On his third mixtape release of the year, iconic Atlanta rapper
Young Thug makes his big artistic statement. Following
Slime Season 3 -- itself an equally competent and Zeitgeist-defining collection --
Thug's
JEFFERY (initially titled No, My Name Is Jeffery) is thrilling and essential, one of the best rap releases of 2016. The eponymous album includes ten tracks named after different idols and influencers in
Thug's life, from contemporaries like
Future ("Future Swag") and
Gucci Mane ("Guwop") to icons like
Kanye West (originally titled "Pop Star") and
Rihanna. Harambe, the slain zoo gorilla who spawned countless memes in 2016, even stars as a symbol of street violence and police brutality on the ferocious song dedicated in his honor. While a slim percentage of his delivery is slightly more intelligible on
JEFFERY, much of
Thug's distinctive rapping remains intact, from the atonal wailing to the undulating mumbling, and the lyrics are as filthy and drugged-out as ever. Yet, with the inclusion of some danceable dub and reggae influences on "Wyclef Jean" and "Swizz Beatz" -- which reveals
Thug's best
Louis Armstrong impression -- as well as a bright, almost-love song ("RiRi"), there's enough freshness here to make it his most exciting and mainstream release to date. There is also a slew of familiar guests to balance his verses.
Thug mixes menace with atmosphere on the
808s Auto-Tuned "Floyd Mayweather" with
Gucci Mane,
Gunna, and
Travi$ Scott, and swirls about unrequited love and attempts at faithful commitment on the tropical slow jam "Pick Up the Phone" with
Migos'
Quavo and
Scott.
Wyclef Jean himself drops in on the
Kanye track, wherein listeners might have the epiphanic realization that, stylistically,
Young Thug owes as much to
Wyclef as he does to
Gucci and
Future. Speaking of style, there is a lot to unpack here and it's difficult to separate
Thug's image from the music. From the eye-opening album cover that sees
Thug wearing a dress crafted by Italian designer Alessandro Trincone to his frequent shout-outs to the boys and "my mans,"
Thug's continuing challenge of hip-hop's gender rules and stereotypes is as inspiring as his album dedicated to inspirations. Over the course of
JEFFERY, he casually references Jimmy Choo, Christian Louboutin, Tiffany's, Chanel, Patek Philippe, and Pigalle just as nimbly as other rappers grasp at a Rolex or Rolls. As a figure unlike anything in the 2010s rap world,
Young Thug presents his best case for inclusion in the pantheon of hip-hop influencers with
JEFFERY, a release as inspired as it is inspiring. ~ Neil Z. Yeung