I Came From Nothing
August 26, 2016 10:26 AM Subscribe
Known as much for his flamboyant style as his prolific output, rapper, singer and weirdo Young Thug [prev] has released a new commercial mixtape (can we call commercial mixtapes albums already?). The project title No, My Name Is JEFFERY asserts a new identity, and the music continues to twist the Atlanta trap sound in new and strange directions. "I always had a Michael Jackson mentality…The message is to go back to who I really am. I really am Jeffery. That’s really my swag." Oh, and the cover art is wild.
Man, I wish I liked Young Thug’s music. His style is exciting and makes me feel good about the youth. His sound makes me feel like an old.
posted by Going To Maine at 11:35 AM on August 26, 2016 [7 favorites]
posted by Going To Maine at 11:35 AM on August 26, 2016 [7 favorites]
(Because I am!)
posted by Going To Maine at 11:36 AM on August 26, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by Going To Maine at 11:36 AM on August 26, 2016 [1 favorite]
I'm an old, and definitely couldn't stand him at first. But somewhere between Picacho + Stoner... something clicked. Hands down my favorite artist from the past few years.
posted by so fucking future at 12:00 PM on August 26, 2016
posted by so fucking future at 12:00 PM on August 26, 2016
I'm an old, too, and I'm afraid to say how much I like Young Thug for fear I will ruin it for the youngs.
(Thugger and Chance The Rapper. I'm not sure if it took thirty years for me to come around to hip-hop, or thirty years for hip-hop to come around to me.)
posted by BitterOldPunk at 1:32 PM on August 26, 2016 [6 favorites]
(Thugger and Chance The Rapper. I'm not sure if it took thirty years for me to come around to hip-hop, or thirty years for hip-hop to come around to me.)
posted by BitterOldPunk at 1:32 PM on August 26, 2016 [6 favorites]
This "mixtape" is incredible. The wonderful album art makes it even better. I'm not surprised that memes are already being made of it.
The Harambe track is the best track on the album.
posted by 81818181818181818181 at 2:57 PM on August 26, 2016 [2 favorites]
The Harambe track is the best track on the album.
posted by 81818181818181818181 at 2:57 PM on August 26, 2016 [2 favorites]
I am seeing Young Thug tomorrow at Breakaway. Tonight was Chance The Rapper, the performance I most wanted to see. It was great. I'm psyched to see what Young Thug does live.
posted by putzface_dickman at 9:31 PM on August 26, 2016
posted by putzface_dickman at 9:31 PM on August 26, 2016
I just listened to the whole thing and fell in love. About to go fall down the rabbit hole and explore further - does anyone have any particular tracks they'd recommend wandering into while i'm there?
posted by pseudonymph at 7:08 AM on August 27, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by pseudonymph at 7:08 AM on August 27, 2016 [2 favorites]
I recommend Lifestyle, Drippin', Memo, 2 Cups Stuffed, Danny Glover, and Check. IMO though you can't go wrong with anything off of Barter 6 or Slime Season 3. Thug also has an amazing interview with clique here
posted by dreyfusfinucane at 8:40 AM on August 27, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by dreyfusfinucane at 8:40 AM on August 27, 2016 [3 favorites]
"Pop Man" is my favorite on this album ("Kanye West"?). It's all great! That cover artwork is incredible.
pseudonymph: You might've heard this song before, it's a total jam.
posted by naju at 12:49 PM on August 27, 2016 [1 favorite]
pseudonymph: You might've heard this song before, it's a total jam.
posted by naju at 12:49 PM on August 27, 2016 [1 favorite]
That cover art is striking. I really want to hear this artist's music.
posted by Hicksu at 10:38 PM on August 27, 2016
posted by Hicksu at 10:38 PM on August 27, 2016
THE THUG IS DEAD LONG LIVE JEFFERY
So stoked. He's amazing.
posted by Joseph Gurl at 2:03 AM on August 29, 2016
So stoked. He's amazing.
posted by Joseph Gurl at 2:03 AM on August 29, 2016
I believe you when you say that No, My Name Is Jeffrey is brilliant, but I think I lack the context to understand why?
So far what I've heard sounds just fine. But not revolutionary or anything? I guess I was expecting either really clever lyrics (e.g., Childish Gambino?) or really surprising instrumentation (like clippng, using dental drills or whatever?).
But this is totally not my area of expertise, so those might be completely weird comparisons to make. What should I be looking for in this?
posted by Squid Voltaire at 1:42 PM on August 29, 2016
So far what I've heard sounds just fine. But not revolutionary or anything? I guess I was expecting either really clever lyrics (e.g., Childish Gambino?) or really surprising instrumentation (like clippng, using dental drills or whatever?).
But this is totally not my area of expertise, so those might be completely weird comparisons to make. What should I be looking for in this?
posted by Squid Voltaire at 1:42 PM on August 29, 2016
To answer my own question, it turns out that although I wasn't really a fan of the first half of the album, the second half is great! Although it still doesn't seem _especially_ groundbreaking or whatever.
posted by Squid Voltaire at 2:00 PM on August 29, 2016
posted by Squid Voltaire at 2:00 PM on August 29, 2016
What should I be looking for in this?
It's all about that voice, in my opinion. It has an unusual and appealing quality as an instrument, and he often flips everything around so that his ad-libs and odd vocalizations become the centerpiece rather than just a background element. He does crazy things to standard tracks with his voice and the result ends up being catchy and club-ready while still sounding alien. He's often unintelligible, too; there's this aspect of the vocals that are pure glossolalia and it's missing the point to try to dissect them in a standard way. You might like this article.
posted by naju at 8:28 PM on August 29, 2016 [1 favorite]
It's all about that voice, in my opinion. It has an unusual and appealing quality as an instrument, and he often flips everything around so that his ad-libs and odd vocalizations become the centerpiece rather than just a background element. He does crazy things to standard tracks with his voice and the result ends up being catchy and club-ready while still sounding alien. He's often unintelligible, too; there's this aspect of the vocals that are pure glossolalia and it's missing the point to try to dissect them in a standard way. You might like this article.
posted by naju at 8:28 PM on August 29, 2016 [1 favorite]
Didn't Lil B start the trend of high-profile young rappers being transgressive on matters of sexual orientation? Maybe Young Thug is doing something similar with his public persona.
posted by Apocryphon at 4:17 PM on August 30, 2016
posted by Apocryphon at 4:17 PM on August 30, 2016
Yeah - gave Barter 6 and My Name is JEFFERY a spin but they just don’t quite click for me. I had similar problems with Fetty Wap and Lil Uzi Vert; they’re so close to something I’d like but it’s just not quite there. Of the three I’d say that YT is perhaps the best - a lot of crazy sounds on there, much more interesting production than the other two -but not a lot really popping out. (Except “Pop Man” / “Kanye West” with those vocal samples.) Maybe I just need to listen to the tape with the volume cranked up a bit more.
Also, so many swears! So much sexing!
posted by Going To Maine at 7:03 PM on August 30, 2016 [1 favorite]
Also, so many swears! So much sexing!
posted by Going To Maine at 7:03 PM on August 30, 2016 [1 favorite]
Young Thug's vocals remind me of a more manic, frantic, trapped-out version of Danny Brown's. Coincidentally, the latter is a big fan of Thugger.
posted by Apocryphon at 11:08 AM on August 31, 2016
posted by Apocryphon at 11:08 AM on August 31, 2016
Matthew Strauss at Pitchfork: “Watch Young Thug Say Yes to the Dress From His JEFFERY Cover”
posted by Going To Maine at 8:03 PM on September 1, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by Going To Maine at 8:03 PM on September 1, 2016 [1 favorite]
I've really been enjoying some chopped & screwed Slime Season shit. Yung Savage has one that's not a mess, for instance.
Thugger's voice, when slowed down, is even more dynamic and jaw-dropping. Whines, growls, cracks, creaks, squeals, drawls, slurs, accents, falsettos, false rhymes, internal rhymes...kid's got it all.
posted by Joseph Gurl at 3:25 PM on September 3, 2016 [2 favorites]
Thugger's voice, when slowed down, is even more dynamic and jaw-dropping. Whines, growls, cracks, creaks, squeals, drawls, slurs, accents, falsettos, false rhymes, internal rhymes...kid's got it all.
posted by Joseph Gurl at 3:25 PM on September 3, 2016 [2 favorites]
I only just discovered Young Thug recently and this album has been on my iPod on repeat. Along with the new Frank Ocean and Travis Scott. It's a great time for rap & hip/hop. Jam.
posted by Fizz at 7:50 AM on September 12, 2016
posted by Fizz at 7:50 AM on September 12, 2016
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maybe that Complex link has a Spotify stream, but I couldn't get it to work ("too many redirects")
posted by Shepherd at 11:00 AM on August 26, 2016 [1 favorite]