Young Thug Plans R&B Album Inspired by Mary J. Blige
Young Thug plans to release an untitled R&B album before the end of the year, inspired by Mary J. Blige.
He said most of the songs are sexual and fun, with probably two or three heartbreak songs in the mix. The Atlanta rapper is best known for hip-hop, but he told his hosts he wanted this project to sit firmly in R&B and named Blige as the model for its sound and honesty.
He shared the plan on The Crew Has It podcast with actors Kris D. Lofton and Gianni Paolo. The episode was released on Oct. 6 and was taped at ComplexCon in Los Angeles, the fan convention organised by Complex, according to Billboard.
Thug also said he is holding several unreleased collaborations with Drake and intends to put them out. The two have worked together for years. Their joint track “What a Time to Be a Slime” leaked in 2020, and they later teamed with Future and Southside on “D4L,” according to Billboard and Rolling Stone.
That working link continued in August 2024, when Drake released three loose songs including “It’s Up” featuring 21 Savage and Young Thug, alongside “Blue Green Red” and “Housekeeping Knows” featuring Latto, according to Complex. Thug did not say whether any of his unreleased tracks with Drake date from those sessions, or when listeners might hear them.
The R&B plan follows a busy stretch for Thug. His album UY Scuti arrived with 21 tracks, including “On the News” with Cardi B, according to Rolling Stone. In September 2025 he also released a seven-minute apology song with verses addressed to Drake, Mariah the Scientist, Future, 21 Savage and others, according to Rolling Stone.
Drake has also been active outside that partnership. He and PARTYNEXTDOOR announced a joint album for release on Feb. 14, according to Complex, and the pair later released $ome $exy $ongs 4 U, according to Rolling Stone.
What makes this stand out is the shift in lane. For fans, this means a full project built around singing, relationships and slow jams rather than rap verses, with Blige as the reference point. No title, tracklist or release date has been confirmed, and Thug did not say which label will issue it.
