UPDATED 6/26, 10:49 p.m. ET: Metro Boomin shared a new version of Business Is Business with the tracklist and sequencing he originally wanted.
You can stream it below. Notably, it features "Money" with Juice WRLD and Nicki Minaj and "Sake of My Kids."
See original story below.
Young Thug fans got their wish.
At midnight Friday, the Atlanta-born rapper unleashed his third studio album, Business Is Business, his first full-length effort since he was locked up on gang-related criminal charges. Thugger — legal name Jeffery Williams — began teasing the release last week when he posted a mysterious QR code that directed followers to a countdown page. The clock was also shared by some of hip-hop’s biggest names, including Drake, Chance the Rapper, 21 Savage, and G Herbo.
Although Thug didn’t provide any details on what he had in store, fans were immediately convinced new music was on the way. Those theories were confirmed Thursday afternoon when the rapper revealed Business Is Business’ release date and its official cover art. The black-and-white image showed Thugger sitting in a courtroom alongside his co-defendants.
“BUSINESS IS BUSINESS TONIGHT...” he captioned the post. “Let’s go.”
Thugger also tagged his longtime collaborator, Metro Boomin, who reshared the album announcement on his Instagram.
Hours before the album dropped, Drake hinted at a feature: “You owe me this time,” he commented. “...midnight.”
“U will be paid,” Thug responded.
Then, shortly before dropping the record, Thug shared the tracklist for the project, which included features from big names such as Drake, Future, Travis Scott, Lil Uzi Vert, 21 Savage, and more.
Gunna also shared reposted the image of the album's tracklist to his IG account.
You can stream Business Is Business now on Apple Music and Spotify.
The project marks the follow-up to Thug’s 2021 album, Punk. It also arrives a week after his labelmate Gunna came through with A Gift & a Curse, his first record release since he was let out of jail in late 2022. Thug and Gunna were among the 28 individuals who were named in a 56-count indictment last May. They and other YSL associates were accused of violating Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, more commonly known as the RICO statute.
Prosecutors accused the defendants — who included artists like Yak Gotti, Lil Duke, Slimelife Shawty, and Thug’s brother Unfoonk — of participating in illegal gang activity, such as murder, attempted murder, robbery, witness intimidation, drug dealing, and more. Thug and Gunna were both arrested in May 2022.
“Mr. Williams was taken into custody upon execution of the arrest warrant and he was cooperative in his dealings with law enforcement at all times,” Thug’s attorney, Brian Steel, said following the arrests. “Mr. Williams remains in custody while efforts are being made to secure his pretrial release on bond. Mr. Williams vehemently denies the allegations lodged against him and he looks forward to the opportunity to defend this case in court. We will fight this case ethically, legally and zealously. Mr. Williams will be cleared.”
Thug’s legal team has made multiple requests for bond; however, the presiding judge has consistently sided with prosecutors and kept the rapper behind bars.
In late 2022, Gunna entered a guilty plea and was released from jail shortly after. The news was, unsurprisingly, met with mixed reactions; some celebrated Gunna’s return home, while others were convinced he secured his freedom by cooperating with authorities. A number of rappers accused Gunna of agreeing to testify against his co-defendants, a claim he denied on A Gift & a Curse.
“I know you heard I been pullin’ up pressin’ these n***as who claimin’ I ratted,” he rapped on “Rodeo Dr.” “And been all on the yacht with my muthafuckin’ shirt off, look at it, my whole body tatted.”
He also reaffirmed his loyalty to Thug on “I Was Just Thinking”: “There’s four walls talking to you, telling you you gone/Only I done cried causе this feeling for my bro/And you know my mind, you done watched that n***a grow/Know you hearing the lies that your lil’ brother might fold/Yeah, I had popped out, but don’t let ‘em say I told.”
