Young Thug Bio
Jeffery Lamar Williams II, known professionally as Young Thug, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter born on August 16, 1991, in Atlanta, Georgia. Recognized for his eccentric vocal style and bold approach to fashion, he is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in modern hip-hop and trap music. Emerging from Atlanta in the early 2010s through a string of acclaimed mixtapes, he built a reputation for reshaping melodic rap with unconventional phrasing and unpredictable delivery.
Throughout his career, Young Thug has reached the top of the US Billboard 200 with multiple projects and earned a Grammy Award for his contributions to Childish Gambino’s “This Is America.” Beyond music, his career has also been marked by significant legal challenges, including a high-profile RICO case that led to his incarceration before his release in late 2024.
Early Life and Background
Jeffery Lamar Williams was born on August 16, 1991, in Atlanta, Georgia, and is the tenth of eleven children. He grew up in the Sylvan Hills area and spent much of his childhood in the Jonesboro South projects near Cleveland Avenue, a neighborhood that produced several notable rap figures, including Waka Flocka Flame, Ludacris, and Williams’ childhood friend Peewee Longway, who lived four doors down from him.
Williams was expelled from school in the sixth grade after breaking a teacher’s arm, an incident that resulted in four years in a juvenile prison. During his childhood, one of his older brothers was shot and killed in front of the family home, a tragedy that left a lasting mark on his early years.
Music was part of Williams’ life from a young age, influenced by Atlanta’s vibrant rap scene and the artists emerging from his own neighborhood. His early environment, combined with exposure to local hip-hop, helped shape the foundation for the artistic path he would later pursue.
Path to Rap
Young Thug began his musical career in 2010, debuting with a guest appearance on Atlanta rapper TruRoyal’s track “She Can Go.” He followed this with the first three installments of his mixtape series I Came from Nothing between 2011 and 2012, gradually building a local following through raw, high-energy recordings.
His growing catalog caught the attention of fellow Atlanta rapper Gucci Mane, who signed him to his label 1017 Brick Squad Records, an Asylum and Atlantic imprint, in 2013. Shortly after signing, Williams released his first project with the label, the mixtape 1017 Thug, in February 2013. The project earned strong reviews and was named the best mixtape of the year by Fact, ranked among the year’s best by Pitchfork, Complex, Rolling Stone, and The Guardian.
That same year, Young Thug made early festival and showcase appearances and released his commercial debut single “Stoner,” which generated widespread remixes and attention. These formative steps positioned him to transition from Atlanta’s underground mixtape circuit into the broader national hip-hop landscape.
Young Thug Career
Early Career (2010-2013)
Young Thug’s earliest years were defined by relentless mixtape output and local buzz. The release of 1017 Thug in 2013 served as his introduction to a national audience, with critics praising the project’s originality and unpredictability. Tracks like “Picacho” appeared in year-end lists from Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, and Spin, signaling his arrival as a distinctive new voice.
During this period, he also collaborated with Atlanta producer Metro Boomin on several tracks for the project 19 & Boomin, including “Some More,” and performed at the Fool’s Gold Day Off show in Miami. Complex named him one of 25 New Rappers to Watch Out For in July 2013, further confirming his rising profile.
Breakthrough (2014-2016)
Young Thug first received mainstream recognition in 2014 for his singles “Stoner” and “Danny Glover,” along with high-profile guest appearances on tracks such as T.I.’s “About the Money,” Tyga’s “Hookah,” and Rich Gang’s “Lifestyle.” He also released a mixtape with Rich Gang titled Rich Gang: Tha Tour Pt. 1 and signed a solo recording contract with 300 Entertainment, an imprint of Atlantic Records.
In 2015, he released the mixtapes Barter 6 and the first two installments of his Slime Season series to strong critical reception. He continued his commercial rise in 2016 with the releases of I’m Up, Slime Season 3, and the self-titled mixtape Jeffery, which featured viral cover art of Williams wearing a dress designed by Italian designer Alessandro Trincone. During this era, he founded his own record label imprint, YSL Records, in November 2016.
His growing influence was underscored by features on Calvin Klein campaigns and praise from Rolling Stone, which in December 2014 called him the “most exciting new voice of hip-hop” and “hip-hop’s new crown prince.”
Notable Works and Milestones
One of Young Thug’s most defining moments came in 2017 when he was featured on Camila Cabello’s worldwide hit “Havana,” which peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, marking his first chart-topper. The following year, in 2018, he co-wrote and provided background vocals on Childish Gambino’s “This Is America,” which debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot 100.
His debut studio album So Much Fun arrived on August 16, 2019, his 28th birthday, and debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200. He continued his chart success with “Go Crazy” alongside Chris Brown in 2020, his second number-one appearance on Travis Scott’s “Franchise” that same year, and a third number-one with Future on Drake’s “Way 2 Sexy” in 2021. His second studio album Punk followed in October 2021, and he released his third studio album, Business Is Business, in 2023 while incarcerated. His fourth studio album, UY Scuti, arrived on September 26, 2025, his first project following his release from jail.
Young Thug Award Nominations
Young Thug has earned recognition across the hip-hop industry through nominations at the Grammy Awards, BET Awards, BET Hip Hop Awards, and other major ceremonies, reflecting his influence as both a performer and a featured collaborator. His nominations span categories such as Best Rap Performance, Best Rap Song, and Album of the Year, underscoring the breadth of his contributions to contemporary rap.
Young Thug Awards Won
Young Thug has won one Grammy Award, taking home Song of the Year for his contributions to Childish Gambino’s “This Is America” in 2018. He has also received honors at the BET Awards and other music industry ceremonies recognizing his impact as a leading voice in modern hip-hop.
Young Thug Family
Jeffery Lamar Williams II is the tenth of eleven children and grew up in a large family in Atlanta, Georgia. He became a father at the age of 17 and has six children by four women, including three sons and three daughters. During his childhood, one of his older brothers was tragically shot and killed in front of the family home, a loss that has remained part of his personal story.
Personal Life
Young Thug was engaged to Jerrika Karlae, who runs a swimsuit line, from 2015 until their split in December 2020. In 2021, he began a relationship with singer-songwriter Mariah the Scientist; the couple became engaged in December 2025, two months after briefly ending their relationship the previous October.
In April 2020, he publicly revealed a near-death experience involving liver and kidney failure, sharing that he had been hospitalized and was told he had briefly died. He has resided in Atlanta, Georgia, and is also known for his eccentric fashion sense, which has been widely compared to artists such as David Bowie, Prince, and Little Richard. In February 2018, he briefly rebranded himself under the name “Sex.”