourt ...
,
TM88
Bryan Lamar Simmons (born April 4, 1987), professionally known as TM88 (also known as TrackMan 88), is an American record producer and DJ from Atlanta, Georgia. He is a member of the Atlanta-based record production and songwriting team 808 Mafi ...
, and
Rich The Kid.
2016–2018: ''Jeffery'' and collaborations
Young Thug was featured in
Calvin Klein
Calvin Richard Klein (born November 19, 1942) is an American fashion designer who launched the company that would later become Calvin Klein Inc., in 1968. In addition to clothing, he also has given his name to a range of perfumes, watches, and ...
's Fall 2016 fashion campaign, along with
Frank Ocean
Christopher Francis "Frank" Ocean (born Christopher Edwin Breaux; October 28, 1987), is an American singer, songwriter, and rapper. His works are noted by music critics for featuring avant-garde styles and introspective, elliptical lyrics. Ocean ...
among others. On July 9, 2016, he announced his self-titled mixtape ''
Jeffery'' was coming out soon. On August 16, 2016, Thug announced he would change his name to Jeffery for one week, the week during the release of the ''Jeffery'' mixtape. The album artwork features Young Thug dressed in an androgynous dress designed by Italian designer Alessandro Trincone, and was photographed by Garfield Lamond.
The artwork
went viral
Viral phenomena or viral sensation are objects or patterns that are able to replicate themselves or convert other objects into copies of themselves when these objects are exposed to them. Analogous to the way in which viruses propagate, the ter ...
and prompted a wide range of responses on social media.
In November 2016, he announced he was starting his own record label imprint called YSL records.
In March 2017, Thug was featured on
Drake
Drake may refer to:
Animals
* A male duck
People and fictional characters
* Drake (surname), a list of people and fictional characters with the family name
* Drake (given name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name
* ...
's songs "Sacrifices" and "Ice Melts" on the former's commercial mixtape, ''
More Life
''More Life'' is a commercial mixtape by Canadian rapper and singer Drake. Described and marketed as a playlist, some publications have referred to it as a mixtape. It was released on March 18, 2017, through Republic Records and distributed by Cas ...
'', the former song being alongside
2 Chainz. He was featured on
Calvin Harris
Adam Richard Wiles (born 17 January 1984), known professionally as Calvin Harris, is a Scottish DJ, record producer, singer, and songwriter who has released six studio albums.
His debut studio album, ''I Created Disco'', was released in June ...
' song "
Heatstroke
Heat stroke or heatstroke, also known as sun stroke, is a severe heat illness that results in a body temperature greater than , along with red skin, headache, dizziness, and confusion. Sweating is generally present in exertional heatstroke, b ...
" along with
Ariana Grande
Ariana Grande-Butera ( ; born June 26, 1993) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Her four-octave vocal range has received critical acclaim, and her personal life has been the subject of widespread media attention. She has received ...
and
Pharrell Williams
Pharrell Lanscilo Williams (; born April 5, 1973) is an American record producer, rapper, singer, and songwriter. Alongside close colleague Chad Hugo, he formed the hip hop and R&B production duo the Neptunes in the early 1990s, with whom he ...
, released in March 2017. In April 2017, Young Thug announced the commercial mixtape ''
Beautiful Thugger Girls
''Beautiful Thugger Girls'' is the fifth commercial mixtape by American rapper Young Thug. It was released on June 16, 2017, by 300 Entertainment and Atlantic Records. The mixtape features guest appearances from Millie Go Lightly, Gunna, Future, ...
'', originally titled ''E.B.B.T.G''. The project was executively-produced by
Drake
Drake may refer to:
Animals
* A male duck
People and fictional characters
* Drake (surname), a list of people and fictional characters with the family name
* Drake (given name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name
* ...
and was released on June 16, 2017. In August, he featured on
Camila Cabello's single "
Havana
Havana (; Spanish: ''La Habana'' ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of the La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center. ", which peaked at number one on the
''Billboard'' Hot 100, becoming his first number-one hit. In September 2017, he released a joint EP with
DJ Carnage
Diamanté Anthony Blackmon (born January 3, 1991), known professionally as Gordo (stylized GORDO) and formerly known as Carnage (or DJ Carnage), is a Nicaraguan-American DJ, record producer, and former rapper. Blackmon was initially known for h ...
titled ''Young Martha''. In October 2017, Thug released a collaborative mixtape with Future titled ''
Super Slimey''. It includes tracks recorded by each of the artists individually as well as both together, and features guest vocals from rapper
Offset.
In 2018, Young Thug released the single "
Ride for Me", a collaboration by
A-Trak
Alain Macklovitch (born March 30, 1982), known by his stage name A-Trak, is a Canadian DJ, record producer, and record executive. He came to prominence in the late 2000s as an international club DJ and remix artist, known for incorporating highly ...
, Falcons, and 24hrs via A-Trak's record label
Fool's Gold
The mineral pyrite (), or iron pyrite, also known as fool's gold, is an iron sulfide with the chemical formula Fe S2 (iron (II) disulfide). Pyrite is the most abundant sulfide mineral.
Pyrite's metallic luster and pale brass-yellow hue giv ...
. He released the EP ''
Hear No Evil'' in April 2018. Young Thug co-wrote and provided background vocals on
Childish Gambino
Donald McKinley Glover Jr. (; born September 25, 1983), also known by his stage name Childish Gambino (), is an American entertainer, writer, director, and producer. After working in Derrick Comedy while studying at New York University, Glove ...
's "
This Is America", which debuted at number one on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart for May 19, 2018. In August 2018, he released another compilation album, ''
Slime Language
''Slime Language'' is the debut collaborative compilation album by American record label YSL Records and American rapper Young Thug, who is the leader of the label. It was released on August 17, 2018 for streaming and digital download by YSL Rec ...
''.
2019–2020: ''So Much Fun'' and ''Slime & B''
On May 23, 2019, Young Thug released the single "
The London
"The London" is a song by American rapper Young Thug featuring fellow American rappers J. Cole and Travis Scott. It was released through Atlantic Records and 300 Entertainment as the lead single and closing track from Thug's debut studio album, ...
", featuring American rappers
J. Cole and
Travis Scott. On the same day, also announced his forthcoming debut studio album, which was originally called ''Gold Mouf Dog''. On July 19, 2019, Young Thug announced that the album had been renamed to ''
So Much Fun
''So Much Fun'' is the debut studio album by American rapper Young Thug. It was released on August 16, 2019, by YSL Records, 300 Entertainment and Atlantic Records. The album features guest appearances from Future, Machine Gun Kelly, Gunna, Li ...
''. On August 10, 2019, Young Thug announced the album's release date and cover art. The track listing was revealed on August 15. The album was released on August 16, 2019, the rapper's 28th birthday. It features guest appearances from
Future
The future is the time after the past and present. Its arrival is considered inevitable due to the existence of time and the laws of physics. Due to the apparent nature of reality and the unavoidability of the future, everything that currently ...
,
Machine Gun Kelly
George Kelly Barnes (July 18, 1895 – July 18, 1954), better known by his pseudonym "Machine Gun Kelly", was an American gangster from Memphis, Tennessee, active during the Prohibition era. His nickname came from his favorite weapon, a Thom ...
,
Gunna,
Lil Baby
Dominique Armani Jones (born December 3, 1994), known professionally as Lil Baby, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. He rose to mainstream fame in 2017 following the release of his mixtape ''Perfect Timing''. *Alt URL* * His deb ...
,
Lil Uzi Vert
Symere Bysil Woods ( ; born July 31, 1995), known professionally as Lil Uzi Vert, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. They are characterized by their face tattoo, facial tattoos, facial piercings, eccentric hairstyles and androgynous ...
, Lil Duke,
21 Savage
Shéyaa Bin Abraham-Joseph (born October 22, 1992), known professionally as 21 Savage, is a rapper based in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Born in London, he moved to Atlanta with his mother at age seven. He became known after releasing two m ...
,
Doe Boy,
Lil Keed
Raqhid Jevon Render (March 16, 1998 – May 13, 2022), known professionally as Lil Keed, was an American rapper and songwriter. He was signed to Young Thug's record label YSL Records, as well as 300 Entertainment. His song " Nameless" rea ...
,
Quavo
Quavious Keyate Marshall (born April 2, 1991), known professionally as Quavo (), is an American rapper, singer, and actor. He is best known as the co-founder and former frontman of hip hop group Migos. Quavo is the uncle of late fellow Migos m ...
,
Juice Wrld
Jarad Anthony Higgins (December 2, 1998 – December 8, 2019), known professionally as Juice Wrld (pronounced "juice world"; stylized as Juice WRLD), was an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. He was a leading figure in the emo rap and So ...
,
Nav, J. Cole, and Travis Scott. The album debuted at number one on the US
''Billboard'' 200.
On October 20, 2019, Young Thug appeared on ''
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
''The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by Jimmy Fallon that airs on NBC. The show premiered on February 17, 2014, and is produced by Broadway Video and Universal Television. It is the seventh incar ...
'' alongside Gunna. On October 31, 2019, a song from the album called "
Hot
Hot or the acronym HOT may refer to:
Food and drink
*Pungency, in food, a spicy or hot quality
*Hot, a wine tasting descriptor
Places
* Hot district, a district of Chiang Mai province, Thailand
**Hot subdistrict, a sub-district of Hot Distric ...
", featuring American rapper and fellow labelmate
Gunna, became the album's second single due to a remix with an additional feature from Travis Scott. "The London", which peaked at number 12 and 11, respectively, on the
''Billboard'' Hot 100. The deluxe edition of the album was released on December 20, 2019, with extra guest appearances from Gunna and Travis Scott, separately and including the remix of "Hot".
On April 29, 2020, Young Thug and American singer
Chris Brown
Christopher Maurice Brown (born May 5, 1989) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and actor. According to '' Billboard'', Brown is one of the most successful R&B singers of his generation, having often been referred to by many contempo ...
announced their collaborative mixtape, ''
Slime & B
''Slime & B'' is a collaborative commercial mixtape by American singer Chris Brown and American rapper Young Thug. It was released on May 5, 2020, by Chris Brown Entertainment under exclusive licensing to RCA. The mixtape includes guest appeara ...
''. It was released on May 5, 2020, which was the latter's 31st birthday. It features guest appearances from
Major Nine,
Gunna, Lil Duke,
Too Short
Todd Anthony Shaw (born April 28, 1966), better known by the stage name Too Short (stylized as Too $hort), is an American rapper and record producer. He became famous in the West Coast hip hop scene in the late 1980s, with lyrics often based on ...
,
E-40
Earl Tywone Stevens Sr. (born November 15, 1967), better known by his stage name E-40, is an American rapper. He is a founding member of the rap group The Click, and the founder of Sick Wid It Records. He has released 26 studio albums to date, a ...
, HoodyBaby, and
Future
The future is the time after the past and present. Its arrival is considered inevitable due to the existence of time and the laws of physics. Due to the apparent nature of reality and the unavoidability of the future, everything that currently ...
. The mixtape's lead single, "
Go Crazy", peaked at number three on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, becoming Thug's highest-charting single as a lead artist. On September 25, Thug was featured alongside British rapper
M.I.A. on fellow American rapper and singer
Travis Scott's single "
Franchise
Franchise may refer to:
Business and law
* Franchising, a business method that involves licensing of trademarks and methods of doing business to franchisees
* Franchise, a privilege to operate a type of business such as a cable television p ...
", which debuted at number one on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, making Thug's second number-one single. Throughout the year, he had fourteen chart entries on the Hot 100, due to several collaborations with other artists.
2021–present: ''Punk''
On April 16, 2021, YSL Records, along with Young Thug and Gunna, released their second compilation album ''
Slime Language 2
''Slime Language 2'' is the second compilation album by American record label Young Stoner Life. It was released in conjunction with the label’s founder, Young Thug, and one of the label’s artists, Gunna. The compilation was released via t ...
''. The album debuted at number one on the ''Billboard'' 200 and included guest appearances from notable non-YSL Record members Travis Scott,
Drake
Drake may refer to:
Animals
* A male duck
People and fictional characters
* Drake (surname), a list of people and fictional characters with the family name
* Drake (given name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name
* ...
,
Rowdy Rebel
Chad Marshall (born November 24, 1991), known professionally as Rowdy Rebel, is an American rapper from Brooklyn who is signed to GS9 and Epic Records. He is a member of the Brooklyn-based GS9 crew alongside rapper Bobby Shmurda. Rowdy Rebel ap ...
, Lil Baby, YTB Trench, Lil Uzi Vert,
Coi Leray,
Big Sean
Sean Michael Leonard Anderson (born March 25, 1988), known professionally as Big Sean, is an American rapper. Anderson began his music career in 2007 and gained popularity in 2010 with his third mixtape '' Finally Famous Vol. 3: Big''. He then s ...
, NAV,
Skepta
Chief Joseph Olaitan Adenuga Jr. (born 19 September 1982), known professionally as Skepta, is a British-Nigerian grime MC, rapper and record producer. Alongside his younger brother Jme, he briefly joined Roll Deep before they became founding ...
, Future,
YNW Melly
Jamell Maurice Demons (born May 1, 1999), known professionally as YNW Melly (initialism for Young Nigga World Melly), is an American rapper and singer. He is best known for his songs " Murder on My Mind", " Mixed Personalities" (featuring Kany ...
, BSlime,
Sheck Wes, and
Kid Cudi
Scott Ramon Seguro Mescudi (born January 30, 1984), also known by his stage name Kid Cudi ( ), is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, actor and fashion designer. Born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, Cudi would move to New Yo ...
, with production mainly handled by
Southside Southside or South Side may refer to:
Places
Australia
* Southside, Queensland, a semi-rural locality in the Gympie Region
Canada
* South Side, Newfoundland and Labrador, a community in the St. George's Bay area on the southwest coast of Newf ...
,
Wheezy
Wesley Tyler Glass (born October 26, 1992), known professionally as Wheezy, is an American record producer and songwriter. He has worked with artists such as Lil Uzi Vert, Young Thug, Lil Baby, Future, King Von, 21 Savage, Gunna (rapper), Gunna ...
, and
Turbo
In an internal combustion engine, a turbocharger (often called a turbo) is a forced induction device that is powered by the flow of exhaust gases. It uses this energy to compress the intake gas, forcing more air into the engine in order to pr ...
. It was supported by two singles "Take It to Trial", and "That Go!". A deluxe edition was released on April 23, containing eight new songs. Thug later released a deluxe, which featured artists including
DaBaby
Jonathan Lyndale Kirk (born December 22, 1991), known professionally as DaBaby (formerly known as Baby Jesus), is an American rapper. After releasing several mixtapes between 2014 and 2018, he rose to mainstream prominence with his debut albu ...
and
Don Toliver
Caleb Zackery "Don" Toliver ( ; born June 12, 1994) is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. He released his first major label mixtape, ''Donny Womack'', in August 2018. He is known for his singles "No Idea (song), No Idea" and "After Party ...
.
In July 2021, Young Thug advertised his second studio album ''
Punk
Punk or punks may refer to:
Genres, subculture, and related aspects
* Punk rock, a music genre originating in the 1970s associated with various subgenres
* Punk subculture, a subculture associated with punk rock, or aspects of the subculture s ...
'' with a release date of October 15, 2021. The album was originally announced in August 2019 and was expected shortly after the release of ''So Much Fun''. "
Tick Tock" was released as the intended lead single from the album, on August 20, 2021, but was excluded from the final track listing. In September 2021, Thug reached number one on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 for the third time in his career with his feature alongside Future on "
Way 2 Sexy
"Way 2 Sexy" is a song by Canadian rapper Drake featuring American rappers Future and Young Thug. Released on September 3, 2021 as the lead single from Drake's sixth studio album ''Certified Lover Boy'', it is a bass-heavy take on Right Said Fr ...
", the lead single off
Drake's album ''
Certified Lover Boy
''Certified Lover Boy'' is the sixth studio album by Canadian rapper and singer Drake, released on September 3, 2021, by OVO Sound and Republic Records. Its production was handled by frequent collaborators 40, Nineteen85, PartyNextDoor, OZ, a ...
''. On October 15, Thug released his album ''
Punk
Punk or punks may refer to:
Genres, subculture, and related aspects
* Punk rock, a music genre originating in the 1970s associated with various subgenres
* Punk subculture, a subculture associated with punk rock, or aspects of the subculture s ...
''.
In November 2021, after the release of ''
Punk
Punk or punks may refer to:
Genres, subculture, and related aspects
* Punk rock, a music genre originating in the 1970s associated with various subgenres
* Punk subculture, a subculture associated with punk rock, or aspects of the subculture s ...
'',
Kobalt Music Group
Kobalt Music Group is an independent Performing rights, rights management and music publishing company. Founded in 2000 by CEO Willard Ahdritz, Kobalt acts primarily as an administrative publishing company, not owning any copyrights. Also offer ...
announced a new global publishing deal with Young Thug. In this deal, Young Thug's publishing administration, global synch, and creative services will be handled by Kobalt.
Artistry
Musical style and influence
Young Thug has received both praise and criticism for his eccentric and unique vocal style,
which has been described as departing from traditional rap lyricism and sometimes intelligible meaning.
Jeff Weiss of ''
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
'', "in a typical Young Thug verse, he slurs, shouts, whines and sings, feverishly contorting his voice into a series of odd timbres like a beautifully played but broken wind instrument."
''Pitchfork'' called his style "extraordinarily distinctive" and "a weird, experimental approach to rapping" while praising his "presence, persona, mystique, and, potentially, star power."
'' wrote that "Thug uses this multiplicative vocal delivery to his advantage: where another rapper might lapse into repetition, he finds a new way to distress and warp his tone, to burrow resourcefully into rhythmic cracks and crevices." ''
.
''XXL'' called him a "rap weirdo", stating that "Thug's charisma, unhinged flow and hooks make his music intriguing."
Critic Sheldon Pearce wrote that "Thug understands the modern pop song construction better than anyone: anything and everything can be a hook."
tracks live in the studio or quickly develop lyrics on the spot.
He doesn't write down lyrics on paper, but has been known to plan lyrics by drawing shapes and signs.
Discussing his work, Williams has claimed the ability to write a hit song in ten minutes
and said "I'm in the studio so much, I'll just try stuff. I just think and try, think and try. I don't really know how to sing, but I've been trying for years."
, as his biggest idol and influence.
'' magazine he says, "I want to get in the studio with Wayne more than anybody in the world."
as influences.
'' called Young Thug "one of the most unpredictable, charismatic, and outlandish personalities in hip hop today."
His wardrobe has been described as eccentric and consists predominantly of women's clothing, which he has preferred to wear since age 12. ''
'' wrote that "with a fashion sense as unconventional as his rapping, Young Thug can regularly be seen on his
account rocking painted fingernails, skintight jeans or a kids-size dress as a shirt, which, along with his habit of regularly referring to close male friends as 'hubbie' or 'lover' has led to rumors about his sexual orientation."