In case you hadn't heard, Young Thug's Slime Season is out, and it's just the game-changer we expected it to be, showcasing an even more confident and experimental Thugger than we heard on Barter 6. The HNHH community, and the rest of those listeners whom had been weary of Thug's flamboyant style and bizarre viral antics, is starting to come around. To be fair, early in his career, when he was at his most prolific, Thug wasn't nearly as consistent as he is now. Slime Season now proves, however, that rap's most bewildering personality has found a sound that he's comfortable with -- and a close knit group of producers who understand the type of mood and space that he needs to properly be himself on a track.
The effect of the producers on Slime Season, and throughout Thugger's entire come-up, cannot be understated. A hot beat is a hot beat, and the beats on Slime Season are undeniable. Some credit, though, goes back to Thugga, as you likely haven't heard beats like this because no other rapper can navigate them so seamlessly.
Here are the top 5 beats on Slime Season. Download the whole mixtape here.
"Mine"
Allen Ritter
Allen Ritter is having a huge year, landing beats on 9 tracks on Travi$ Scott's Rodeo. He came up alongside Vinylz, and then Boi-1da, getting a placement on two Drake tracks, "No New Friends" and "The Language" in 2013. Most often you'll still see his name next to Boi-1da and/or Vinylz, as on If You're Reading This Its Too Late, and Slime Season's "Mine" is one of his only solo productions of the year. Interestingly, he also produced Thug's "Paradise," leaked in July, which surprisingly didn't make the new mixtape.
Like many of Slime Season's instrumentals, "Mine" is a rather soft, subtle production. Its careful synth line has a creeping sense of funk that mimics Thug's infectious mischief-making.
"That's All"
Goose
As Thug continues to experiment with a pop sound -- which he will -- Goose is gonna be one of his main guys. "That's All" is the definitive pop tune on Slime Season, and somehow, it's still 100 percent Young Thug. Goose takes elements of pop and other sounds we've been hearing on the radio, namely EDM, and places them in complex arrangements as colorful as Thug's personality. Goose also produced "Calling Your Name," which makes a beat out of a hyper-pitched Ellie Goulding sample. The guy's palate isn't focused on traditional Atlanta hip-hop and/or trap, and thus, he makes songs that can lend Thug's eccentricities toward a larger audience. Pop star? Sex symbol? Stay tuned.
"Power"
London on da Track
The distant, ghostly sirens that London laces on many of his tracks, creating a haunting, immersive atmosphere, will soon become as recognizable as the 808 Mafia "Kill Bill" sound. His piano melodies are almost heartbreaking, but placed underneath smooth but snapping drum rollouts, you can't help but press repeat. You ever wonder why a Thug song can feel so deep -- unlocking emotions rarely touched on in hip-hop? No? Well, I do. And much of that credit goes to London.
"Overdosin"
Ricky Racks
Ricky Racks is one of the lesser-knowns on the tape, but he's the next to blow up. Racks also produced "Best Friend," also fire, but the beat on "Overdosin" immediately stands out as one the biggest, most consuming on the project. The simple production consists of hollowed-out percussion and booming bass. It sounds like a slowed down grime beat, and despite its overpowering energy, it bears little trap influence. Its dark minimalism is about the only thing that could create a banger out of a track about overdosing on drugs -- albeit, its seemingly all in good fun -- though it's the second straight Thug project on which he plays with such deadly behavior. Don't try it at home.
"Draw Down"
London on da Track
Personally, I was a bit disconcerted upon discovering that Slime Season wouldn't entirely be a collaborative project with London on da Track. Luckily, though, young London contributed 6 beats, and where he was absent, we got Sonny Digital, Southside, Metro Boomin, as well as the other guys on this list. In any case, London is Thug's right-hand man, and we hope it stays that way. No other producer brings the same level of depth to his music. His ability to create a mood makes him reminiscent of a veteran composer of film scores.
Subtle touches like shifts in his drum patterns and barely audible splashes of piano allow Thugga to seamlessly switch up his flows and allow the listener to just sit back and coast along to the weird, vibrant, and increasingly complex energy of these two innovators.