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Young Thug: The Sound of a New Generation
It’s not a stretch to say that Young Thug is the most original and captivating character in rap today. Known for his palpable charisma and bombastic delivery, Thugger has been able to build a loyal and feverish congregation with little more than a few MP3s and an endless stream of unpredictable antics.
Young Thug has always had a way with words. The most recent winner of the Grammy Award for back-up vocals and ad-libs on Childish Gambino’s This is America, he’s also won the hearts of many listeners with his inventive wordplay and sing-songy cadences. His last album So Much Fun debuted at number one in the United States, showing off all his musical contrasts.
The success of the album may be attributed to its “reserved” sound. The lyrics and themes are still aggressive and confrontational, but it lacks the instrumental experimentation of his previous album Carter III. He also did not include any collaborations with other artists on this album like he has in his past albums which might account for its lack of critical and commercial success.
Not many artists can say they’ve had a number one album and 11 spots on the Billboard Hot 100, but that’s exactly what Young Thugga did. With Post Malone on his track “Goodbyes,” Thugga is still dominating the charts and streaming numbers. His love for unconventional sounds has also inspired many new artists who will be coming up in the next few years.
Atlanta’s Rap Scene is the Hottest in the World
Thug aka Young Thug, broke out with his distinct sound. Rapper Drake said that all he knew about Atlanta was that “Thug came from there.” His music is characterized by throaty vocals and lyrics which are often delivered in a sing-song form. One of the most notable artists from this era is Thug – his unconventional adlibs and melodic wails have been gracing Atlanta’s clubs and cars since he was a teenager. But he never had a chance to become a true industry star due to his offbeat style and stubbornness.
When I first heard of Thug back in the early 2010s, I didn’t know what to make of him. He was always considered something different–too out there, too weird, too wild for mainstream music. Hip-hop albums had rules that you followed, and he had no respect for them. The conventional narrative about Thug’s convention-melting screeches and warbles was that he would never create a chart-topping festival-headlining star. That was before this decade of hip-hop had largely set the tone.
Hip hop is constantly evolving – but there are certain artists that standout as ones who have had the most impact on present day trends. For instance, Atlanta rappers has been making waves in the industry since the late 1990s. His influence over tracks like February’s Three Headed Snake from Gunna can be seen in many albums thanks to his time with Young Thug’s label YSL. It might seem like he disappeared off the scene but rappers like Gunna and Lil Baby (both Thug protégés) broke beyond local fame to national names.
Imitation is often confused for homage, but there’s a difference between the two. For instance, if you’re paying tribute to someone’s work, it means that you’re honoring them by doing your best to recreate their artistry or craftsmanship. This can be done through imitation (i.e. recreating the work), or through tribute (i.e. appreciating their accomplishment).
Why Young Thug is the future of rap
When we think about rap today, we naturally associate it with artists such as Migos and Thugger. It is important to note, however, that these individuals wouldn’t have been able to exist without Lil Wayne – an artist who even those in the rap community acknowledge as a legend. He made rap lyrically diverse and expansive by adding slurred codeine hexes to his songs, but in a world where hip-hop is evolving at the speed of light, these Lil Wayne is a legend and as important for paving the way in 2021 as he was when they first came onto the scene in 2000.
To understand who Young Thug is, one must go back to the beginning of the decade when he first released his mixtapes. In these original recordings, one can find a completely different sound from his later work with songs like “Kanye West” and “Laugh Now Cry Later.” However, even with songs like “I Came From Nothing 2,” Young thug remains in awe of Wayne, his inspiration for most of his early songs. Even in songs like “Keep In Touch,” which has a seemingly limitless potential, Young Thug still finds inspiration from his idol.
Young Thug’s breakout album, Stoner, was released on September 20th, 2013. Young Thug is a rapper with Atlanta roots who had already been on the underground rap scene for years before he first gained attention on the mainstream stage. His music doesn’t fit neatly into one genre, but rather shifts fluidly between genres including trap rap, hip-hop, and synthpop. Stoner was an entirely different breed of single compared to what was out then.
Young Thug Makes a Splash
There are so many rich aspects of Young Thug’s music career. One of the most notable achievements was his collaboration with fellow Atlanta MC Rich Homie Quan, aptly titled the Rich Gang project. This project fulfilled Quan’s boast that they were the “hardest duo since OutKast” due to their charismatic lyrics and energetic beats. Young Thug also has a solo career which is full of surprises.
2015’s Barter 6 is an innovative project by Young Thug. His most innovative song, Halftime, features a variety of rap styles and different flows. It’s unlike any other song in the industry with its quick style change-ups.
The rap game is a tough one, and it’s hard to know which rapper will have the most success. But there are some things that might help determine who’ll be successful. For example, if both rappers are making similar music, then an artist with more popularity might have better luck. There are also other factors, like how well you work with other artists on your team. And finally, an artist’s stage presence can have a significant impact – for instance, being able to put on a killer live show even if you’re not the biggest name in the game.
To date, many of Young Thug’s proteges have been unable to capture the full significance of his rap career. In each instance, it seems as though they have captured a small parcel of what has made Thug so memorable and timetable. Future and Thugger are the most prominent Atlanta rappers, but their younger counterparts Gunna and Lil Baby are quickly becoming stars in their own right.
Young Thug Is Leading Hip-Hop’s Wave of Emotional Sobriety
Although Young Thug has had an influence on rap, he does not want to be the only one. He wants there to be other rappers who are influenced by him. Playboi Carti’s triangulating of Chicago rapper Chief Keef and Atlanta-born rapper Young Thug has created a new wave in rap. The genre now sounds like what would happen if Lil Wayne was put on cocaine with Migos.
One of the most challenging aspects of an art’s evaluation is how it compares to other pieces. There are many layers to weigh when deciding if a work or song was influenced by another. For example, Uzi Vert’s music video for XO Tour Llif3 may have been influenced by Lil Uzi and Young Thug. But what about the viewer? The person watching this video and hearing these lyrics who is not necessarily a fan of either artist? And how does this music video compare to others in the genre?
The MTV Music Awards have been around for nearly 30 years, but no performance could match that of Eminem in 2000. Ostensibly to represent the aggrieved middle-American white boys who’ve always felt excluded from rap, he performed with a hundred clones of himself– all dressed in bleached denim, white tees, and jeans. The idea was that he embodied these seethingly resentful young men who previously were only able to see themselves through the lens of public ridicule.
They couldn’t hold a candle to the original.
There’s a reason Eminem is so prolific, and it’s not just because he’s talented. It’s also because he didn’t have to deal with major labels trying to turn him into their own version of “Em”. After he blew up from his Dr. Dre collaboration, every label tried to produce their own version of Eminem – but they couldn’t hold a candle to the original.
The best way to stay relevant these days is to give the people what they want. With so many distractions, it’s hard for artists and companies alike to stay at the top of their game. However, giving the people what they want seems to be a winning recipe for staying relevant. In this case, Young Thug has been doing a great job at keeping his music fresh with every release- from new singles to collaborations with other musicians.
