One of Atlanta’s most influential artists, Young Thug (aka Thugger), finally dropped his long anticipated second studio album “Punk” on Oct. 15. Young Thug is widely known for his unique style of music, creating his own lane and becoming his own genre when he introduced a form of alternative rap in his hit singles such as “Stoner.” Thugger built his legacy from the ground up starting in 2010 and it is safe to say that nobody in the rap game is doing it like him.
After teasing it for years, Thugger did not disappoint and made this masterpiece worth the wait. “Punk” includes unexpected, iconic collaborations with the late Juice WRLD and Mac Miller, as well as J. Cole, A$AP Rocky and Doja Cat, to name a few.
“Punk” is a genre-bending, 20-track album exceeding expectations. The first track, “Die Slow” with Strick, contains a soft guitar instrumental while Thugger expresses his childhood story and speaks on the prejudice that lower income Black people experience. This introductory song has a powerful message of resilience, setting the tone for the rest of the album.
“Die Slow” is followed by “Stressed,” an upbeat hip-hop song, referencing the rockstar lifestyle, featuring big name rapper J. Cole and upcoming artist T-Shyne.
Next, there are soft, slower songs like “Stupid/Asking” and “Recognize” featuring frequent collaborator and friend, Gunna, that soften the vibe.
The sixth track, “Peeping out the Window” featuring Atlanta legend Future, continues this soft guitar, chill vibe while also speaking on racism and social issues.
Fast-forwarding to the last track, “Day Before” featuring Mac Miller, the name speaks for itself as the song is believed to have been recorded the day before Miller’s death on Sept. 6, 2018.
Overall, there is a lot of variety in Thugger’s sophomore album. From slow, soft songs like “Living It Up” with Post Malone and A$AP Rocky to lit songs like “Bubbly” featuring Drake and Travis Scott, Young Thug made sure to cater to ALL of his audiences in his newest LP.
There is no denying he’s hip-pop’s biggest rockstar and we are hoping to see “Punk” nominated for a Grammy.
Check out Young Thug’s “Punk” here.
Featured image “Young Thug – Øyafestivalen 2017” by NRK P3 is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0