Young Thug

Jeffery Lamar Williams II, known professionally as Young Thug, is an American rapper and singer-songwriter born on August 16, 1991. Recognized for his vocal style and fashion, he is considered an influential figure in modern hip-hop and trap music, as well as a popularizer of the mumble rap microgenre. Over his career, he has achieved multiple chart-topping releases, award-winning collaborations, and established his own record label imprint, YSL Records.

Williams was born in Atlanta, Georgia, as the tenth of eleven children. Raised in the Jonesboro South projects near Cleveland Avenue after originating from Sylvan Hills, his neighborhood was also home to rappers such as Waka Flocka Flame, Ludacris, and his childhood friend Peewee Longway. During the sixth grade, Williams was expelled for breaking a teacher's arm and subsequently served four years in juvenile prison.

Williams began his musical career in 2010 with a guest appearance on TruRoyal's song "She Can Go." Between 2011 and 2012, he released the first three installments of his mixtape series I Came from Nothing. In 2013, he signed with Gucci Mane's 1017 Brick Squad Records and released the mixtape 1017 Thug, which earned critical praise from publications including Pitchfork, Rolling Stone, and Complex. Late that year, Williams released the commercial debut single "Stoner" alongside the track "Danny Glover," both of which received widespread attention.

In 2014, Williams expanded his profile through guest appearances on T.I.'s "About the Money" and Rich Gang's "Lifestyle." He joined Cash Money Records' Rich Gang under a management deal, released the collaborative mixtape Rich Gang: Tha Tour Pt. 1, and signed a solo recording contract with 300 Entertainment. In 2015, he released the mixtape Barter 6 along with the first two installments of his Slime Season series. He continued his success in 2016 with the mixtapes I'm Up, Slime Season 3, and Jeffery, the latter featuring artwork with a dress designed by Alessandro Trincone.

Williams founded YSL Records in November 2016. In 2017, he released the mixtape Beautiful Thugger Girls and featured on Camila Cabello's hit single "Havana," which became his first number-one single on the Billboard Hot 100. In 2018, Williams co-wrote and provided background vocals on Childish Gambino's "This Is America," earning the Grammy Award for Song of the Year. He also released the YSL Records compilation album Slime Language that same year.

Williams released his debut studio album, So Much Fun, in August 2019, which topped the US Billboard 200. He followed with successful projects including Slime & B, Punk, Business Is Business, and UY Scuti in 2025, alongside YSL compilation albums Slime Language 2 and Slime Language 3. In 2022, Williams was arrested on Georgia RICO Act and drug or firearm charges. Following a lengthy trial, he was released in October 2024 after accepting a plea deal resulting in time served and 15 years of probation.