With his first new album since being released from jail a year ago, Young Thug has successfully done precisely what he’s best at: getting the entire rap world talking. It was only a few weeks ago that Thug’s social media tirades, ill-advised as they were, seemed to put the entire industry’s dirty laundry out in the open, but in Thug’s all-out honesty seems to have paved a way for an inventive new album, Uy Scuti, that manages to mend some past conflicts and chart out a way forward. With features from Future, Ken Carson, Mariah the Scientist, and 21 Savage, the record is a well-crafted comeback, reminding listeners of the kinds of dazzling lyrical acrobatics we’ve come to expect from Young Thug.
Like with so many of Thug’s projects, it starts with the cover. Carrying on a tradition of fearlessly provocative covers that Thug’s made a career of, Uy Scuti‘s album art features a close-up of Thug, head in his palms, looking pretty much as you’d expect, except he’s been transformed into a white person. On Instagram, he shared the cover art with the caption: “IF YOU WANNA BE THE BIGGEST….GO WHITE!!” which fans are reading as either subversive irony or, for those who think more literally, as some sort of betrayal of character. And some people think transgressive art is dead.
From the internet’s reaction to a white Young Thug, to a surprising feature spot for YFN Lucci, here are six takeaways from Young Thug’s latest album Uy Scuti.
That Cover Art
When Young Thug appeared on the cover of Jeffery, adorned in a skirt, the internet was abuzz. Never had a mainstream rap artist made such a bold choice for their album art. Thug has managed to find a way to push the envelope all these years later with Uy Scuti, adorning a Druski-esque whiteface that reads as a somewhat subversive take on the current moment’s politics. While the majority of commentary online seemed to take Thug’s move as a misstep, there’s an undertone to the cover that at once acknowledges the current moment’s eerie push towards white nationalism, whilst skewering the concept on its face. It’s the kind of creative sleight of hand only possible when you’re the famously gender and genre-eschewing Young Thug.
A Missing Rod Wave Feature Might’ve Gotten Someone on Thug’s Team Fired
As is seemingly customary in Young Thug affairs circa 2025, a public airing of grievances. Shortly after the album went live on DSPs, Thug took to Twitter to apologize to Rod Wave fans. Apparently, Wave was supposed to be included as a feature on the song “Blaming Jesus.” Through an error on the side of Thug’s camp, his verse wasn’t included, though Thug promised an updated tracklisting with the missing verse in the coming days. And as for whoever it was who screwed up the release, Thug promises he’s “Doin some firing in the a.m and the song will be fixed tomorrow.”
Whoopty Doo!
By now, it’s basically part of the lexicon. Young Thug’s expressive phrasing of “Whoopty Doo” during his hours-long interview on the Perspectives podcast with Big Bang Black earlier this month has become a full-on meme, and Thug himself is clearly in on the fun. On the track literally titled “Whoopty Doo,” he spends the first half of the song repeating the phrase with the kind of hypnotic cadence reminiscent of Atlanta rap anthems built around almost childlike phonetics.
(Some) Beefs, Squashed
Uy Scuti is chock full of features and moments built to make a splash, but its Thug’s feature with YFN Lucci on the track “Whaddup Jesus” felt the most genuinely surprising. Thug and Lucci have been at odds for years over alleged street disputes, as well as back-and-forth exchanges on social media. While Thug’s animosity towards Gunna remains well-documented, if not only vaguely alluded to on the album, he seems to have found time to reconcile with a different rapper he’s had a long-standing beef with, which, perhaps, offers some sliver of hope for his and Gunna’s future.
Features From Across The Rap Landscape
Something about Uy Scuti feels transported from a different era in rap, when a stacked lineup of features packed a more impressive punch. Many listeners noted that the wealth of outside voices on the album at times feels like it detracts from Thug’s unique sound. In any event, if there was any doubt that Young Thug still maintains a healthy amount of influence in the rap world, just take a look at this guest list. Future, Lil Baby, Ken Carson, Lil Gotit, 1300 SAINT, Sexyy Red, T.I., Cardi B, and of course, YFN Lucci, not to mention Mariah the Scientist, who, despite cheating rumors coming to light in the wake of leaked jail calls, appeared on two songs. Whatever you think of Thug’s most recent moves, Uy Scuti is sure to prove that he’s still got a deep well of both talent and influence. The rap world can rejoice.
