Jeffery (2016)

Jeffery (originally titled No, My Name is Jeffery) is the fourth commercial mixtape by American rapper Young Thug. It was released on August 26, 2016, by 300 Entertainment and Atlantic Records. The mixtape features guest appearances from Travis Scott, Gucci Mane, Gunna, Quavo, Offset, and Wyclef Jean. It also features production from TM88, Wheezy, and Young Thug himself (credited as his first name/album namesake Jeffery).

Jeffery charted at number eight on the US Billboard 200, and received widespread acclaim from critics. Its artwork, which features Young Thug in a dress, went viral. The mixtape was named among the best releases of 2016 by several publications, including Pitchfork, Fact, Complex, and Rolling Stone.

Background

Jeffery was announced on July 9, 2016, via Young Thug's Instagram, along with previews of new music. It was initially slated for release on August 16, coinciding with Young Thug's birthday, but was pushed back. The mixtape was accompanied by his decision to abandon the stage name Young Thug in favor of the new moniker No, My Name is Jeffery, or simply his birth name Jeffery. The change of stage name was announced by his manager Lyor Cohen in the preparation for the mixtape's release. According to Young Thug, "Jeffery is all about Jeffery. It ain't even about Young Thug. Ain't no Young Thug songs on there. The mixtape is a straight crossover." On Beats 1, he clarified that the name change was only for one week, unless the mixtape sold 100,000 copies.

The second track, "Floyd Mayweather", was originally supposed to be featured on a Gunna project. With the exception of "Pick Up the Phone", each track was named after one of Young Thug's idols, including Gucci Mane ("Guwop"), Wyclef Jean ("Wyclef Jean"), Rihanna ("RiRi"), Future ("Future Swag"), Harambe, the gorilla killed at the Cincinnati Zoo in May 2016, and Kanye West ("Kanye West").

Composition

The opening track, "Wyclef Jean", is named after the Haitian rapper. It features Young Thug ad-libbing and crooning sexual boasts over a half-time reggae beat produced by TM88 and Supah Mario. The song contains horns, a Jamaican-sounding backing chant, and is driven by a groovy bassline. Young Thug's vocal delivery on its bridge is soulful, while his delivery on its hook is nasal. Scott Glaysher of XXL magazine wrote that the beat had "a distinct Caribbean vibe", and felt that it sounded like something Wyclef Jean himself could rap over. "Floyd Mayweather", the second track, is named after the American boxer Floyd Mayweather. It has a runtime of six minutes, and features rappers Gunna, Gucci Mane, and Travis Scott. A trap song, it was produced by Goose, TM88, Wheezy, Billboard Hitmakers, and Young Thug himself. The track's beat is melodic, featuring hi-hats, drums, and wavering synths. Lyrically, the song is about showing off wealth. It features Auto-Tuned vocals and, like the opening track, sexual boasting. The third track, "Swizz Beatz", is a sonically pop-leaning "self-love song", according to HipHopDX. Produced by Wheezy, it is named after the American rapper and record producer Swizz Beatz. Vocally, the song features howls, yips, and yodel-sounding delivery from Young Thug.

The following track, "Future Swag", is named after and sonically inspired by American rapper Future. It was produced by TM88, and features repetition, ad-libs, and alternating rhythms. The song contains an impression of Future, with Young Thug imitating his voice and flow. The fifth track, "RiRi", and is named after Barbadian singer Rihanna. Produced by Wheezy, "RiRi" sees Young Thug mimicking Rihanna's vocal inflections and proclaiming his admiration for her. His repetition of "earn" during the hook is in reference to her 2016 single "Work". His falsetto delivery of the hook features voice cracks, similar to Rihanna's vocals in "Work". Young Thug's vocal performance during the song has elements of pop, R&B, and Caribbean tonalities. "Guwop", the sixth track, features rappers Quavo, Offset, and Young Scooter. It is named after Gucci Mane, and was produced by Cassius Jay, TM88, and Wheezy. The song has an unconventional ambient trap beat, with The Guardian's Lanre Bakare comparing it to the style of producer Suicideyear.