Young Thug is one of the most talked rappers of 2014: Ask Kanye West, Drake, Complex, or anyone who’s heard “Danny Glover” blasting from passing cars. The eccentric Atlanta rapper got a radio hit with “Stoner”, received A-lister remix treatment with Nicki Minaj taking on “Danny Glover”, and reportedly signed to Cash Money Records. But last month Buzzfeed investigated why Thug’s career seemed to be stalling just as it was taking off. They uncovered a messy label situation, including the fact that Young Thug is still signed to Gucci Mane’s imprint; turns out the pair recorded Young Thugga Mane La Flare last summer before Gucci went off to jail yet again.
Over the last half decade, Gucci Mane has progressed from potential pop-rap star featured on Usher and Swizz Beatz singles to an IRL rap villain whose relevance hangs on despite long stretches between minor hits. The two rappers’ contrasting career paths make Young Thugga Mane La Flare an opportune release for Gucci, allowing him to showcase the talent of his legally dubious label mate. And Thug responds, deploying every trick in his arsenal: squawking ad-libs, sung hooks, a multitude of vocal inflections. His vocal gymnastics aren’t just showboating though—on the chorus of “Bricks”, he increases the pitch of his voice to a nearly unintelligible heights and the same technique makes the laughably titled “OMG BRO” and “OMG” bizarrely catchy songs. He takes a bit from leaned-out Lil Wayne, astronaut-high Future, and Dancehall MC yelping, all of which makes Gucci Mane’s time on the top of the Southern rap landscape seem that much further away.
That said, Thug’s scattershot style makes Gucci Mane a grounded foil. The latter’s rapping, while still versatile, isn’t quite as dexterous as it was on releases like From Zone 6 to Duval or The Burrprint: The Movie 3-D. Where Young Thug mixes observations about puppy-dog love with lyrics about his personal style and luxury goods, Gucci Mane remains agitated; his disdain for women, men, and, well, anyone outside his squad permeates every line. Young Thugga Mane La Flare exploits this contrast, but knows where the talent lies. Young Thug gets a majority of the recording time, which helps makes the tape almost feel like a solo project.
Gucci Mane has appeared on joint release with an up-and-coming Atlanta rappers like Rich Homie Quan, Young Scooter, Future, and Waka Flocka Flame with varying degrees of success. Young Thugga Mane La Flare is the rare project where his own bleak grit is clearly outshined by a rapper, one who, in 2014, is operating in another stratosphere.
