Subliminals at Gunna, a conversation with Lil Baby and a jail-phone intro from Drake are just the tip of the iceberg to Young Thug’s new album BUSINESS IS BUSINESS.
At 15 tracks long (executive produced by Metro Boomin) and clad with features from Drake, 21 Savage, Travis Scott, Future, Lil Uzi Vert and others, BUSINESS IS BUSINESS is a return to form for the currently incarcerated Young Stoner Life boss.
Releasing the visual to “Oh U Went” featuring Drake on Monday (July 17), it’s evident that Drake and Thug are the dynamic duo that never fails to craft classics. Prior to the video, directed by Nick Manterola and Garfield Larmond Jr, Metro Boomin shared his version of the album on June 26, resequencing all the tracks and adding two new cuts: “Money” with Juice WRLD and Nicki Minaj as well as “Sake Of My Kids.”
His first full-length effort since PUNK, BUSINESS IS BUSINESS interestingly arrived one week after Gunna’s a Gift & a Curse — which appears to have caused a rift between the former YSL one-two punch. The album’s 13th track “Jonesboro” and leaked audio of a jail call between him and Lil Durk is evidence of Thug’s distaste towards Gunna’s plea deal. Gunna was released in January while Thug still awaits trial for RICO charges filed against him last year.
PUNK debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in 2021, as BUSINESS IS BUSINESS was on pace to become Billboard’s first No. 1 rap album of 2023, yet came up just short. Thugger sold 88,000 first-week units, according to Hits Daily Double, and debuted at No. 2 as of this week (June 30).
Its rollout was swift and came as a complete surprise. Posting a mysterious QR code captioned “BUSINESS IS BUSINESS,” the link led to a countdown timer that expired at midnight Friday (June 23). Metro Boomin officially revealed Thugger’s album BUSINESS IS BUSINESS hours before its release.
“You can’t stop what God has planned,” Metro wrote on Twitter announcing the project. “#FREETWIN, Love you bro.” Many of Thug’s prior collaborators reposted the countdown in its build-up — Drake, Chance the Rapper, Metro Boomin, Southside, London On Da Track, Wheezy, Quavo, 21 Savage and fellow YSL star Gunna most notably — which were an inkling to their inclusion on the record.
Prior to his arrest in May 2022, Thug teased the cover art for Slime Season 4, where BUSINESS IS BUSINESS acts as a placeholder for the highly-anticipated tape if he’s freed down the line. Amid his time in prison, Jeffrey has been quite active as a feature artist, hopping on Metro Boomin’s HEROES & VILLAINS for the menacing “Metro Spider,” “RUN” off Killer Mike’s MICHAEL, “My wrist” with Yeat and more.
Listen to ‘BUSINESS IS BUSINESS’ below!
