Young Thug
He bent the rules of hip-hop with a kaleidoscopic vocal style and gender-fluid fashion, reshaping the sound of Atlanta and a generation.
Born 1991 (age 35)·American rapper·Birthday: August 16·Millennials
Biography
Born Jeffery Lamar Williams in Atlanta, Young Thug emerged from the city's vibrant trap scene as a singular, disruptive force. His early mixtapes, like the 'I Came from Nothing' series, were raw and chaotic, but his 2013 signing to Gucci Mane's 1017 Records marked a turning point. With projects like '1017 Thug' and later 'Barter 6', he introduced a radical new approach: a slurred, melodic, and emotionally unguarded delivery that treated his voice like an instrument, warping words into pure feeling. His impact was as visual as it was musical, donning dresses and bold patterns that challenged hip-hop's masculine norms. Beyond his own hits, his artistic DNA is embedded in countless tracks through his influential YSL collective and his role as a hitmaking songwriter for others. His career, marked by both meteoric creativity and complex legal challenges, underscores his status as one of modern music's most consequential and unpredictable architects.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Young was born in 1991, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Young Was Born
The biggest hits of 1991
#1 Movie
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Best Picture
The Silence of the Lambs
#1 TV Show
Cheers
Young's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1991Born
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1996Started school
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2004Became a teenager
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2007Could drive
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2009Could vote
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2012Turned 21
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2021Turned 30
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2026Age 35 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- His 2019 album 'So Much Fun' debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, marking his first chart-topping solo project.
- Co-wrote and featured on the global mega-hit 'This Is America' with Childish Gambino, which won multiple Grammy Awards including Record of the Year.
- Founded the record label and collective Young Stoner Life (YSL), launching careers for artists like Gunna and Lil Keed.
- Won a Grammy Award in 2020 for his contribution to 'This Is America'.
- His 2016 mixtape 'Jeffery' and its single 'Wyclef Jean' became critical and commercial landmarks for its avant-garde approach.
Did You Know?
He has a fear of gorillas, a fact he has mentioned in several interviews.
He named his 2016 mixtape 'Jeffery' after his real first name and modeled its cover after a photo of his mother.
He was the first male artist to appear on the cover of Vogue magazine's digital edition in 2019.
He has over 3,000 unreleased songs in his personal archive, according to interviews with his producers.
He has a daughter named Heaven who has appeared on album covers with him.
““I don't feel like I'm a rapper. I feel like I can bring something to the world.””
