Young Thug opens up about “Punk,” a near-death experience, and more in a new cover story with Rolling Stone.
Yesterday, Young Thug premiered four new songs from his upcoming album Punk during his first NPR Tiny Desk Concert. Originally announced in 2019, mere months after the release of his studio debut So Much Fun, it would appear that we finally have an idea of which Thug will be showing up on this one.
As some might have guessed based on the project’s title, there’s a notable emphasis on live instrumentation. Guitars, bass, and drums appear to be the backdrop for several of the recently-premiered songs, including “Die Slow,” “Droppin Jewels,” “Hate The Game,” and “Tick Tock.” While many continue to explore the new tracks, Rolling Stone shone further light on the upcoming Punk with a new digital cover story.
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Revealing that Thug mainly listens to “fucking pop-star music,” jazz, and “sounds but not actual words,” perhaps we can assume that Thugger will be delving further into the direction on his sophomore drop. We’ve already heard him going full pop-punk on “Hate The Game,” arguably his most mainstream-sounding song thus far.
Another of the Tiny Desk-premiered tracks “Die Slow” featured some of his realest writing to date, and it seems as if Thug’s story will continue to be explored in greater detail. “With Punk I tapped into more real world,” he tells the publication. “I’m just rapping more about life situations because I had time to sit down and actually reflect and think.”
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He also opened up about a recent health scare, where he lost most of the feeling in his body after suffering organ failure. “I kinda just stayed in the bed and I was like, ‘Yo, call the ambulance. I can’t move my body,’” he recalls. “Then later, when the ambulance came, I couldn’t get out of the bed. They had to get me out of the bed, basically. I felt like my whole body was numb and I couldn’t move. I went to the hospital and I had found out that I had liver and kidney failure. And I kinda had sorta passed away, like I kinda died.”
One can only assume he’ll be touching on that traumatic experience on Punk, a project that’s shaping up to be his most honest to date. Check out the full story over at Rolling Stone here, and look for Thug’s new album to land on October 15th. For an early glimpse at some of the songs, behold the Tiny Desk Concert below.
WATCH: Young Thug premieres Punk songs