Jeffery Lamar Williams II (born August 16, 1991), known professionally as Young Thug, is an American rapper. Known for his eccentric vocal style and fashion, he is considered an influential figure in modern

hip hop Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hip- ...

and

trap music Trap music, also known simply as trap, is a subgenre of hip-hop music which originated in the Southern United States, with lyrical references to trap starting in 1991 but the modern sound of trap appearing in 1999. The genre gets its name from t ...

, and a pioneer of the

mumble rap Mumble rap (sometimes referred to as SoundCloud rap or non-lyrical rap) is a loosely defined microgenre of Hip-hop, hip hop that largely spread via the online audio distribution platform SoundCloud in the 2010s. The term implies "mumbling", or ...

microgenre. Williams embarked on a musical career in 2011, releasing a series of

mixtape In the modern music industry, a mixtape is a musical project, typically with looser constraints than that of an album or extended play. Unlike the traditional album or extended play, mixtapes are labeled as laid-back projects that allow artists mo ...

s beginning with ''I Came from Nothing''. In 2013, he signed with fellow Atlanta rapper Gucci Mane's

1017 Records 1017 Global Music, LLC, also known as The New 1017 Records (formerly known as 1017 Brick Squad, So Icey Entertainment, and 1017 Eskimo, briefly GUWOP Enterprises), is an American record label founded by Gucci Mane in 2007. Its formation followe ...

and gained further attention and praise for his debut mixtape with the label, ''1017 Thug'', released in February of that year. Williams first received mainstream recognition in 2014 for his singles " Stoner" and "Danny Glover", in addition to his guest appearances on numerous 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 guest ...

", Tyga's "

Hookah A hookah (also see #Names and etymology, other names), shisha, or waterpipe is a single- or multi-stemmed instrument for heating or vaporizing and then smoking either tobacco, flavored tobacco (often ''muʽassel''), or sometimes Cannabis (drug ...

", and Rich Gang's "

Lifestyle Lifestyle is the interests, opinions, behaviours, and behavioural orientations of an individual, group, or culture. The term "style of life" () was introduced by Austrian psychologist Alfred Adler in his 1929 book, ''The Case of Miss R.'', w ...

". That same year, he released a mixtape with Rich Gang titled '' Rich Gang: Tha Tour Pt. 1'', and signed a solo recording contract with

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 ...

, an imprint of

Atlantic Records Atlantic Recording Corporation (simply known as Atlantic Records) is an American record label founded in October 1947 by Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abramson. Over the course of its first two decades, starting from the release of its first recor ...

. In 2015, he amassed a number of mixtapes to critical acclaim, releasing ''

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, Y ...

'' 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. Throughout 2016, Williams saw continued success with the release of his 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 Jeffery may refer to: * Jeffery (name), including a list of people with the name * Jeffery (automobile), an early American automobile manufacturer * Thomas B. Jeffery Company * Jeffery Boulevard, a major north–south street on the South Side of Ch ...

''. In 2017, Williams guest performed on the worldwide hit "

Havana Havana (; ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.Camila Cabello Karla Camila Cabello Estrabao (; ; born March 3, 1997) is an American singer and songwriter. She rose to prominence as a member of the Pop music, pop girl group Fifth Harmony, one of the List of best-selling girl groups, best-selling girl gro ...

, which became his first number-one single on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. The following year, 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's " This Is America". Williams' 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, Lil ...

'' (2019) peaked atop the US ''Billboard'' 200 and yielded the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 top-20 singles " The London" (featuring

J. Cole Jermaine Lamarr Cole (born January 28, 1985) is an American rapper and record producer. Born in a military base in Germany and raised in Fayetteville, North Carolina, Cole initially gained attention as a rapper following the release of his d ...

and

Travis Scott Jacques Bermon Webster III (born April 30, 1991), known professionally as Travis Scott (formerly stylized as Travi$ Scott), is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. Scott has had five number-one hits on the U.S. ''Bil ...

) and "

Hot Hot commonly refers refer to: *Heat, a hot temperature *Pungency, in food, a spicy or hot quality Hot or HOT may also refer to: Places *Hot district, a district of Chiang Mai province, Thailand ** Hot subdistrict, a sub-district of Hot Distric ...

" (featuring Gunna). 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. A Pop music, pop and hip-hop-influenced contemporary R&B, R&B musician who works in a variety of genres, he has been called the "Honorific nic ...

, from their collaborative mixtape '' Slime & B'' (2020)—peaked at number three on the chart and became his first top-ten single as a lead artist. That same year, he peaked the chart once more for his guest appearance alongside M.I.A. on Travis Scott's single " Franchise". In 2021, he did so for a third time with his guest appearance 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 ex ...

on Drake'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 F ...

". 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 in October of that year to continued success, followed by his third studio album, '' Business Is Business'', in 2023. In addition to his solo career, he has released two compilation albums with his record label

YSL Records YSL Records (officially Young Stoner Life Records, allegedly Young Slime 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 En ...

: ''

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 Re ...

'' (2018) and ''

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 throug ...

'' (2021) to resultant success; the latter debuted atop the ''Billboard'' 200. In 2025, he announced his fourth and comeback album ''

UY Scuti UY Scuti (BD-12°5055) is a red supergiant star, located 5,900 light-years away in the constellation Scutum. It is also a pulsating variable star, with a maximum brightness of magnitude 8.29 and a minimum of magnitude 10.56, which ma ...

'', following his RICO acts charges from 2022 to 2024. Williams was arrested in May 2022 alongside 27 members of YSL and was charged with 63 counts of illegal substance trafficking or firearm possession and for violating the Georgia RICO Act. He was held without bail in the Fulton County Jail on remand and his trial began in November 2023. Williams was released in October 2024 after accepting a

deal In cryptography, DEAL (Data Encryption Algorithm with Larger blocks) is a symmetric block cipher derived from the Data Encryption Standard (DES). Its design was presented by Lars Knudsen at the SAC conference in 1997, and submitted as a proposa ...

which saw him plead

no contest ''Nolo contendere'' () is a type of legal plea used in some jurisdictions in the United States. It is also referred to as a plea of no contest or no defense. It is a plea where the defendant neither admits nor disputes a charge, serving as an ...

to several charges; it resulted in him being sentenced to time served and 15 years of probation.

Early life

Jeffery Lamar Williams was born on August 16, 1991, in

Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state), most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the county seat, seat of Fulton County, Georg ...

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States Georgia may also refer to: People and fictional characters * Georgia (name), a list of pe ...

, and is the tenth of 11 children. He is from Sylvan Hills, but grew up in the Jonesboro South

projects A project is a type of assignment, typically involving research or design, that is carefully planned to achieve a specific objective. An alternative view sees a project managerially as a sequence of events: a "set of interrelated tasks to be ...

near Cleveland Avenue. Other rappers from Jonesboro South include

Waka Flocka Flame Juaquin James Malphurs (born May 31, 1986), known professionally as Waka Flocka Flame, is an American rapper. He first became known for his 2009 single "O Let's Do It", which entered the Billboard Hot 100, ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and led him to ...

Ludacris Christopher Brian Bridges (born September 11, 1977), known professionally as Ludacris (, spoken as "ludicrous" in American English), is an American rapper and songwriter. Born in Champaign, Illinois, Ludacris moved to Atlanta, Georgia, at age ...

and Williams' childhood friend

Peewee Longway Quincy Lamont Williams, better known by his stage name Peewee Longway, is an American rapper from Atlanta, Georgia. He is best known for his mixtape '' The Blue M&M'' (2014) and his 2013 single, "Loaded" (with Young Thug). He was also a member o ...

, from whom Williams lived four doors down. Williams 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 with a guest appearance on rapper TruRoyal's song "She Can Go". After releasing the first three installments of his

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. He is credited, along with fellow Atlanta-based rappers T.I. and Jeezy, with pioneering the hip hop subgenre trap music for mainstream a ...

, 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 oceanic divisions, with an area of about . It covers approximately 17% of Earth's surface and about 24% of its water surface area. During the Age of Discovery, it was known for se ...

imprint, in 2013. Thug released his first project on the label, his fourth mixtape, ''1017 Thug''. The mixtape received positive reviews from critics, who praised its originality. It appeared in ''Pitchfork'''s Albums of the Year: Honorable Mention and ''Complexs list of The 50 Best Albums of 2013. ''FACT'' named it the best mixtape of the year, while ''Rolling Stone'' ranked it fifth in its 10 Best Mixtapes of 2013, and ''The Guardian'' included it among The Five Best Mixtapes of 2013. In a broader retrospective, ''Pitchfork'' placed the mixtape at number 96 in its list of the best albums of the first half of the 2010s. The track "Picacho" was similarly well-received, appearing in ''Rolling Stone'''s 100 Best Songs of 2013'', Pitchfork'''s 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, also sometimes called reorchestration or rework, 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, poem, or photograph ca ...

es by several rappers such as

Wale Wale or WALE may refer to: Places * Wale, Devon, a hamlet in England * Wale, Tomaszów Mazowiecki County, a village in Poland People * Wale (surname) *Wale (rapper), stage name of American rapper Olubowale Victor Akintimehin Radio and televisi ...

Jim Jones James Warren Jones (May 13, 1931 – November 18, 1978) was an American cult leader, preacher and mass murderer who founded and led the Peoples Temple between 1955 and 1978. Jones and the members of his inner circle planned and orchestrat ...

Jadakiss Jason Terrance Phillips (born May 27, 1975), better known by his stage name Jadakiss (, ), is an American rapper who began his career in the 1990s and formed the hip hop trio the Lox alongside Styles P and Sheek Louch in 1994. The group signed w ...

Iamsu! Sudan Ameer Williams (born November 16, 1989), better known by his stage name Iamsu! (stylized as IamSu! or IAMSU!), is an American rapper and record producer from Richmond, California. He is the co-founder and lead member of the hip-hop group ...

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 List of municipalities in Michigan, most populous city in the U.S. sta ...

. Young 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" received a number of remixes by

and

Nicki Minaj Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty (born December 8, 1982), known professionally as Nicki Minaj ( ), is a Trinidadian rapper, singer, and songwriter. Regarded as the "Queen of Rap" and one of the most influential rappers of all time, she is noted for her ...

, among others. In October 2013, Young Thug appeared on several tracks on '' 19 & Boomin'' by

Metro Boomin Leland Tyler Wayne (born September 16, 1993), known professionally as Metro Boomin, is an American record producer and music executive. Widely acclaimed for his dark and cinematic production style, he is regarded as one of the most influential p ...

, 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, Drake ...

, 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 Iron, FeSulfur, S2 (iron (II) disulfide). Pyrite is the most abundant sulfide mineral. Pyrite's metallic Lustre (mineralogy), lu ...

Day Off show in Miami, among

Danny Brown Daniel Dewan Sewell (born March 16, 1981), better known as Danny Brown, is an American rapper, singer and songwriter from Detroit, Michigan. He was described by MTV in 2011 as "one of rap's most unique figures in recent memory". 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, Florida. He is best known for his 2004 single " Let's Go" (featuring Twista and Lil Jon), which peaked at number seven on ...

and

2014–2016: Rise to popularity, label issues, ''Barter 6'' and ''Slime Season'' series

In January 2014, Young Thug revealed that he had been offered $8.5 million to sign to rapper Future's

Freebandz Freebandz (or Freebandz Entertainment, business name of Wilburn Holding Co.) is an American record label founded by Atlanta-based rapper Future (rapper), Future in 2011. The label's releases are distributed through Epic Records. Freebandz has sign ...

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 Birdman (rapper), Bryan "Baby" Williams. The label gained prominence in the late 1990s for having signed and released albums for New Orleans– ...

and its CEO, Birdman, led to speculation about him signing to the label, though the label's publicist later denied the rumors. On March 28, 2014, Ronald "Caveman" Rosario, director of Urban Music at 1017 Distribution, addressed the situation, stating that Young Thug signed a management deal—not a record deal—with Birdman's

Rich Gang Cash Money Records is an American record label founded in 1991 by brothers Ronald "Slim" Williams and Bryan "Baby" Williams. The label gained prominence in the late 1990s for having signed and released albums for New Orleans–based musical ac ...

, and is still signed to 1017 Brick Squad. In 2014, Young Thug recorded several songs with

Kanye West Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer and record producer. One of the most prominent figures in hip-hop, he is known for his varying musical style and polarizing cultural and political commentary. After ...

, who praised him for his ability to make songs quickly. Thug announced that he had upcoming mixtapes with

Rich Homie Quan Dequantes Devontay Lamar (October 4 989 or 1990– September 5, 2024), known professionally as Rich Homie Quan, was an American rapper. Beginning his career in 2010, Lamar first saw mainstream success with his 2013 single " Type of Way", which ...

Chief Keef Keith Farrelle Cozart (born August 15, 1995), better known by his stage name Chief Keef, is an American rapper and record producer. Born and raised in Chicago's South Side, he began his recording career as a teenager and initially garnered re ...

and Bloody Jay. Young Thug would go on to be featured on the March 2014 cover of ''

The Fader ''The Fader'' is a magazine established in 1999 as an outlet for Cornerstone Agency, a marketing and public relations firm established by Rob Stone and Jon Cohen. The magazine covers music, style and culture. History and work It is owned by T ...

''. On March 11, 2014, his debut single "Stoner" was serviced to

rhythmic contemporary Rhythmic contemporary, also known as Rhythmic Top 20, Rhythmic Top 30, 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 hit ...

radio in the United States by Asylum and Atlantic Records. On March 24, 2014, Young Thug stated his debut album would be titled ''Carter VI'', referencing the highly acclaimed ''

Tha Carter ''Tha Carter'' is the fourth studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne. It was released on June 29, 2004, by Cash Money Records and Universal Records. The album was produced primarily by Cash Money's former in-house producer Mannie Fresh, befor ...

'' album series by American hip hop superstar

Lil Wayne Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. (born September27, 1982), known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an American rapper. He is often regarded as one of the most influential hip hop artists of his generation, as well as one of the greatest rappers of all ...

, 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

, which was titled ''Metro Thuggin'' and set for release in spring 2014. The first song from the project, titled "The BLanguage", which uses elements from Canadian rapper Drake'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 808 Mafia is an American record production and songwriting group founded by record producers TM88, Lex Luger, and Southside. Its other members include Fuse 100, Tarentino, Purps, Swede, Nonstop Da Hitman, and MP808, among others. The group's ...

-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 did not come to fruition. On June 17, 2014,

Kevin Liles Kevin Liles (born February 27, 1968) is an American record executive who is the 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 ...

confirmed that Young Thug had been officially signed to his and

Lyor Cohen Lyor Cohen (born October 3, 1959) is an American music industry executive. He is YouTube's global head of music. He began his career in the 1980s at Rush Management and Def Jam, and later held senior positions at Island Def Jam and Warner M ...

's label

. 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 wi ...

released "Old English", the first single from their compilation album ''Mass Appeal Vol. 1'', which features Young Thug alongside fellow American rappers

ASAP Ferg Darold Durard Brown Ferguson Jr. (born October 20, 1988), known professionally as FERG (previously A$AP Ferg ( /ˈeɪsæp/ ''AY-sap'')), is an American rapper from Harlem, New York City. He is a lead member of the hip hop collective ASAP Mob, f ...

and

Freddie Gibbs Fredrick Jamel Tipton (born June 14, 1982), better known by his stage name Freddie Gibbs, is an American rapper and songwriter. He signed with Interscope Records in 2006 and recorded his debut album for the label; however, its release was cance ...

. On October 16, 2014, "Take Kare" featuring Young Thug and Lil Wayne was released; it was the first single from Cash Money Records's ''Rich Gang 2'' compilation. The December 4, 2014, issue of ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. The magazine was first known fo ...

'' 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 influential music critics, he began his career in the late 1960s as one of the earliest professional rock critics and later became a ...

named ''Black Portland''—Young Thug's collaborative mixtape with Bloody Jay—the fourth best album of 2014. Young Thug 2016 August

In 2015, a series of data breaches resulted in the release of hundreds of 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 was not happy about the tribute, telling the audience of a show in April 2015 to "stop listening" to Young Thug. After saying he had been threatened with lawsuits, Young Thug announced that he was changing the title to ''

'' 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'', to be read as "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." In 2015, Thug released the compilation mixtapes ''

'' and '' Slime Season 2,'' which were well-received. Young Thug revealed in late June 2015 that he and Kanye West discussed the prospect of a joint album together. 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 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 Italy, Mexico, ...

'', 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 released a promotional single, "Pacifier", in support of Young Thug's debut album ''Hy!£UN35''. The song features production from

Mike Will Made-It Michael Len Williams II (born March 23, 1989), known professionally as Mike Will Made It (often stylized as Mike WiLL Made-It) or simply Mike Will, is an American record producer. He is best known for producing trap beats for several Southern hi ...

, 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 with ''

'', declaring the mixtape the end of a phase marked by leaked material. Young Thug toured the United States on his May 2016 HiTunes 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 best known for his 2016 single " Wat U Mean (Aye, Aye, Aye)", which entered the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and led him ...

TM88 Bryan Lamar Simmons (born April 4, 1987), known professionally as TM88, is an American record producer. He is part of the Atlanta-based record production team 808 Mafia, as one of its lead members alongside Southside. Simmons produced the 2017 ...

, and

Rich The Kid Dimitri Leslie Roger (born July 13, 1992), known professionally as Rich the Kid, is an American rapper. After a number of independent mixtapes, he signed with Interscope Records in 2017 to release his debut studio album, '' The World Is Yours'' ...

2016–2018: ''Jeffery'' and collaborations

Young Thug was featured in

Calvin Klein Calvin Richard Klein (born November 19, 1942) is an American fashion designer. In 1968, he launched the company that later became Calvin Klein. In addition to clothing, he has also given his name to a range of perfumes, watches, and jewellery. ...

's Fall 2016 fashion campaign, along with

Frank Ocean Frank Ocean (born Christopher Edwin Breaux; October 28, 1987) is an American singer and songwriter. He has been credited by several music journalism, music critics as a pioneer of the alternative R&B genre. Ocean has won two Grammy Awards and a B ...

among others. On July 9, 2016, he announced his self-titled mixtape ''

'' was coming out soon. On August 16, 2016, Thug announced he would change his name to "No, My Name Is Jeffery" for the week of ''Jeffery'''s release. The album artwork features Young Thug with his face obscured wearing a dress designed by Italian designer Alessandro Trincone, and was photographed by Garfield Lamond. The artwork

went viral Viral phenomena or viral sensations 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 te ...

and prompted a wide range of responses on social media. In November 2016, he announced he was starting his own record label imprint called

. In March 2017, Young Thug was featured on the songs "Sacrifices" and "Ice Melts" from

Drake Drake may refer to: Animals and creatures * A male duck * Drake (mythology), a term related to and often synonymous with dragon People and fictional characters * Drake (surname), a list of people and fictional characters with the family ...

's commercial mixtape ''

More Life ''More Life'' is the fifth commercial mixtape by Canadian rapper Drake. Described and marketed as a playlist, some publications have referred to it as a mixtape. It was released on March 18, 2017, through Young Money Entertainment, Cash Money Rec ...

''. He was featured on

Calvin Harris Adam Richard Wiles (born 17 January 1984), known professionally as Calvin Harris (and sometimes under the stage name Love Regenerator), is a Scottish DJ, record producer, singer, and songwriter. His debut studio album, ''I Created Disco'' (2007 ...

' 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, ...

" along with

Ariana Grande Ariana Grande-Butera ( ; born June 26, 1993) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Regarded as a pop icon and an influential figure in popular music, Grande is known for her four-octave vocal range, which extends into the whistle re ...

and

Pharrell Williams Pharrell Lanscilo Williams (; born April 5, 1973), also known mononymously as Pharrell, is an American musician, singer, songwriter, rapper, record producer, and fashion designer. He first became known as one half of the music production duo ...

, released in March 2017. In April 2017, Young Thug announced the commercial mixtape '' Beautiful Thugger Girls'', originally titled ''E.B.B.T.G''. The project was executive-produced by Drake and was released on June 16, 2017. In August, Thug featured on

Camila Cabello Karla Camila Cabello Estrabao (; ; born March 3, 1997) is an American singer and songwriter. She rose to prominence as a member of the Pop music, pop girl group Fifth Harmony, one of the List of best-selling girl groups, best-selling girl gro ...

's single "

Havana Havana (; ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.''Billboard'' Hot 100, marking his first number-one hit. In September 2017, he released a joint EP with DJ Carnage 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 Offset or Off-Set may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * "Off-Set", a song by T.I. and Young Thug from the '' Furious 7: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack'' * ''Offset'' (EP), a 2018 EP by singer Kim Chung-ha * ''Offset'' (film), a 200 ...

. In 2018, Young Thug released the single " Ride for Me", a collaboration by

A-Trak Alain Macklovitch (born March 30, 1982), known professionally as 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 highl ...

, Falcons, and 24hrs via A-Trak's record label

. He released the EP '' Hear No Evil'' in April 2018. Young Thug co-wrote and provided background vocals on Childish Gambino'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, ''

''.

2019–2022: ''So Much Fun'', ''Slime & B'', and ''Punk''

On May 23, 2019, Young Thug released the single " The London", featuring American rappers

and

. 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 ''

''. 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

, Machine Gun Kelly, 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 prominence following the release of his 2017 mixtapes ''Harder than Hard'' and ''Too Hard'' — the for ...

Lil Uzi Vert Symere Bysil Woods ( ; born July 31, 1995), known professionally as Lil Uzi Vert, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. Born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, they gained initial recognition following the release of the commer ...

, Lil Duke,

21 Savage Shéyaa Bin Abraham-Joseph (born October 22, 1992), known professionally as 21 Savage, is an American-British rapper. Born in London and raised in Atlanta, he began his recording career in 2013 and released three independent mixtapes to regiona ...

, Doe Boy,

Lil Keed Raqhid Jevon Render (March 16, 1998 – May 13, 2022), known professionally as Lil Keed, was an American rapper from Atlanta, Georgia. He was signed to Young Thug's record label YSL Records, as well as 300 Entertainment. His song " Nam ...

Quavo Quavious Keyate Marshall (born April 2, 1991), better known by his stage name Quavo (), is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is best known as the frontman of the now-defunct hip hop group Migos. Formed with his nep ...

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 emerged as a leading figure in the emo rap ...

, 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 actor and comedian Jimmy Fallon that airs on NBC. The show premiered on February 17, 2014, and is produced by Broadway Video and Universal Television. It i ...

'' alongside rapper and fellow labelmate Gunna. On October 31, 2019, "

", a song from ''So Much Fun'' which featured Gunna, received a remix with an additional feature from Travis Scott. The deluxe edition of the album was released on December 20, 2019, with extra guest appearances from Gunna and Travis Scott as well as the "Hot" remix. Breezyparty1

On April 29, 2020, Young Thug and American singer

announced their collaborative mixtape, '' Slime & B''. It was released on May 5, 2020, and features guest appearances from Major Nine, Gunna, Lil Duke,

Too Short Todd Anthony Shaw (born April 28, 1966), better known by his stage name Too Short (stylized as Too $hort), is an American rapper. A pioneer of West Coast hip-hop, Shaw was among the first acts to receive recognition in the genre during the late ...

E-40 Earl Tywone Stevens (born November 15, 1967), better known by his stage name E-40, is an American rapper. Stevens is a founding member of the rap group The Click (band), The Click and the founder of Sick Wid It Records. He has released 27 stud ...

, HoodyBaby, and

. 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 Travis Scott's single " Franchise", which debuted at number one on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, marking Thug's second number-one single. By the end of the year, he had fourteen chart entries on the Hot 100, due to several collaborations with other artists. On April 16, 2021, YSL Records, along with Young Thug and Gunna, released their second compilation album ''

''. The album debuted at number one on the ''Billboard'' 200 and included guest appearances from Travis Scott,

Rowdy Rebel Chad Marshall (born November 24, 1991), known professionally as Rowdy Rebel, is an American rapper. He is a member of the Brooklyn-based GS9 collective, formed by hometown rapper Bobby Shmurda. He is best known for his guest appearance on Pop Sm ...

, YTB Trench,

Coi Leray Coi Leray Collins (born May 11, 1997) is an American rapper and singer. The daughter of rapper and media executive Benzino, she began her musical career in 2018 with the release of her debut mixtape, ''Everythingcoz''. She signed with Republic ...

Big Sean Sean Michael Leonard Anderson (born March 25, 1988), known professionally as Big Sean, is an American rapper. He met Kanye West as a teenager, and signed with his record label GOOD Music, an imprint of Def Jam Recordings in 2007. He gained popul ...

, Nav,

Skepta Joseph Olaitan Adenuga Jr. (born 19 September 1982), known professionally as Skepta, is a British grime MC, rapper, record producer and DJ. Alongside his younger brother Jme, he briefly joined Roll Deep before they became founding members of ...

, Future,

YNW Melly Jamell Maurice Demons (born May 1, 1999), known professionally by his stage name YNW Melly (initialism for Young Nigga World Melly), is an American rapper and singer. He rose to fame in 2018 following the release of his single "Murder on My Mi ...

, BSlime,

Sheck Wes Khadimou Rassoul Cheikh Fall (born September 10, 1998), known professionally as Sheck Wes, is an American rapper. He is best known for his 2018 song "Mo Bamba (song), Mo Bamba", which went viral online before peaking at number six on the Billboa ...

, and

Kid Cudi Scott Ramon Seguro Mescudi (born January 30, 1984), also known by his stage name Kid Cudi ( ; formerly stylized as KiD CuDi), is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, actor, and fashion designer. Born and raised in Clevelan ...

, with production mainly handled by Southside,

Wheezy Wesley Tyler Glass (born October 26, 1992), known professionally as Wheezy, is an American record producer and songwriter. Recognized by his producer tag "Wheezy Outta Here!" (uttered by frequent collaborator Future), he has been credited on com ...

, and

Turbo In an internal combustion engine, a turbocharger (also known as a turbo or a turbosupercharger) is a forced induction device that is powered by the flow of exhaust gases. It uses this energy to compress the intake air, forcing more air into the ...

. 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 and featuring artists such as

DaBaby Jonathan Lyndale Kirk (born December 22, 1991), known professionally as DaBaby (formerly Baby Jesus), is an American rapper. After releasing several mixtapes between 2014 and 2018, he signed with Interscope Records in January 2019 in a joint ...

and

Don Toliver Caleb Zackery "Don" Toliver ( ; born June 12, 1994) is an American rapper and singer. He emerged to fame in 2018 with the release of his debut mixtape, ''Donny Womack'', and his feature on the song "Can't Say" by fellow Houston rapper Travis Sco ...

. In July 2021, Young Thug advertised his second studio album ''

'' 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 "

", the lead single off Drake's album ''

Certified Lover Boy ''Certified Lover Boy'' is the sixth studio album by Canadian rapper Drake, released on September 3, 2021, by OVO Sound and Republic Records. Its production was handled by frequent collaborators 40, Nineteen85, PartyNextDoor, OZ, and Vinylz, a ...

''. On October 15, Thug released his album ''

''. In November 2021,

Kobalt Music Group Kobalt Music Group, Ltd. 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 ...

announced a new global publishing deal with Young Thug, in which the company would handle his publishing administration, global sync, and creative services.

2023–present: ''Business Is Business'' and ''UY Scuti''

In June 2023, while incarcerated, Young Thug's social media accounts posted a QR code which led to a countdown which was set to conclude on June 23. Many of Thug's peers reposted the code, with

confirming that he executive-produced his upcoming album shortly after. On June 23, Young Thug's third studio album, ''Business is Business'' was released with features from Drake, Travis Scott, Future, Lil Uzi Vert, 21 Savage, and more, making for Thug's first project released since his May 2022 arrest. The album debuted at number three on the ''Billboard'' 200 chart, moving 89,000 album-equivalent units in its first week. The album was supported by the single, " Oh U Went" featuring Drake which peaked within the top twenty of the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. The following month, Thug appeared as a feature on "Skitzo", the fourteenth cut of Travis Scott's ''

Utopia A utopia ( ) typically describes an imagined community or society that possesses highly desirable or near-perfect qualities for its members. It was coined by Sir Thomas More for his 1516 book ''Utopia (book), Utopia'', which describes a fictiona ...

''. In January 2024, Thug appeared alongside Metro Boomin on " Pop Ur Shit", the sixth cut of 21 Savage's ''

American Dream The "American Dream" is a phrase referring to a purported national ethos of the United States: that every person has the freedom and opportunity to succeed and attain a better life. The phrase was popularized by James Truslow Adams during the ...

''. In August, he appeared on "

River A river is a natural stream of fresh water that flows on land or inside Subterranean river, caves towards another body of water at a lower elevation, such as an ocean, lake, or another river. A river may run dry before reaching the end of ...

", the eleventh cut of

¥$ ¥$ is an American hip-hop superduo composed of rapper Kanye West and singer Ty Dolla Sign. With the two maintaining a strong relationship during 2023, West invited Ty Dolla Sign to record songs in Tokyo, Italy, and later Saudi Arabia. During t ...

's ''

Vultures 2 ''Vultures 2'' is the second studio album by the American hip-hop supergroup , composed of rapper Kanye West and singer Ty Dolla $ign. It was surprise released under the former's YZY brand on August 3, 2024. Guest performances include Don T ...

''. In the same month, he appeared as a guest apperence on Drake's " It's Up" alongside 21 Savage. Following Thug's release from jail in late 2024, in January 2025, he appeared as a feature alongside Future on " Dum, Dumb, and Dumber", the second cut from Lil Baby's '' WHAM''. The track marked Thug's first official release since his release. In March, he appeared alongside

Ty Dolla Sign Tyrone William Griffin Jr. (born April 13, 1982), known professionally as Ty Dolla Sign (stylized as Ty Dolla $ign or Ty$), is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, and record producer. Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, Griffin gai ...

as a feature on "We Need All Da Vibes", the twenty-first cut from

Playboi Carti Jordan Terrell Carter (born September 13, 1995, or 1996), known professionally as Playboi Carti, is an American rapper. Known for his eccentric vocal style and fashion, he is considered an influential figure in modern Hip hop music, hip hop a ...

's highly anticipated studio album, ''

Music Music is the arrangement of sound to create some combination of Musical form, form, harmony, melody, rhythm, or otherwise Musical expression, expressive content. Music is generally agreed to be a cultural universal that is present in all hum ...

''. In April 2025, Thug announced the release of his fourth studio album, ''

'', teased to be released the following month.

Artistry

Musical style and influence

Young Thug has received both praise and criticism for his eccentric vocal style, which has been described as departing from traditional rap lyricism and sometimes intelligible meaning. Jeff Weiss of ''

BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...

'' called him the "most influential rapper of the 21st century." According to ''

'', "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". ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...

'' 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." ''

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 ...

'' noted his aptitude for creating catchy, melodic hooks. ''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." Young Thug has been noted for his fast working method, with several collaborators observing his tendency to

freestyle Freestyle may refer to: Brands * Reebok Freestyle, a women's athletic shoe * Ford Freestyle, an SUV automobile * Coca-Cola Freestyle, a vending machine * Abbott FreeStyle, a blood glucose monitor by Abbott Laboritories Media * '' FreeStyle'', ...

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. ''

Consequence of Sound ''Consequence'' (previously ''Consequence of Sound'') is an independently owned New York-based online magazine featuring news, editorials, and reviews of music, movies, and television. History ''Consequence of Sound'' was founded in Septem ...

'' stated that "his work is constantly rooted in

improvisation Improvisation, often shortened to improv, is the activity of making or doing something not planned beforehand, using whatever can be found. The origin of the word itself is in the Latin "improvisus", which literally means un-foreseen. Improvis ...

, an inherently thrilling concept that's embedded itself in black music." 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." Young Thug has cited American rapper

as his biggest idol and influence. In an interview with ''

'' magazine he said, "I want to get in the studio with Wayne more than anybody in the world." He has cited mentor

and

as influences.

Image and fashion

Vibe Magazine ''Vibe'' is an American music and entertainment magazine founded by producers David Salzman and Quincy Jones. The publication predominantly features R&B and hip hop music artists, actors and other entertainers. After shutting down production ...

'' called Young Thug "one of the most unpredictable, charismatic, and outlandish personalities in hip hop today."

Rovi TiVo Corporation, formerly known as the Rovi Corporation and Macrovision Solutions Corporation, was an American technology company headquartered in San Jose, California. Now operating as Xperi, the company is primarily involved in licensing ...

called him a "fashion icon". His wardrobe has been described as eccentric and consists predominantly of women's clothing, which he has preferred to wear since age 12. ''

The Seattle Times ''The Seattle Times'' is an American daily newspaper based in Seattle, Washington. Founded in 1891, ''The Seattle Times'' has the largest circulation of any newspaper in the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest region. The Seattle Time ...

'' wrote that "with a fashion sense as unconventional as his rapping, Young Thug can regularly be seen on his

Instagram Instagram is an American photo sharing, photo and Short-form content, short-form video sharing social networking service owned by Meta Platforms. It allows users to upload media that can be edited with Social media camera filter, filters, be ...

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." In an advertisement for

, Thug proclaimed "In my world, you can be a gangsta with a dress or you can be a gangsta with baggy pants." '' Fusion'' described him as "defying gender stereotypes and agitating the way hip-hop defines black

masculinity Masculinity (also called manhood or manliness) is a set of attributes, behaviors, and roles generally associated with men and boys. Masculinity can be theoretically understood as Social construction of gender, socially constructed, and there i ...

, through his eccentric sense of style." He has been compared to

David Bowie David Robert Jones (8 January 194710 January 2016), known as David Bowie ( ), was an English singer, songwriter and actor. Regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, Bowie was acclaimed by critics and musicians, pa ...

Prince A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. The ...

, and

Little Richard Richard Wayne Penniman (December 5, 1932 – May 9, 2020), known professionally as Little Richard, was an American singer, pianist, and songwriter. He was an influential figure in popular music and culture for seven decades. Described as the "Ar ...

. The media has called him gender fluid and

androgynous Androgyny is the possession of both masculine and feminine characteristics. Androgyny may be expressed with regard to biological sex or gender expression. When ''androgyny'' refers to mixed biological sex characteristics in humans, it often r ...

. '' GQ'' called him "at once a hero and an outsider and a leader of the

psychedelic Psychedelics are a subclass of hallucinogenic drugs whose primary effect is to trigger non-ordinary mental states (known as psychedelic experiences or "trips") and a perceived "expansion of consciousness". Also referred to as classic halluci ...

fashion movement of rap hippies." In February 2018, Young Thug rebranded himself as "SEX".

Personal life

Young Thug has six children by four women: three sons and three daughters. He became a father at the age of 17. In April 2015, he became engaged to Jerrika Karlae, who runs a swimsuit line and whose mother managed the late

Young Dolph Adolph Robert Thornton Jr. (July 27, 1985 – November 17, 2021), better known by his stage name Young Dolph, was an American rapper and record executive. He first garnered mainstream attention for his guest appearance on O.T. Genasis' 2015 sin ...

. Thug bought his first home in September 2016 after the release of his mixtape ''Jeffery''. The home, in Buckhead, Atlanta, is more than 11,000 square-feet and has six bedrooms, 11 bathrooms, a full bar, a theater room, and a four-car garage. During his childhood, one of Thug's older brothers was shot and killed in front of his family's home. In April 2020, during a concert livestream, Thug revealed a recent

near-death experience A near-death experience (NDE) is a profound personal experience associated with death or impending death, which researchers describe as having similar characteristics. When positive, which the great majority are, such experiences may encompa ...

of his, stating: In December 2020, Young Thug broke up with his fiancée Jerrika Karlae. In 2021, Thug began to date Atlanta singer

Mariah the Scientist Mariah Amani Buckles (born October 27, 1997), known professionally as Mariah the Scientist, is an American singer and songwriter. She signed with Tory Lanez's One Umbrella and RCA Records to release her debut studio album ''Master'' (2019) and ...

Philanthropy

In December 2016, Thug joined the #fightpovertyagain campaign. On June 29, 2017, Thug donated all proceeds of a sold-out concert to

Planned Parenthood The Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Inc. (PPFA), or simply Planned Parenthood, is an American nonprofit organization

, stating on

Twitter Twitter, officially known as X since 2023, is an American microblogging and social networking service. It is one of the world's largest social media platforms and one of the most-visited websites. Users can share short text messages, image ...

that "I was a teenage parent. Planned+unplanned parenthood is beautiful".

Legal issues

In April 2015, after a

tour bus was fired at by members of the

Bloods The Bloods are a primarily African Americans, African American street gang which was founded in Los Angeles, California. The gang is widely known for Crips–Bloods gang war, its rivalry with the Crips. It is identified by the red color worn ...

street-gang, Young Thug was among those sued by the bus driver alongside

, Young Money Records, and Birdman. A lawsuit was filed against Thug in January 2017 after he failed to show up at a concert in Sahlen's Stadium after he signed a $55,000 contract. This was not the first time a lawsuit was filed against him for not appearing at a concert, as a Texas production company had done the same in April 2016 after he failed to perform at a concert. Thug was cleared of battery in April 2017 after reportedly slapping a woman outside a nightclub the previous month. The woman was arguing with Thug's fiancée, Jerrika Karlae, when Thug allegedly stepped in and struck the woman. The charges were dropped due to a lack of evidence. Young Thug's gun and drug charges were dropped in April 2017 following a raid of his home in

Sandy Springs, Georgia Sandy Springs is a city in northern Fulton County, Georgia, United States, and a suburb of Atlanta. The city's population was 108,080 at the 2020 census, making it Georgia's 7th most populous city. It is the site of several corporate headquar ...

, which resulted in him being charged with felony cocaine possession, felony marijuana possession, and three counts of felony gun possession. Thug's lawyers argued that police conducted the search without a warrant which led to the

district attorney In the United States, a district attorney (DA), county attorney, county prosecutor, state attorney, state's attorney, prosecuting attorney, commonwealth's attorney, or solicitor is the chief prosecutor or chief law enforcement officer represen ...

dropping all charges except felony marijuana possession. It was reported in April 2017 that Thug was being sued by Heritage Select Homes for owing almost $2.2 million in house payments. On September 24, 2017, Thug was arrested in

Brookhaven, Georgia Brookhaven, formerly North Atlanta, is a city in the northeastern suburbs of Atlanta that is located in western DeKalb County, Georgia, United States, directly northeast of Atlanta. On July 31, 2012, Brookhaven was approved in a referendum to b ...

, on multiple drug possession charges and possession of a firearm. He was released on bond three days later. On September 7, 2018, he was charged with possession and intent to distribute meth,

hydrocodone Hydrocodone, also known as dihydrocodeinone, is a semi-synthetic opioid used to treat pain and as a cough suppressant. It is taken by mouth. Typically, it is dispensed as the combination acetaminophen/hydrocodone or ibuprofen/hydrocodone fo ...

, and marijuana. He was also charged with possession of

amphetamine Amphetamine (contracted from Alpha and beta carbon, alpha-methylphenethylamine, methylphenethylamine) is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant that is used in the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), narcolepsy, an ...

alprazolam Alprazolam, sold under the brand name Xanax among others, is a fast-acting, potent tranquilizer of moderate duration within the triazolobenzodiazepine group of chemicals called benzodiazepines. Alprazolam is most commonly prescribed in the ...

codeine Codeine is an opiate and prodrug of morphine mainly used to treat pain, coughing, and diarrhea. It is also commonly used as a recreational drug. It is found naturally in the sap of the opium poppy, ''Papaver somniferum''. It is typically use ...

(2 counts), and a firearm; this indictment was related to his 2017 arrest. On May 9, 2022, Thug was arrested in Atlanta on gang-related charges. Thug and Gunna were among the 28 people associated with YSL who were charged in a 56-count

Georgia RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations) Act The Georgia RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations) Act is a law in the U.S. state of Georgia that makes a form of racketeering a felony. Originally passed on March20, 1980, it is known for being broader than the corresponding fed ...

indictment filed by Fulton County District Attorney

Fani Willis Fani Taifa Willis (; , ; born October 27, 1971) is an American attorney. She is the district attorney of Fulton County, Georgia, which contains most of Atlanta, serving since 2021. She is the first woman to hold the office in Fulton County. Wi ...

. Following a search of his home, he was charged with seven additional felonies related to possession of illegal substances and illegal firearms. He was held at the Fulton County Superior Court. He was denied bond several times and remained in the

Cobb County Cobb County is a county in the U.S. state of Georgia, and is a core county of the Atlanta metropolitan area in the north-central portion of the state. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 766,149. It is the state's third most populous cou ...

Jail until his release on October 31st, 2024. His state RICO criminal trial began on November 27, 2023, Five of his co-defendants stood trial with him. On December 12, 2023, it was agreed that the continuation of the trial would be delayed until January 2024 after his co-defendant Shannon Stillwell was stabbed multiple times during a fight that occurred in the Fulton County Jail. The trial resumed on January 2, 2024. On October 31, 2024, Williams was released from jail after he accepted a plea deal and was sentenced to 40 years: 5 years in prison, 15 years of probation, and a backload of 20 years in prison if probation is violated. Williams' 5 years in prison has been commuted to time served. Williams' release and probation stipulations include him being banned from the

Metro Atlanta Metro Atlanta, designated by the United States Office of Management and Budget as the Atlanta–Sandy Springs–Roswell metropolitan statistical area, is the most populous metropolitan statistical area in the U.S. state of Georgia and the sixt ...

area for 10 years, not making gang-related music, and four annual anti-gang presentations/concerts for Atlanta, alongside having no contact with known gang members or co-defendants (other than Gunna and his biological brother, both of whom were among his co-defendants).

Discography

Studio albums *''

'' (2019) *''

'' (2021) *'' Business Is Business'' (2023) *''

'' (2025)

Awards and nominations

References

External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Young Thug 1991 births Living people 1017 Records artists African-American male rappers American hip-hop singers Asylum Records artists Atlantic Records artists Cash Money Records artists Grammy Award winners MTV Video Music Award winners American trap musicians Rappers from Atlanta Southern hip-hop musicians Bankroll Mafia members African-American male singer-songwriters American male singer-songwriters 21st-century African-American male singers 21st-century American male singers 21st-century American rappers Experimental musicians Rich Gang members People charged with racketeering Progressive rappers Singer-songwriters from Georgia (U.S. state) Singers from Atlanta 300 Entertainment artists