Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary editors and linguists should probably cover their ears. Embracing a loose grasp of the English language, Young Thug has produced a new mixtape.
Slime Season 2, the “sequel” to the acclaimed Slime Season, was released by the equally hated and loved Atlanta-based rapper on Halloween. Though even Thugger’s most dedicated fans fail to understand the majority of his verse, his offbeat personality certainly makes it worth a listen.
Young Thug is probably most well known for his unconventional approach to rap music. He mumbles incoherently more than he actually raps, and in nearly every song describes themes odd enough to make almost anyone cringe. It’s no surprise his latest release would be just as peculiar.
The album opens with “Big Racks,” a Southside-produced banger. The catchy bassline contrasts with an interesting synth melody to give a feeling reminiscent of “Freaky” from the first Slime Season.
But, the impressive opening track is not representative of the album as a whole.
While there are plenty of bass-heavy, bumping songs, there are also many slower, love-song type instrumentals, and some that couldn’t really be grouped into any one category, such as “Pull Up On a Kid.”
While he excels at combining different styles, Young Thug fails to prepare his listeners for the variation. Songs will occasionally transition smoothly, but the album is too often characterized by loud, fast-paced tracks plowing into slower, more intimate tunes.
The lyrics are just as disorganized. Thugger raps about staying out of jail, spending time with his girl and, as always, his surplus of wealth.
But, one could say Young Thug is a bit too creative at times. On “Never Made Love,” he attempts to rhyme “party” with “love means,” and on “Phoenix,” he spits the laughable line “Put my dog in your poo butt.” The rapper has always been known for bizarre one-liners, but it seems on Slime Season 2, he’s resorted to pure shock factor.
While for the most part lacking lyrical sincerity, the mixtape showcases Young Thug’s ingenuity through his delivery.
Arguably, the best feature of Thug’s music is his flow. On “Up,” he begins his first verse sounding slow and unorganized, as if it was a freestyle. But a few lines in he explodes, ending the verse with a few slurred, sing-songy lines. The instrumentals follow his tempo accordingly. Though at times sounding chaotic, Thug’s rhythm is undoubtedly inventive.
But, the featured artists on the project do more harm than good. Yak Gotti tries to copy Young Thug’s style on “Pull Up On A Kid” and fails, delivering a verse that only detracts from the otherwise strong song.
Describing Rich Homie Quan’s role on “Never Made Love” as a feature is a stretch — the rapper provides background lines during the chorus of the song, but nothing else.
For Young Thug fans, Slime Season 2 is exactly what you’d expect — eccentric. The rapper rarely repeats his flow, and delivers odd lyrics over instrumentals to match.
For anyone seeking To Pimp A Butterfly caliber meaning and cohesiveness, this is not the right mixtape.
