Artist Spotlight: Young Thug

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Leo/Latin for lion/ the King of the Jungle or should I say the King of new age Hip-Hop, Jeffery Lamar Williams was born August 16, 1991 in Atlanta, Georgia. Who’s Jeffery? You might know him as ‘Young Thug’, ‘Thugger’, or even by his new rebranded name ‘SEX.’ I know… SEX.

Any who, Williams grew up in a town called Sylvan Hills, which was also known as  Zone 3. He was raised in the same neighborhood as trap pioneers such as Waka Flocka, 2 Chainz, Ludacris and his childhood friend PeeWee LongWay. Being the second youngest of 11 children it can be easy to get lost in the sauce which more than always leads to that child wanting to escape that situation. So, Young Thug moved to Jonesboro, an impoverished area, and began to pursue the typical career of a young struggling teen growing up in the ‘hood’.

After discovering his musical talent in 2010, Thug turned his appetite for violence into hunger for musical success. He had all the right tools to be a successful artist, plus creativity isn’t a hard task for some one who grew up with 10 siblings. Young Thug began to create a sound and style that would take him over the top. The catchy verses, marvelous melodies, originality and raw lyrics attracted the originator of trap music, Gucci Mane. Gucci went on to sign Young Thug to his label 1017 Brick Squad Records in 2013.

From there, Young Thug continuously climbed the Hip-Hop charts but his 2013 hit singles “Stoner” and “Danny Glover” gave him the keys to drive off with the rap game. Those two singles opened the door for bigger opportunities such as performing at Fool’s Gold Day Off show in Miami, a $1.5 million record deal offer from Future’s Freebandz label, recording with Chicago icon Kanye West, gracing the 2014 cover of The Fader magazine and if I keep going this list would last forever.

The Rap Weirdo’ isn’t afraid to push any social norms or defy any gender stereotypes. His wardrobe is talked about hand-in-hand with his music. The androgynous wardrobe consists of a mix between men and eccentric women’s clothing. If you take a look at his social media, you’ll see Thug’s finger nails painted, skintight jeans, kid-size dress shirts and skirts. In an advertisement for Calvin Klein, Young Thug said he doesn’t believe in gender. “In my world, you can be a gangsta with a dress or you can be gangsta with baggy pants.”

Young Thug has six children consisting of three daughters and three sons. In April  of 2015, he proposed to swimsuit line owner Jerrika Karlae. Currently, he resides in Atlanta, Georgia.