On February 11th, 2016, approximately 70 minutes into Kanye West’s YEEZY Season 3 fashion show-turned-album premiere at Madison Square Garden, the aux cord started to get passed around like it’s a college dorm room and not one of the most renowned arenas ever constructed. When somebody - I’m assuming Kanye, considering he can be seen losing his shit to the song in Paris years ago - played one of Young Thug’s earliest hits, “Danny Glover,” the models (which included a wonderfully apathetic Mr. Williams himself up until that point), who were under strict rules to not whisper, smile, sing (unless instructed), move fast, move slow or basically do anything that took away from their auditions to be extras on HBO’s "Westworld," absolutely lost their shit. And who can blame them? That’s the natural reaction once a Thugger song gets past the primary stage of alien unfamiliarity and finds its way into the depths of your initially resistant psyche
A few songs before that joyous celebration, Thug himself had hijacked the aux cord - right in the middle of Kanye’s premiere of the Post Malone and Ty Dolla $ign assisted “Fade” - and teased a single from his Slime Season 3 in jaw-dropping fashion. “Fuck all that let’s get to it,” the track began, before recklessly bursting into a hook that goes: “she suck on that dick on a plane and I just called her airhead.” As Thug wheezed over the speakers (“whoo, hee”), the live reactions of older Kardashian family affiliates as well as young models who couldn’t help but bob their heads flashed across the screen. It felt like Thug had finally arrived.
However, and if you’re a Thug fan this probably feels all too familiar, “With Them” was never properly pushed as a single and SS3 barely out performed his previous releases. “With Them” still doesn’t even have a music video (neither does the other cult single from that tape, “Digits”). SS3 got him more new fans than ever before, but Thug was still an outsider to the industry. But Thug wouldn’t be Thug, he wouldn’t be the renegade he is, if he cared about any of this - with I’m Up, SS3 and Jeffery, Thug had secured three top five rap debuts in a row. As far as he was concerned, he was still winning.
On September 7th, seven months after the MSG spectacle, Thug interrupted yet another fashion show - this time, it was one he was directly involved in mentoring. When I half-heartedly scrolled through Twitter that night, only to see Thug get up during the VFiles show at New York’s Fashion week (the same show that spawned the baby blue Alessandro Trincone gown he’d sport on the Jeffery cover), draped in various shades of red, looking like a model himself except for that loud blunt smoking away at the corner of his mouth, my jaw didn’t just hit the floor, it went clean through the foundation of my apartment. Where this man gets the audacity to do half the shit he does I may never understand, but what I do relate to is the passion - the “fuck what they have to say” mentality behind it all - that’s evident from the way he carries himself to the consistently spellbinding music he produces.
Unfortunately, it’s this same level of passion that can easily be mistaken for crude arrogance and gross ignorance when something like the Alaska Airlines incident occurs. Thug trying to reconcile having come from nothing to now flying high above everyone is an inner struggle I’m sure we’ll witness more than once throughout his career. Although he’s all but cleaned up his imagine this year, I’m afraid his enthusiasm, well intentioned or otherwise, will always be difficult to reel in. But as long as he keeps himself surrounded by the likes of Mama Duck, I’m certain his heart will stay pure.
2016 was a strange year for Young Thug, musically. He made some great strides as a songwriter and continued to developed his voice as an MC, but the output wasn’t nearly as mystifying as his 2015 work. It felt like a rebuilding year of sorts after the previous year’s chaos. His best performances were as likely to be found on an obscure features as they were on his highly publicized tapes. But then again, some of his most highly publicized features - Kanye West’s “Highlights,” Usher’s “No Limit,” Chris Brown’s “Wrist (Remix)” - paled in comparison to the staggering experimentation found in his solo work.
This unpredictability is a crucial part of what makes Thug such an exciting artist to follow. This list is an attempt to make sense of all this. Excluding very dope leaks like “Roc Wit U” or “Serious,” or 2015 cuts like “Hercules,” and weighing vocal performances and standout features alongside solo songs, this is a list of Thug’s best work this year. As we cautiously move into the new year (and pray it’s not as trying as the one we just survived), join me in celebrating 52 of the best Young Thug songs of 2016.
Duke - “Get It Up” (ft. Young Thug)
Thug and Duke have never missed, and they can almost always be found on each other’s projects. The former, a mentor of sorts to Duke, always brings out the best in the latter, and “Get It Up,” one of their many collabs this year, is no exception. This song is a gem first and foremost because it finally sees Thug over a Goose beat once again. It only helps that he does the uplifting instrumental justice as he brags about putting everything on Mama Duck’s brand new truck but some miles (aww, how thoughtful of him).
Duke - “Can’t Sleep” (ft. Young Thug)
Another one with these two, “Can’t Sleep” features strong performances from both MCs. Alongside an emphatic Duke, Thug seems equally done with the struggle; he’s tired of “pullin’ moves” and says dudes be having “Beyonce “Formation”” in their jaws (read: “niggas be running with the cops”). The way he yodels is truly a thing of beauty.
“With Them”
Wait! Before you close this list, throw your laptop against a wall and start plotting to take my life, keep in mind that this list is a mix of Thug’s best songs and vocal performances from the past year. Meaning, yes...there are 49 other Thug songs and verses that I think are more noteworthy than his admittedly unforgettable performance on “With Them.” From the show-stopping (literally) hook to the tongue twister verses (seriously, try rapping “early morning, got a dentist appointment, lil' bitch you can check out the dentures plate (check it out!)” with as much swagger as Thug), this is a great showcase of Thug’s lyrical capabilities.
“Special” (ft. Offset & Solo Lucci)
The superior of the two Mike WiLL Made It collabs this year, “Special” sees Thug flexing his vocals in a way that makes his rumored collab with Jamaican dancehall artist Mavado make more sense than ever before. The distinct, defiant hook is followed by a great verse that opens with “my diamonds they shine of course, fuck her with a Charley horse, pull up let lil Dolly bust,” and only gets better from there (at one point, Thug’s girl asks Lucci to leave so that they can get intimate, only to have Thug reply “I told her he cannot go/he got to stay with me with .44's”).
D.R.A.M. - “Misunderstood” (ft. Young Thug)
I would love to see Thug be the frontman for a Led Zeppelin cover band, except he exclusively sings in autotune. He’s proven himself to be a capable vocalist without the use of such an aid, but that’s the thing - it’s not an aid in Thug’s hands: it’s a talkbox in the hands of Peter Frampton, a vocoder at Kanye West’s disposal. “What is there to kill about,” crackles Thug’s voice, cutting straight through the funky groove of D.R.A.M. and Ricky Reed’s composition. “Fuck the cops they killing us, their kids not real as us,” he declares, with sincerity that no amount of electronic cover up can mask.
Ralo - Let It Go (ft. Young Thug & Trouble)
Ralo is a passionate MC. “Let It Go,” off of Diary of the Streets 2, enlists the help of two other equally affecting Atlanta rappers and serves a cautionary tale of growing up on the streets. Thug isn’t as insightful as Ralo or Trouble during his verses, but his harmonies elevate the track while his multiple interludes see him waxing poetic over the unpredictable nature of life. “I promise you, you’ll thank me later - but thank me now, you dig,” he states, his words feeling eerily omnipresent.
“Guwop” (ft. Young Scooter, Quavo & Offset)
Although the posse cuts on Jeffery are the weakest tracks, “Guwop” features such a heavenly Thug verse that it’d be a shame not to shower it with praise. Remember when Chance the Rapper did an awful impersonation of Thug on Coloring Book’s “Mixtape?” Well Thug repurposes the same exact flow here and not a single thing about it feels forced. Halfway through his colorful verse he pleads with the audience: “Pardon me, pardon my soul,” he begs, before winking at the camera, “I’ll crack a smile for the folks.”
Gucci Mane - “I Told You” (ft. Young Thug)
One of Gucci and Thug's two collabs this year, “I Told You” took a minute to grow on me. The Zaytoven & Mike WiLL Made It beat feels rushed, and the whole track sounds kind of unfinished. But eventually, after I got past my initial expectations for a track as big as “Guwop Home,” I started to hate myself for ever denying how fun this song is. Even if it was probably made in seven minutes or whatever, Gucci and Thug strive under such pressure and both their verses are awesome. Thug, specifically, uses the same wild flow that was teased in an Instagram snippet of his prior to the release of Jeffery (“Triple T (Maintain),” which has since been debut on a radio station as a Twice song, was never officially released).
Twice - “Triple T (Maintain)” (ft. Young Thug & Trez)
And here’s the radio rip of that song. Thug has a tendency to ride for his affiliates so hard that he seems to give away finished songs, and that’s exactly what seems to be the case here. Both Twice and Trez deliver solid verses, but it’s Thugger’s intense hook and sporadic flows that carry this cut. “Charcoal charcoal nigga, drinkin' on some purple, yeah/On my Barney bitch, I'm drinkin' cups of purple, yeah,” he blissfully squawks.
DJ Carnage - “Don’t Call Me” (ft. Young Thug & Shakka)
Two weeks ago, when I saw Thug live at Terminal 5 in NYC - the last show of the "HiHorse’d" Tour - he brought out DJ Carnage (along with Future, Usher, Remy Ma, Wyclef Jean and more) who promptly announced that a collaboration EP entitled Young Martha was on the way. Last night, at 4 AM, I stumbled upon a 12 second snippet for a song supposedly off of this EP. I couldn’t sleep for the next hour. While “Don’t Call Me” isn’t as crazy as this new snippet sounds, it’s an understated and overlooked collaboration between Carnage, Thug and singer from London, Shakka. Unlike his usual features, where he takes over a track by force, “Don’t Call Me” sees Thug taking the backseat to Shakka, until he finally emerges, front and center in his poncho, with a tightly wound 16 for his fans (“I got bitches with me, I got on a poncho,” is a line made exclusively for the Stans).
Duke - “Stand Up Niggas” (ft. Young Thug)
The last of Duke’s songs Thug appeared on this year. Thug's verse starts of with him feeling slighted (“bae would you ride?/bae would you die?/bitch you just lyin’/I looked in your eyes, I seen it/you bitch, disguised it”) but quickly opens up into a layered passage filled with trademark Thug references (the Tooth Fairy, "Belly," "Boyz n the Hood," "Hannah Montana," Baskin Robbins etc) and a declaration to never go back to jail (“I left the condo I done left the couch/never going back in and out/I done found a better route”). However, the highlight has got to be the outro, in which you’re just presented with Thugger humming a lullaby-like tune that I pray gets turned into a full song one day.
Kanye West - “Highlights” (ft. Young Thug)
Although it’s one of Thug’s most high profile placements ever, we all know more could’ve come out of a Thug x Kanye collab than this. (In an ideal world, they’d join forces to make an autotune drenched project solely about their moms, but that's a thinkpiece for another time). Regardless, Thug provides a measured backdrop to an otherwise messy song and, even if he didn’t, it would be notable simply for the fact that it’s their first official work together. "Tell my mama that I want my whole life to only be highlights" is a sentiment we can all get behind.
“My Boys” (ft. Ralo, Trouble & Lil Durk).
Another great example of Thug’s more measured, purposeful singing, “My Boys” is a meditative reflection on childhood rivalries turned lifelong friends (Ralo & Thug really used to have serious beef coming up<). The way Thug accents the word “boy” during the hook gives it weight in a way that a less talented singer couldn’t possibly convey, and his endearing verse about swinging on his school teachers over his friends only adds to the track's allure.
TM88 - “Been Thru A Lot” (ft. Young Thug & Lil Yachty)
TM88 and Thug got pretty close this year: between Jeffery and the "HiHorse’d" Tour, the duo have only strengthened their pre-existing bond. “Been Thru A Lot,” the first single off of TM88’s upcoming project, features an exquisite Thug picking up any of Lil Yachty’s slack. “Bitch I’m so fresh, I’m Mick Jagger,” he squeaks before sighing, “I’m too rich to be mad, I’m glad.” “I’m smokin’ weed cuz it’s legal/in other words, I got an address in Cali/oh yeah these hoes know all about my ego” - Thug is too clever of a lyricist and too progressive of a vocalist to be coupled with developing talents like Yachty. My man needs more of a challenge (*cough* tape with Future please *cough*). By the time the outro rolls around, it sounds like Thug is straight up teaching Yachty not only how to rap, but how to live life like a respectable gentleman (“young boy put your mama on”).
Lil Durk - “Trap House (Waffle House Remix)” (ft. Young Thug & Young Dolph)
You can tell a fire Thug feature is coming from a mile away - the second his ad-libs slowly start overtaking even the main artist’s verse, you know it’s about to go down. Lil Durk and Young Dolph, both gripping rappers in their own right, hold their own during their parts but it’s Thug’s show from the minute the first “hee hee” and “sheesh” come through the speakers. Maybe even more memorable than his verse are Thug’s background vocals and his outro (these seem to be a running trend through a lot of his features this year).
Skippa Da Flippa - “Wraith” (ft. Young Thug)
“Wraith” is super fun track with an irresistible bounce and small glimpse at what would eventually be known as Thug’s “Harambe” voice. Skippa and Thug have some real, tangible chemistry. Even if they don’t really go back and forth on here, there’s a tangible air of friendly competition that drives this energetic track.
Lil Yachty - “Minnesota (Remix)” (ft. Quavo, Skippa Da Flippa & Young Thug)
This remix of Yachty’s overnight hit, “Minnesota,” was unexpected. Maybe the surprise presence of Quavo, Skippa and Thug skewed my reception of the track, but I fell in love with “Minnesota” all over again when this dropped - this time, without a hint of irony. Thug’s ad-libs throughout are playful and lead up to a celebratory last verse where he sings “big machine, big machine/I’m cookin’ beans on jellybeans/no need to smell it, always clean/my money talkin’, Charlie Sheen.” Squeezing in as many flows as possible, Thug helps elevate this track from a fun Soundcloud experiment to just a great track, period.
Usher - No Limit (ft. Young Thug)
Who here thinks Thug ghostwrote Usher’s verses? Because I certainly do (you can even hear Thug’s ad-libs weave in and out during the whole time - it definitely feels like Thug has equal claim to the words being sung). Tell me you can’t hear Mr. Williams dubbing over Mr. Raymond’s serenade with his own unique croon. With their first ever collaboration, Usher and Thugger prove to have untapped potential as a duo. The former creates a perfect aesthetic for the latter to float over, and Thug’s fleeting verse is sublime. He does as much as he can with his short runtime and, if you watch the music video, you can tell Usher loves every second of it. Actually, do it now - watch the music video - and pay close attention to Usher playing off Thug’s impassioned “kerosine, kerosine/promise spin, washing machine” climax. It’s beautiful, isn’t it?
Wyclef Jean - I Swear (ft. Young Thug)
Building off the last song’s romanticism, “I Swear” is the Wyclef-led sequel to Young Thug’s “Kanye West” - the latter of which was the Fugees-rapper’s first collaboration with Thug. Once again, like with DJ Carnage’s “Don’t Call Me,” or Usher’s “No Limit,” Thug proves that he can take the backseat and play the supporting role and isn’t reliant on taking over an entire song just to deliver a memorable feature. “Honeymoon, sprinkling flowers over you,” Thug teases at the start of his verse - and it just gets more lovey-dovey from there. By the time he’s singing the bridge, Thug is full on cooking his girl breakfast in bed. Even when he’s not saying any real words (“love you really-really-wee-wah,” he spits at one point - I think), the affection is electric. Someone’s in love.
Solo Lucci - Alien (ft. Young Thug)
One of Thug’s best hooks this year, this is also one of his simplest in recent memory. Sometimes, with all the experimenting this guy does, it’s easy to forget just how great his normal voice is. He’s back in his eccentric bag by the time his verse rolls around but, in general, this is a reminder that Thug is effortlessly one of the most charismatic vocalists in rap.
Bankroll Mafia - “Hyenas” (ft. Young Thug, T.I., Duke, Shad Da God & Lil Yachty)
Speaking of great hooks, “Hyenas” sees Thug comfortably steal the song from a formidable cast comprised of T.I., Duke, Shad Da God and Lil Yachty - all in top form - with just his hook. From the stark imagery of Thug walkin’ into his girl’s place of work just for some daytime oral, to the teasing, makeshift Spanglish, this is a prime example of Thug’s songwriting. The acapella outro is just a very sweet cherry on top.
“Slime Shit” (ft. Yak Gotti & Duke)
Another hook, this one was surprisingly on Thug’s own tape (SS3). It’s not like him to forgo a verse on his own song, but with standout performances from Duke and the currently incarcerated Yak Gotti, all Thug needed to do was deliver a worthwhile chorus. And he does just that: “Slime Shit’s” hook makes it the perfect anthem for YSL Stans to chant at every show, and is still littered with numerous Thug-isms despite being so short (“hundred rounds in a Tahoe/nigga, lightin’ up your tacos” is quite a menacing - and perplexing - way to open up a song).
Bankroll Mafia - “Neg 4 Degrees” (ft. Young Thug, Shad da God & Duke)
How cool is it that Thug actually sounds like he’s shivering every time he says “negative four degrees?” I’m convinced no one else is as good as repeating an arbitrary phrase as Thugger - each time he shudders “negative four degrees,” it sounds cooler than the last. And that verse? Whew. “I saw my name on a Coke-Cola/it said Jeff, shoulda said Thugger,” is a more than worthy follow up to last year’s “damn, they got my name on a Coke" (Slime Season 2's "Up").
“Worth It”
The original version of this ballad, the one found in the music video, is far superior to the alternate mix that ended up on SS3. The latter misses the mark in more ways than one, but the most egregious misstep has to be smothering Thug’s vocals in unnecessary autotune. As I already mentioned, Thug never actually needs autotune - if there’s overt use of it on a song, it’s a conscious, artistic choice more often than not. The OG “Worth It,” mixed by Thug’s usual engineer Alex Tumay, allowed room for his vocals to breathe. It felt more organic and, in turn, heightened the song’s heartfelt message. One of the best duo’s in the game, here’s to hoping Thug and Alex never stray from each other in 2017.
Bankroll Mafia - “Cash” (ft. Young Thug, T.I., Young Dro & London Jae)
The last of the Bankroll Mafia entries on this list (definitely check out the project for a handful of more cool Thug verses - “Bankrolls on Deck,” a single from 2015, is a favorite of mine). “Cash” is an insightful look at the virtues of stacking your paper up so tall that, should it become necessary, your lawyers start magically erasing your cases for you. Thug’s verse starts out with a high octane delivery, before easing into a smooth singsong flow. By the time he confuses English, Japanese and Spanish all in the span of two bars and one ad-lib, you couldn’t care less about the mind-boggling inaccuracy of it all. For real, “when they come with questions I'm like shh.../I don't speak English or Japanese (me no comprehende)” is just comedic gold.
Nipsey Hussle - “I Do” (ft. Young Thug & Mozzy)
It’s hard to put into words the deranged intensity of this feature. The hook was solid on its own, as it sees Thug perfectly embodying the songs central theme of loyalty, but once he flips the the refrain and bursts into his own verse, it’s hard to keep your heart rate steady. I’ll just let you listen to it.
Meek Mill - “Offended” (ft. Young Thug & 21 Savage)
As we’ve established numerous times on this list, if you feature Young Thug on your track you better make him sign something beforehand that prevents him from stealing the whole joint from up under you. Most people seem to forgo such paperwork though, probably because Thug’s track record speaks for itself. Giving us a chemistry lesson, addressing threats on his life and shouting out Lil Chino, Thug’s hook itself is a force of nature. By the time his verse starts, you effectively forget it’s even Meek’s song - or that 21 still has a verse coming. “Molly in my cup look like bath salts/and I'm too high horsed for asphalt/therefore I'm in clouds from day to dark/they say that I changed, it's the cash fault,” he starts, before immediately switching his flow up and wailing “the Roley stainless, stainless/we young and rich and we dangerous.” He’s at Piccadilly’s with your missus, with a bulletproof vest on that can take a missile. He's got benjis on him that are crippin’ (read: blue hundreds), and his new mansion has a swimming pool in the living room (but the only thing he has in common with Michael Phelps is that they’re both winning, lest you be mistaken). I don't think even Meek would argue that this is Thug's song, through and through.
Trouble - “Respect” (ft. Young Thug)
Trouble has quickly proven to be a great foil for Thug. Their debut collab, last year’s “Thief in the Night,” is already a cult classic. “Respect,” found on Trouble’s excellent Skoobzilla, is a more than worthy sequel to that Slime Season 2 cut. Centered around the idea of earning the respect of OGs that came before them, Thug starts his verse out by claiming “I was gettin’ money before you knowed me,” and spends the rest of his runtime dropping one gem after another. “Once upon a time, in a gang called Blood,” his voice squeaks halfway through his verse, sort of like an old door hinge that's resiliently weathered the years, “I was running with them OGs ‘cause them niggas showed me love/all the OGs fucking with me ‘cause they like the way I thug/first I made a milly, then I turned they driveways up.” For Thug, respect has to be earned and he has more than his fair share of stripes at this point.
“F Cancer” (ft. Quavo)
Boosie beating cancer at the end of 2015 then going on a staggering run of quality projects is one of the most overlooked stories of 2016. The moment Boosie’s cancer went into remission, Thug, a longtime fan of the Baton Rouge wordsmith (Boosie can be found alongside Thug and T.I. on Barter 6’s “Can’t Tell”), wasted no time in previewing an awesome snippet that sees him proclaiming: “ay, fuck cancer - shoutout to Boosie!” The snippet eventually manifested itself as a song with Quavo on I’m Up, and boy did it deliver. The hook has this run on sentence vibe that makes it a joy to recite and Thug’s verses see him stretching his voice and juggling a handful of flows so that he can not only do Boosie proud, but not get outshined by Quavo’s equally dope feature. Tell me that flow at the end of his 2nd verse wasn’t stuck in your head for days (“I got my gun, you better run, run, run/you know I got bread like a croissant, son”). Thug’s imagery is consistently great (“I got a lot of wings surrounding my body,” he claims as he’s surrounded by private jets in the music video) and his writing is as humorous as ever (“energizer bunny, you see these carats, hoe!”). “My family depended on me, that’s who I do it for” sounds like the thesis statement for Thug’s entire career.
“Tattoos”
The most underrated song on SS3, “Tattoos” is an ode to the finer things in life: tattoos and piercings. “I got a feeling,” Thug exclaims, like the trap Phil Collins he is, and the twinkling London On Da Track beat is the perfect backdrop for his tender crooning. This song just has such an angelic aura to it; it’s subtle in its execution, and the restraint pays off.
“For My People” (ft. Duke)
Anything but subtle, “For My People” is a boisterous, uplifting protest song. Full of unbridled passion and soaring melodies, this has got to be one the best collabs between Duke and Thug. Thug’s performance is irresistible, his pitch reaching feverish highs before he calmly proclaims “Farrakhan, me, I’m a leader.” (Thug and Farrakhan met earlier in 2015). Hopefully this position of political activism is one that Thug naturally grows into as he develops as an artist and grows as a person.
“Wyclef Jean”
I can’t decide if my favorite line is “shop at Saks Fifth/flow on Datpiff” or “my daughter sexy and my son got the broads.” Probably the latter just for the sheer absurdity of Thug bragging about the sexual prowess that his toddlers possess, but the former just flows so well! “Wyclef Jean” is the heavenly opener to Jeffery that ended up as a fan favorite before long. “Okay my money bag long as a Nascar race,” Thug spits in an elongated drawl over a bouncing bassline and electric guitar that recalls the Caribbean influence of the track’s titular inspiration. The fantastic bridge sees him wailing something that, after years of studying the goat’s language, I can best translate as being: “I do it my way.” It’s a beautiful refrain that I can’t help but interpret as a perfect metaphor for Thug’s career at large.
“Digits”
What could’ve been Thug’s biggest solo single to date (the song got millionsof views within a week of its release), still doesn’t have a music video nine months later. Don’t ask me why - I don’t have the answers. What I do know is that I was looking forward to this song for what felt like a lifetime before it finally found a home on SS3. Why is it so low on this list then? Maybe it was the hype leading up to its release, the way I played the numerous snippets of that wonderful hook dozens and dozens of times, but the verses simply didn’t live up to my expectations. Compared to the transcendent hook - one of Thug’s best, ever - the verses feel phoned in. “When I snort it, I feel like I was aborted,” is a startling revelation for sure, but that alone is not enough to match the hook’s visceral, existential musings. It’s 100% “hustlers” by the way (but then again, Thug does have an obsession with the animal kingdom...).
Blac Youngsta - “Youngsta” (ft. Young Thug)
Only Thug would conduct an entire album rollout centered around changing his name only to have his first post-Jeffery feature be for Blac Youngsta, on a song about forever being a “Youngsta.” His verse is solid, but the rowdy chorus here is one of his most entertaining this year. This song is just a fun time all around; tell me Thug doesn’t sound like Fat Albert on the hook, in the most satisfying way possible. (Additionally, if you listen close to the ad-libs at the start of his verse, you can hear a hilarious “hey hey hey” rumbling in the background).
Migos - “Cocoon (Remix)” (ft. Young Thug)
I can’t believe there was ever a time I slept on “Cocoon” - there was something about it that felt too foreign for me to fully latch on to at first. Shoutout to my boy who wouldn’t stop playing it and then gave me flack for loving it only once Thug laced it with one of his more surreal verses this year. Crackling with a beautiful autotune that the likes of Quavo have mastered over the years, Thug opens the remix with a soaring intro that gives props to Fat Albert x Fubu shoes, as well as the “big teeth” on the front of his Louboutin shoes. The verse itself is just as playful in parts, but has a menacing underbelly that contrasts the more empty flexing. Anyone can get it as he tells the haters to “kick rocks” and his girl to stop putting his dawgs in the doghouse (because “when they smell fear you know they poppin’ off”). That whole change up in flow there is mesmerizing: “take a molly then I stall out/she tried to put my dogs in her dog house/when they smell fear you know they poppin' off/I'ma go and fuck your daughter, study law/I'ma stand for what I believe till I fall/If I never said it, I'm sayin' it right now/say what you want I'ma shame her pride now/everybody say fuck the feds and five-o/yeah, everybody dance now, smile now…” It’s an endless chain of captivating and heartfelt lyricism.
Twice - “No Wendys (“Controlla” Remix)” (ft. Young Thug)
The most Young Thug move Thug pulled this year is - more than the fashion show interruptions or the “Youngsta” feature - is remixing one of the biggest Drake songs of the year (“Controlla”), calling it “No Wendys” and just giving it to an unknown new artist of his, Twice. At times, it almost feels as if Thug is actively working against his best interests. But maybe it’s just his unflinching loyalty to his day ones that makes it seem that way. Regardless, this is a charming (and superior) take on Drake’s appropriation of dancehall, led by an artist that seems to better understand the intricacies of the genre. The vocal tics come naturally to Thugger (or "Mr. Williams, no Wendys"). The hook sees him promising “I’ll introduce you to all my kinfolk,” lovesick and longing for intimacy. The verse is one of his most touching this year as he coaches his girl to keep her eyes open and not be discouraged by the nonsense life throws her way. He claims “I made you bae, you my discovery/yeah, you my brand new species,” but also acknowledges that everything she’s got, she’s earned. And, during one of his most revealing moments this year, he states, quite matter-of-factly, “I stay on Cleveland like I’m Kyrie Irving, that’s where I got my first STD.” Thug seems to be a firm believer of not keeping any secrets from your significant other.
“Swizz Beatz”
“Swizz Beatz” is pure bliss; this is one of the best self-love songs of all time, as far as I’m concerned. That’s really all I have to say about this heartwarming yet bold declaration of love for oneself. “I got me a high self-esteem.”
Kanye West - “Nina Chop (“Famous” Demo)” (ft. Young Thug)
Out of all the The Life of Pablo patches we’ve received, none of them have managed to give me what I truly want: Chance the Rapper and Young Thug’s versions of “Famous.” This demo featuring Thug is sloppy and not meant for public consumption (no matter how fun it is listen to Thug perfectly ad-libs Kanye’s incoherent mumbles), but it also contains what could’ve been one of Thug’s most important features to date. That last verse clearly shows what separates Thug from his peers - Thug’s ability to work on the fly is unmatched in this day and age. It’s the kind of thinking on his feet he learned from obsessing over his idol, Wayne, and then working directly with Gucci during his formative years. And now, he does it better than anyone else. In the same session that Kanye was barely able to get out a full sentence, Thug not only ad-libs the entire track, he drops a staggering final verse (whose exclusion from the album should’ve been the first sign of Kanye’s downward spiral this year). Probably recorded during their sessions in 2015, Thug references the devastating security breach he had to take on the chin with a line that would’ve made thousands of Stans worldwide collectively faint: “Still Michael Jackson after all these leaks.”
Trouble - “Ready (Remix)” (ft. Young Thug, Young Dolph & Big Bank Black)
The best remix he was involved with this year, Thug’s verse on here is a reminder that no matter what kind of year we’re having, Thugger being an awe-inspiring rapper will always be a constant. (And, for the first time, Thug’s appearances in music videos finally seem to be capturing the charisma that his verses have always been oozing with.) “I get involved so deeply/can’t even get one of my feet out," he starts, aping Trouble's masterful flow from the original.The imagery is colorful (“my Roley gold I’m a leprechaun”) and his more abstract stylings (the way he strains to lists the various pressures stacking up while he’s just trying to cook up the next batch in the kitchen is just perfect) add his own distinct touch to Trouble's template. When Thug eventually breaks away to declare: “I’m allergic to seafood, these lil shrimps need to stop it, bitch,” you finally realize that this verse has it all. But that’s not even the end of his monologue - he continues to both perplex (the way he says “yeah, nigga aquafina/and my boy got lots of ninas/all my Roley’s iced out penguins” had people arguing for weeks over what he actually said) and clarify (“swear I’ma hit like Stojaković/my nigga put one in your dome with me/we do it without using phones, idiot” seems to be a direct reference to the tour bus scandal with Lil Wayne) before his times up.
“Drippin”
One of Thug’s weirdest songs this year, I feel like “Drippin” is less about flexing his penchant for fashion and more about embarrassing others with his rapping. The “he geeked on beat/2 freaks I just geeked/SK Kel-Tech XPD/OG off codeine…” opening is as dizzying in its dexterity as the unhinged emoting littered throughout is in its effectiveness. Just when we think we’ve tapped into all that is Jeffery Lamar Williams, he grabs us by the throat and remind us, “you don’t know ting about me, okay?”
“Family” (ft. Dora & Dolly)
As the story goes, Thug’s sisters Dora & Dolly were feeling themselves in the studio one night and, bored of sitting around while their brother made hit after hit, they snuck into the booth during one of his breaks. When he eventually returned, he was presented with impressive, family oriented verses that both the novices had freestyled. This wasn’t planned, and I think it’s safe to assume that he was more than moved by their performances. Because by the time Thug hits that falsetto during his closing verse, it’s clear that he feels as if he has something to prove. It’s a sincere track that’s elevated by Thug’s stellar vocal performance.
“Pick Up The Phone” (ft. Travis Scott & Quavo)
After writing this many words, I really don’t have it in me to argue if Travis Scott stole this song, or if the OG version with Starrah is better, or whatever. I have my gripes with the song in its final form (overproduced, loud for the sake of being loud), but controversy aside, “Pick Up The Phone” is Thug on his A game. It’s precise in its execution (“pour up a fo’ of that Actavis/lean like my motherfuckin’ granny did” is an explosive way to start your verse) and honest in its rumination (“mama told me I’m her brightest star/mama told me don’t hate on the law/because everybody got a job/because everybody won't be a star”). Thugger bragging about paying his sister’s college tuition is the kind of family friendly rapping people pretend Chance the Rapper is a pioneer of.
Chance the Rapper - “Mixtape” (ft. Young Thug & Lil Yachty)
Yeah, I get it - Lil Yachty did well with this guest spot (actually, he did a solid job with most of his features this year). But I can’t help be a bit annoyed at Yachty’s above average verse swiping the spotlight from one of Thug’s best vocal performances this year. Starting off with a gentle, rolling whisper before eventually reaching a violent crescendo, Thug yelps his way through this hypnotic verse with undeniable authority. “Change the culture/cuz my ring is the solar/wait, one minute I told you/yeah, I would like to know you/yeah, you lucky like clovers,” he spits, simultaneously playing with his flow and delivery. I never knew someone could make three words sound so dirty and so lustful until I heard Thug whimper “clothes no good.”
Gunna - “Cop Me A Foreign” (ft. Young Thug)
I have no real proof but I feel like this was a solo Thug song that was eventually gifted to his newest artist, Gunna. And what a gift it is. Thug’s performance is magnetic, the blues influence on his rumbling iteration of the hook clear as day. The way he emotes with reckless abandon, constantly plays with his singing and contextually alters his delivery (screaming “I know they listening to everything, yeah” after quietly revealing reservations that the Feds are watching his every move) is simply magnificent. Not to mention that that second verse sounds so in the moment, so off the top, that it plays like one of the best freestyles I’ve ever heard (which probably isn’t too far off if you consider his documented recording style).
“RiRi”
A testament to the wildcard factor Thug could bring to pop music, “RiRi” is a whirlwind of off-the-wall experimentation and genuine ardor. The initially jarring, staccato rhythm found on the hook grows on you until you’re howling right alongside Thugger, intent on convincing your significant other to “earn it.” (However, buyer beware: you may quickly find out you don’t have the same pull as this man). All Thug wants after a lifetime of hustling is to kick his feet up for one night and be spoiled. In return, he makes a wholehearted promise to take his homies and his girl out on a boat, because he knows they’d do the same for him if the roles were reversed. Whether he’s singing sweet nothings to his fiancee, or about something random like german shepherds, Thug’s ability to emote, as exemplified on this track, is what makes his music so engaging.
“Webbie” (ft. Duke)
Probably the best Thug x Duke collab ever, “Webbie” sees Thug melding rap with country in a way that I’m sure makes Post Malone extremely jealous. Most people wouldn't be able to balance such diverging influences, but Thug's hand is way different - he's "got the Midas." The song is equal parts wholesome (“My mama can’t lose/Imma keep her a fresh car/Imma put her in some shoes,” he slurs with the utmost affection) and defiant (“these politicians is so fake/they politickin' 'bout these cases,” anchors the euphoric hook) in its content, and the execution feels natural. At one point, Thug breaks into his best auctioneer impersonation, embodying a real life panic attack, and rattles off existential musings like they’ve been on the tip of his tongue his entire life: “They don't wanna see you win/nah, they want you always to lose/they gon' always want you be stuck with them/they'll never wish you good luck on them/and they'll never wish bad luck either/and I don't know what the fuck to think either…” We’ve all been there, man.
“Kanye West” (ft. Wyclef Jean)
Sometimes experiments pay off, sometimes they don’t. But if you can point me to even one recent risk taken by Thug (outside of whatever “Turn Up” was) that hasn’t paid off in spades, I’ll gladly stop writing 8,000 word pieces on him. He’s got the Midas touch right now - one that allows him to turn even a seemingly asinine “wamp wamp/wet wet” refrain into one of the most infectious hooks in his discography. And although I was fiending for Jeffery, I’m glad he pushed back the release date specifically to get Wyclef on this (and I’m glad Wyclef instantly recognized Thug’s genius). Produced by Wheezy and Cassius Jay, this tropical ballad sees Clef as the voice in Thug’s head, warning him against the pitfalls of blind love, only to have Thug shrug it all off and dive headfirst into marriage. Actually, screw marriage, Jeffery is thinking so far ahead, he’s so enamored by his fiancee, Jerrika Karlae, that he already has her in his will: “When I die, I'ma leave somethin' for you, baby.” The inspired scatting, the poetic verses and the brilliant chemistry between Thug and Wylcef all make for a singular experience. (I can't wait to name my firstborn Jeffery just so I can whisper his name with the same affection Wyclef does here). Aptly titled “Wet Wet,” “Pop Man,” and “Elton John” all before finally settling on “Kanye West,” Thug delivers a performance worthy of its titular inspirations.
Gucci Mane - “Guwop Home” (ft. Young Thug)
If you ask me, Thug and Guwop are this generation’s Bird and Wayne - father and son, but without any of the unfortunate feuding. And, after being locked up for basically all of Thug’s rise to fame, “Guwop Home” was just such a beautiful way for them to reconnect. Thug’s hook is downright magical in the way it basically channels all of our collective thoughts and feelings on Gucci’s early release and subsequent return to the rap game. I still get chills when I hear Thug follow up his larger than life howling with a subtle “dream, it’s a young nigga dream.” His vocal performance is exhilarating and gives his mentor a quick rundown of all the new tricks he’s learned over the past few years. The verse is more tame in comparison but even then, I almost shed a tear when I first heard Thug gleefully shriek “free the Wop nigga, national siblings day!” Not many things in 2016 can compare to Thug and Gucci’s moving reunion.
“Harambe”
I haven’t stopped imagining what a Young Thug-led punk band would sound like ever since I first heard the Metro Boomin’ & 808 Mafia produced “Cash Talk.” Little did I know that I would be gifted with a full on post-hardcore Thugger jam before the year was up. It’s not just Thug’s roaring Louis Armstrong impersonation that makes this such an extraordinary cut - it’s actually one of the best examples of Thug’s improved songwriting. The song is structured in such a way that the first verse motivates you to stack it up and take care of your family, only to have the following passage see Thug strip you of everything you possess. It’s a morality play in which Thug literally sounds like he’s grappling with the devil (“I got the devil inside me/God tryna provide me/God tryna decide…/should he leave me, or sign me?”), before making the crucial decision to better his situation. The guttural “fuck it I’m changing up on ‘em,” is a layered line: as shown by his makeover this year, he’s not only changing his style, he’s changing his persona and, with that, maturing as a person. He acknowledges the way in which his past actions have gone directly against his core beliefs (“um okay, I know you're frustrated bout a nigga and everything I take you through,” he confess, speaking directly to the man above, “I know I done did a lot of sins but I still hope you let me make it through”) and wants to reconcile his troubled past with his present blessings. Underneath all that visceral rage and that pent up aggression, is a song about redemption.
“Gangster Shit”
Probably the most underappreciated Thug song this year, “Gangster Shit” is the kind of track that should convert every single old head that’s ever doubted him. Alas, old heads are old heads for a reason - they’re stuck in their ways and will probably never set their bias aside long enough to even press play. While the vocals aren’t anything exceptional for Thugger, it’s actually the sharp, precise delivery that makes this stand out from his more experimental cuts. And that first verse is, honestly, one of the best verses he's ever written. He gives an autobiographical account of his brief time in school (“I was bangin’, serving rocks inside my classes”) and elaborates on his long documented adherence to forward-thinking fashion (“I was fresh everyday like it was my last”). He’s self-aware in a stark manner that usually eludes a lot of his work (“these niggas done turned to addicts/they ridin' 'round geeked up out their mind/soon as they come down, ain't got a fuckin' dime/where that nigga that raised you?/that's a whole other story”). And then, of course, he declares his loyalty to his fiancee - all this in one, brief verse. The more lighthearted second verse is a mere afterthought after the forceful way the “did you pray today” intro and equally menacing first verse burrowing into your psyche. This is just superb rapping by any standards.
“Texas Love”
Ostensibly a dedication to those affected by the floods in Texas this past April, “Texas Love” is really just a blank template for fondness. You can project onto it the object of your desires, what or whomever that may be. For Thug, as far as I can tell by him claiming he wants it “all in his belly” during the outro, “Texas Love” seems to most readily be about the state’s notorious export, lean. The transcendent hook is pop perfection, a glimpse into the kind of hits he could make if he ever reeled in his more oddball tendencies. “If Texas love was a drug (you’d belong to me),” he harmonizes over Ricky Racks’ exquisite beat, “if Texas, Texas, Texas was a drug!” He personifies and takes complete ownership over the mesmeric effects this drug has on him. He wants to be swept away. He wants to sing its praises from the rooftops. If Texas love was a drug, he promises he’d “sell the fuck out,” and that he “wouldn’t be able to keep a pack.” In a year where his writing continued to become more accessible, this entire track is an abstract gem: he eulogizes the late Bankroll Fresh, chides the leakers that made his 2015 so hectic and all but makes love to the concept of “Texas love.” The first verse is left field Thugger at his finest, with only the first line (the charming “I got more hoes than Kanye West clothes” punchline) ringing clearly - the rest coming from a place of pure id. The second is string of rapid fire rapping that could appeal to most non fans. But, not to tone down his eccentricity too much, there's the secret last verse - my favorite. Out of all the outros we’ve discussed thus far, the one here is his most engrossing. He sputters out a freestyle in a bewitching, stream of consciousness style that becomes increasingly suggestive in its innuendoes - not that Thugger cares what you think about his little love affair here.
“King TROUP”
Keith Troup, a well known staple of Southside Atlanta, was gunned down at a College Park gas station last December. Thug was in South Africa at the time. Probably his most moving song to date, I’m Up’s centerpiece, “King TROUP,” is an ode to his close friend. Where the hook is optimistic, choosing to celebrate life rather than lingering death, the gut-wrenching intro sees Thug exposed and vulnerable in a way he rarely is: “I just asked God why he called for Troup,” he opens up at the start of this reserved ballad, before revealing “I thought I seen a ghost because your son looked like you, fool.” The first is structured in a way that makes it seem as if Thug’s already forgotten about his troubles (“I just beat the case/I hopped out the Benz/I just fucked some twins”) but before long, his thought process becomes lucid: Troup’s passing not only made him count his own blessings (“keep up with my ice and my fashion”), it made him double down on his responsibilities as a father (“I take care of my kid with a passion/I pray to God that they stay happy”) and directly invoke the sentence YSL affiliate, Peewee Roscoe, is currently serving. Thug may have "just beat the case," but Roscoe is serving 20 years for the same incident (the shooting of Lil Wayne’s tour bus). Thug doesn't get far before recalling Roscoe “sleeps where it’s nasty.”. But just as when he was initially accused of colluding with Roscoe, Thug wholeheartedly fights for his friend's innocence. He argues: “They could've freed him cause he grew up with no daddy/but instead they took advantage and did him badly.” They knew Roscoe “didn’t have a wagon” (read: a car) and, according to Thug, all they had was a “camera from the club” that placed him in the area. The loss of Troup finally made Thug speak out on the loss of another friend of his and, subsequently, call for an end to all gang related violence in general (“stop the killings/we get millions/we together/get the cheddar”). “King TROUP” is not just Thug’s best song this year, it’s one of the most poignant pieces of music in his catalog thus far.