Jeffery Lamar Williams II[6] (born August 16, 1991), known professionally asYoung Thug,[a] is an American rapper. Known for his eccentric vocal style and fashion,[7] he is considered an influential figure in modernhip-hop andtrap music, and a popularizer of themumble rap microgenre.[8][4] Williams began his musical career in 2011, releasing a series ofmixtapes beginning withI Came from Nothing. In 2013, he signed with fellow Atlanta rapperGucci Mane's1017 Records[9] and gained further attention and praise for his debut mixtape with the label,1017 Thug, released in February of that year.[10]
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", Tyga's "Hookah", and Rich Gang's "Lifestyle". That same year, he released a mixtape with Rich Gang titledRich Gang: Tha Tour Pt. 1, and signed a solo recording contract with300 Entertainment, an imprint ofAtlantic Records. In 2015, he released a number of mixtapes to critical acclaim, includingBarter 6 and two installments of hisSlime Season series. Throughout 2016, Williams saw continued success with the release of his commercial mixtapesI'm Up,Slime Season 3, andJeffery.[11] In 2017, Williams guest performed on the worldwide hit "Havana" by singerCamila Cabello, which became his first number-one single on theBillboard Hot 100. The following year, he won theGrammy Award for Song of the Year for his contributions to Childish Gambino's "This Is America".[12]
Williams' debut studio albumSo Much Fun (2019) peaked atop the USBillboard 200 and yielded theBillboard Hot 100 top-20 singles "The London" (featuringJ. Cole andTravis Scott) and "Hot" (featuringGunna). The following year, his single "Go Crazy"—withChris Brown, from their collaborative mixtapeSlime & 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 alongsideM.I.A. on Travis Scott's single "Franchise". In 2021, he did so for a third time with his guest appearance alongsideFuture on Drake's "Way 2 Sexy". His second studio albumPunk was released in October of that year[13] to continued success, followed by his third studio album,Business Is Business, released in 2023 while Williams was incarcerated in Georgia jail.[14] In 2025, he released his fourth studio albumUY Scuti, his first following his release from jail in 2024. In addition to his solo career, he has released two compilation albums with his record labelYSL Records:Slime Language (2018) andSlime Language 2 (2021) to resultant success; the latter debuted atop theBillboard 200.[15]
Williams has had multiple arrests and legal issues, most notably in 2022 when he was charged with violating theGeorgia RICO Act and 63 counts of illegal substance trafficking or firearm possession, alongside 27 other members of YSL.[16] He was held without bail in theFulton County Jail onremand andhis trial began in November 2023, lasting over a year and becoming the longest criminal trial in Georgia history.[17] Williams was released in October 2024 after accepting adeal which saw him pleadno contest to several charges;[18][19] it resulted in him being sentenced to time served and 15 years of probation.[20][21][22]
Early life
Jeffery Lamar Williams was born on August 16, 1991, inAtlanta, Georgia, and is the tenth of eleven children. He is fromSylvan Hills,[23] but grew up in the Jonesboro Southprojects near Cleveland Avenue.[24][10] Other rappers from Jonesboro South includeWaka Flocka Flame,Ludacris and Williams' childhood friendPeewee Longway, from whom Williams lived four doors down.[25][26]
Williams was expelled in the sixth grade for breaking a teacher's arm. He was sent to juvenile prison for four years.[27]
Career
2010–2013: Early career and record deal
Gucci Mane (pictured) was the first to sign Young Thug.
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 hismixtape seriesI Came from Nothing throughout 2011 and 2012, Young Thug caught the attention of fellow Atlanta-based rapperGucci Mane, who went on to sign Young Thug to his label1017 Brick Squad Records, anAsylum andAtlantic imprint, in 2013. Thug released his first project on the label, his fourth mixtape,1017 Thug.[28]
The mixtape received positive reviews from critics, who praised its originality. It appeared inPitchfork's Albums of the Year: Honorable Mention[29] andComplex's list of The 50 Best Albums of 2013.[30]Fact named it the best mixtape of the year,[31] whileRolling Stone ranked it fifth in its 10 Best Mixtapes of 2013,[32] andThe Guardian included it among The Five Best Mixtapes of 2013.[33] 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.[34] The track "Picacho" was similarly well-received, appearing inRolling Stone's 100 Best Songs of 2013,[35]Pitchfork's The Top 100 Tracks of 2013,[36] andSpin's 50 Best Songs of 2013.[37]
In July 2013,Complex included him in their list of 25 New Rappers to Watch Out For.[38] In October 2013, Young Thug released his commercial debut single "Stoner".[39] The song spawned a number of unofficialremixes by several rappers such asWale,Jim Jones,Jadakiss,Iamsu! andTrick-Trick.[40] 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."[41]
In January 2014, Young Thug revealed that he had been offered $8.5 million to sign to rapper Future'sFreebandz record label.[45] In March 2014, Young Thug's affiliation withCash Money Records and its CEO,Birdman, led to speculation about him signing to the label, though the label's publicist later denied the rumors.[46] 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'sRich Gang, and is still signed to 1017 Brick Squad.[47]
In 2014, Young Thug recorded several songs withKanye West, who praised him for his ability to make songs quickly. Thug announced that he had upcoming mixtapes withRich Homie Quan,Chief Keef and Bloody Jay.[40] Young Thug would go on to be featured on the March 2014 cover ofThe Fader.[48] On March 11, 2014, his debut single "Stoner" was serviced torhythmic contemporary radio in the United States by Asylum and Atlantic Records.[49] On March 24, 2014, Young Thug stated his debut album would be titledCarter VI,[50] referencing the highly acclaimedTha Carter album series by American hip-hop superstarLil Wayne,[citation needed] who has been the biggest influence in Young Thug's music career.[50]
Two days later, it was revealed that Young Thug was working on a collaborative album with American record producerMetro Boomin, which was titledMetro 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", was released the same day.[51] In April 2014, Young Thug released a new808 Mafia-produced song titled "Eww", which was named one of the five best songs of the week byXXL.[52] 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.[53]
On June 17, 2014,Kevin Liles confirmed that Young Thug had been officially signed to his andLyor Cohen's label300 Entertainment.[54] 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 released "Old English", the first single from their compilation albumMass Appeal Vol. 1, which features Young Thug alongside fellow American rappersASAP Ferg andFreddie Gibbs.[55][56] On October 16, 2014, "Take Kare" featuring Young Thug and Lil Wayne was released; it was the first single from Cash Money Records'sRich Gang 2 compilation.[57] The December 4, 2014, issue ofRolling Stone called Young Thug the "most exciting new voice of hip-hop" and "hip-hop's new crown prince".[58] At the end of the year, music criticRobert Christgau namedBlack Portland—Young Thug's collaborative mixtape with Bloody Jay—the fourth best album of 2014.[59]
Young Thug performing in 2016
In 2015, a series of data breaches resulted in the release of hundreds of tracks from Young Thug's archives to the Internet.[60] Young Thug's planned debut album was set for release in 2015, and was said to be namedCarter 6, in homage to Lil Wayne's upcoming album,Tha Carter V.[61][62] Lil Wayne was not happy about the tribute, telling the audience of a show in April 2015 to "stop listening" to Young Thug.[63] After saying he had been threatened with lawsuits, Young Thug announced that he was changing the title toBarter 6 and clarified that it would be a mixtape rather than his debut album.[64] Young Thug announced April 18, 2015, that his official debut album will be titledHy!£UN35, to be read as "HiTunes".[65]
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."[66][67]
In 2015, Thug released the compilation mixtapesSlime Season andSlime Season 2, which were well received.[60] 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.[68] Young Thug appeared on West's 2016 albumThe Life of Pablo,[69] and West tweeted that he would release further collaborations with Young Thug onTidal.[70]
In July 2015, 300 Entertainment released a promotional single, "Pacifier", in support of Young Thug's debut albumHy!£UN35. The song features production fromMike Will Made It, and was noted by critics for its experimentation with more extreme vocalscatting.[71][72] On February 4, 2016, Young Thug released a mixtape titledI'm Up.[73] On March 26, 2016, he released the final installment of theSlime Season series withSlime Season 3,[74] 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 artistsDae Dae,TM88, andRich The Kid.[75]
Young Thug was featured inCalvin Klein's Fall 2016 fashion campaign, along withFrank Ocean among others. On July 9, 2016, he announced his self-titled mixtapeJeffery was coming out soon.[76] On August 16, 2016, Thug announced he would change his name to "No, My Name Is Jeffery" for the week ofJeffery's release.[77] 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.[78] The artworkwent viral and prompted a wide range of responses on social media.[79] In November 2016, he announced he was starting his own record label imprint calledYSL Records.[80]
In March 2017, Young Thug was featured on the songs "Sacrifices" and "Ice Melts" fromDrake's commercial mixtapeMore Life.[81] He was featured onCalvin Harris' song "Heatstroke" along withAriana Grande andPharrell Williams, released in March 2017.[82] In April 2017, Young Thug announced the commercial mixtapeBeautiful Thugger Girls, originally titledE.B.B.T.G.[83] The project was executive-produced by Drake and was released on June 16, 2017.[84] In August, Thug featured onCamila Cabello's single "Havana", which peaked at number one on theBillboard Hot 100, marking his first number-one hit.[85] In September 2017, he released a joint EP withDJ Carnage titledYoung Martha.[86] In October 2017, Thug released a collaborative mixtape with Future titledSuper Slimey. It includes tracks recorded by each of the artists individually as well as both together, and features guest vocals from rapperOffset.[87]
In 2018, Young Thug released the single "Ride for Me", a collaboration byA-Trak, Falcons, and 24hrs via A-Trak's record labelFool's Gold.[88] He released the EPHear No Evil in April 2018.[89] Young Thug co-wrote[90] and provided background vocals[91] on Childish Gambino's "This Is America", which debuted at number one on theBillboard Hot 100 chart for May 19, 2018.[92] In August 2018, he released another compilation album,Slime Language.[93]
On May 23, 2019, Young Thug released the single "The London", featuring American rappersJ. Cole andTravis Scott. On the same day, also announced his forthcoming debut studio album, which was originally calledGold Mouf Dog.[94] On July 19, 2019, Young Thug announced that the album had been renamed toSo Much Fun.[95] 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 fromFuture,Machine Gun Kelly,Gunna,Lil Baby,Lil Uzi Vert,Lil Duke,21 Savage,Doe Boy,Lil Keed,Quavo,Juice Wrld,Nav, J. Cole, and Travis Scott.[96] The album debuted at number one on the USBillboard 200.
On October 20, 2019, Young Thug appeared onThe Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon alongside rapper and fellow labelmateGunna.[97] On October 31, 2019, "Hot", a song fromSo 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.[citation needed]
Slime & B, his 2020 collaborative mixtape withChris Brown (pictured), spawned the single "Go Crazy", Thug's highest-charting single as a lead artist.
On April 29, 2020, Young Thug and American singerChris Brown announced their collaborative mixtape,Slime & B. It was released on May 5, 2020,[98] and features guest appearances fromMajor Nine,Gunna,Lil Duke,Too Short,E-40, HoodyBaby, andFuture. The mixtape's lead single, "Go Crazy", peaked at number three on theBillboard Hot 100, becoming Thug's highest-charting single as a lead artist. On September 25, Thug was featured alongside British rapperM.I.A. on Travis Scott's single "Franchise", which debuted at number one on theBillboard 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.[99]
On April 16, 2021, YSL Records, along with Young Thug and Gunna, released their second compilation albumSlime Language 2. The album debuted at number one on theBillboard 200 and included guest appearances from Travis Scott,Drake,Rowdy Rebel,Lil Baby, YTB Trench,Lil Uzi Vert,Coi Leray,Big Sean, Nav,Skepta, Future,YNW Melly, BSlime,Sheck Wes, andKid Cudi, with production mainly handled bySouthside,Wheezy, andTurbo. It was supported by two singles, "Take It to Trial" and "That Go!".[100] A deluxe edition was released on April 23, containing eight new songs and featuring artists such asDaBaby andDon Toliver.[101][102]
In July 2021, Young Thug advertised his second studio albumPunk with a release date of October 15, 2021. The album was originally announced in August 2019 and was expected shortly after the release ofSo 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 theBillboard Hot 100 for the third time in his career with his feature alongside Future on "Way 2 Sexy", the lead single offDrake's albumCertified Lover Boy. On October 15, Thug released his albumPunk.[citation needed]
In November 2021,Kobalt Music Group announced a new global publishing deal with Young Thug, in which the company would handle his publishing administration, global sync, and creative services.[103]
In June 2023, while incarcerated, Young Thug's social media accounts posted aQR code which led to a countdown which was set to conclude on June 23. Many of Thug's peers reposted the code, withMetro Boomin confirming that he executive-produced his upcoming album shortly after.[104][105] 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.[17][106] The album debuted at number three on theBillboard 200 chart, moving 89,000 album-equivalent units in its first week.[107] The album was supported by the single, "Oh U Went" featuring Drake which peaked within the top twenty of theBillboard Hot 100.[108] The following month, Thug appeared as a feature on "Skitzo", the fourteenth cut of Travis Scott'sUtopia.[109]
In January 2024, Thug appeared alongside Metro Boomin on "Pop Ur Shit", the sixth cut of 21 Savage'sAmerican Dream.[110] In August, he appeared on "River", the eleventh cut of¥$'sVultures 2.[111] In the same month, he appeared as a guest apperence on Drake's "It's Up" alongside 21 Savage.[112] Following Thug's release from jail in late 2024,[20] in January 2025, he appeared as a feature alongside Future on "Dum, Dumb, and Dumber", the second cut from Lil Baby'sWHAM.[113] The track marked Thug's first official release since his release.[113] In March, he appeared alongsideTy Dolla Sign as a feature on "We Need All Da Vibes", the twenty-first cut fromPlayboi Carti's highly anticipated studio album,Music.[114]
In April 2025, Thug announced the release of his fourth studio album,UY Scuti, teased to be released the following month. It was released on September 26, 2025.[115]
Artistry
Musical style and influence
Young Thug has received both praise and criticism for his eccentric vocal style,[31] which has been described as departing from traditional rap lyricism and sometimes intelligible meaning.[116] Jeff Weiss ofBBC called him the "most influential rapper of the 21st century."[8] According toThe Fader, "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."[10]Pitchfork called his style "extraordinarily distinctive" and "a weird, experimental approach to rapping" while praising his "presence, persona, mystique, and, potentially, star power".[117]
Billboard 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."[118]Complex noted his aptitude for creating catchy, melodichooks.[119]XXL called him a "rap weirdo", stating that "Thug's charisma, unhinged flow and hooks make his music intriguing."[120] Critic Sheldon Pearce wrote that "Thug understands the modern pop song construction better than anyone: anything and everything can be a hook."[121]
Young Thug has been noted for his fast working method,[122] with several collaborators observing his tendency tofreestyle tracks live in the studio or quickly develop lyrics on the spot.[123] He doesn't write down lyrics on paper, but has been known to plan lyrics by drawing shapes and signs.[123]Consequence of Sound stated that "his work is constantly rooted inimprovisation, an inherently thrilling concept that's embedded itself in black music."[124] Discussing his work, Williams has claimed the ability to write a hit song in ten minutes[116] 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."[10] Young Thug has cited American rapperLil Wayne as his biggest idol and influence.[125] In an interview withComplex magazine he said, "I want to get in the studio with Wayne more than anybody in the world."[125] He has cited mentorGucci Mane[126] andKanye West as influences.[127]
Image and fashion
Vibe Magazine called Young Thug "one of the most unpredictable, charismatic, and outlandish personalities in hip-hop today."[128]Rovi called him a "fashion icon".[129] His wardrobe has been described as eccentric and consists predominantly of women's clothing, which he has preferred to wear since age 12.[130]The Seattle Times wrote that "with a fashion sense as unconventional as his rapping, Young Thug can regularly be seen on hisInstagram 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."[25]
In an advertisement forCalvin Klein, Thug proclaimed "In my world, you can be a gangsta with a dress or you can be a gangsta with baggy pants."[131]Fusion described him as "defying gender stereotypes and agitating the way hip-hop defines blackmasculinity, through his eccentric sense of style."[132] He has been compared toDavid Bowie,Prince, andLittle Richard.[133] The media has called himgender fluid andandrogynous.[134]GQ called him "at once a hero and an outsider and a leader of thepsychedelic fashion movement of rap hippies."[135]
In February 2018, Young Thug rebranded himself as "Sex".[136]
Personal life
Young Thug has six children by four women: three sons and three daughters. He became a father at the age of 17.[137] In April 2015, he became engaged to Jerrika Karlae, who runs a swimsuit line and whose mother managed the lateYoung Dolph.[138] Thug bought his first home in September 2016 after the release of his mixtapeJeffery.[139] The home, in Buckhead, Atlanta, is more than 11,000 square-feet and has six bedrooms, eleven bathrooms, a full bar, a theater room, and a four-car garage.[140]
During his childhood, one of Thug's older brothers was shot and killed in front of his family's home.[141]
In April 2020, during a concert livestream, Thug revealed a recentnear-death experience of his, stating:
I kinda just stayed in the bed and I was like, 'Yo, call the ambulance. I can't move my body, then later, when the ambulance came, I couldn't get out of bed. They had to get me out of the bed, basically. I felt like my whole body was numb and I couldn't move. I went to the hospital and I had found out that I had liver and kidney failure. And I kinda had sorta passed away, like I kinda died.[141][142]
In December 2020, Young Thug broke up with his fiancée Jerrika Karlae.[143] In 2021, Thug began to date Atlanta singerMariah the Scientist; on October 1, 2025, the pair ended their relationship.[144][145][146]
Philanthropy
In December 2016, Thug joined the #fightpovertyagain campaign.[147] On June 29, 2017, Thug donated all proceeds of a sold-out concert toPlanned Parenthood, stating onTwitter that "I was a teenage parent. Planned+unplanned parenthood is beautiful."[148]
A lawsuit was filed against Thug in January 2017 after he failed to show up at a concert inSahlen's Stadium after he signed a $55,000 contract.[150] 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.[151]
Thug was cleared of battery in April 2017 after reportedly slapping a woman outside a nightclub the previous month.[152] 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.[153]
Young Thug's gun and drug charges were dropped in April 2017 following a raid of his home inSandy Springs, Georgia, which resulted in him being charged with felony cocaine possession, felony marijuana possession, and three counts of felony gun possession.[154] Thug's lawyers argued that police conducted the search without a warrant which led to thedistrict attorney dropping all charges except felony marijuana possession.[155] It was reported in April 2017 that Thug was being sued by Heritage Select Homes for owing almost $2.2 million in house payments.[156]
On September 24, 2017, Thug was arrested inBrookhaven, Georgia, on multiple drug possession charges and possession of a firearm.[157] He was released on bond three days later.[158] On September 7, 2018, he was charged with possession and intent to distribute meth,hydrocodone, and marijuana. He was also charged with possession ofamphetamine,alprazolam,codeine (2 counts), and a firearm;[159] this indictment was related to his 2017 arrest.[160]
Hisstate RICO criminal trial began on November 27, 2023,[167][168] Five of his co-defendants stood trial with him.[169] 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.[170] The trial resumed on January 2, 2024.[171] 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.[172][173][174] Williams' 5 years in prison has been commuted to time served.[175][176][177] Williams' release and probation stipulations include him being banned from theMetro Atlanta area for 10 years, not making gang-related music, and making four annual anti-gang presentations/concerts for Atlanta, along with 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).[178][179]
Starting in August 2025, various jail calls of Williams have leaked, allegedly dissing various figures such as Gunna,Kendrick Lamar, Future,GloRilla,J. Cole, Drake, andAndré 3000, as well as implying thatBusiness Is Business, alongside Gunna's albumsA Gift & a Curse andDS4Ever, had theirBillboard numbers inflated by fake streams.[180][181]
^Ortiz, Edwin; Frydenlund, Zach; Mench, Chris; Gale, Alex; Turner, Gus; Khal; Tharpe, Frazier; Klinkenberg, Brendan; Diaz, Angel (September 7, 2016)."The 20 Best Rappers in Their 20s (Right Now)".Complex.Archived from the original on July 16, 2021. RetrievedJuly 16, 2021.
^Watts, Devin Friedman, Ben (February 16, 2016)."What Planet Is Young Thug From?".Archived from the original on October 13, 2017. RetrievedSeptember 19, 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
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