After a series of delays, Young Thug's YSL Records officially dropped off their stacked Slime Language 2 compilation album, featuring guest appearances from Drake, Big Sean, Lil Uzi Vert, Lil Baby, Coi Leray, and many more. In honor of the big release, Young Thug and Gunna took a moment to chop it up with Zane Lowe on Apple Music 1.
When asked about the recording process, Young Thug likened the creation of Slime Language 2 to a live performance. "It seemed like a show," he explained. "It seemed like a Lollapalooza, Coachella. It just seemed like a show. Every moment was performing. You got to show up. Everybody's watching there. Everybody here. Everybody in your shit. Everybody in your face, you got to show up. It just felt like that. Every moment."
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Thugger also explained why the YSL roster remains so tight-knit, looking back on the days before they ever joined forces in the studio. "We kind of all been around each other before rap," he reflects. "You know what I'm saying? Even with Gunna. When I first met Gunna, I wasn't fully a rapper. I was a superstar, but I wasn't a rapper. So I still was in the street. I still was getting in trouble. So I feel like I wasn't a superstar at that moment. I didn't feel like a superstar...We started from the ground up. We really built this all together."
"Ain't nobody gave me more loyalty than just him from day one," explains Gunna, speaking on Young Thug. "He showed more loyalty than I knew...He a Leo. They big on loyalty. They want you to scratch their back. When you scratch mine, cause I scratch yours. Like it's equal. I ain't telling you to just do it. Cause I ain't scratch your back. I scratch yours, too. So scratch mine. I don't understand that he lived like that. And that's like, loyalty."
Clearly, developing strong bonds is an important part of the YSL formula, and it's part of why their chemistry on wax is so noteworthy. Say what you will about the music itself, but it's refreshing to see a label built on foundational pillars of friendship and respect. Should you be interested in hearing YSL's new Slime Language 2 project, check it out right here.