Slime Language 2 (2021)

Slime Language 2 is the second compilation album by American record label Young Stoner Life. It was released in conjunction with the label's founder, Young Thug, and one of the label's artists, Gunna. The compilation was released through the label and 300 Entertainment on April 16, 2021. It serves as a sequel to the 2018 release by the label and features outside guest appearances from Travis Scott, Drake, Rowdy Rebel, Lil Baby, Lil Uzi Vert, Coi Leray, Big Sean, Nav, Skepta, Future, YNW Melly, Yung Bleu, Sheck Wes, Kid Cudi, and Meek Mill.

A deluxe edition of the album was released on April 23, 2021. It featured additional outside guest appearances from DaBaby, Don Toliver and Jim Jones.

The compilation was supported by three singles: "Take It to Trial", "That Go!", and "GFU". The album spawned two more singles, "Ski" and "Solid", which debuted at number 18 and 12, respectively, on the US Billboard Hot 100.

Background and release

Gunna revealed the existence of Slime Language 2 in an interview for his second studio album, Wunna, on May 22, 2020, which was released on the same day. Young Thug announced a release date on July 29, 2020, tweeting "#Slimelanguage2 8-16", before later deleting the post. On October 19, 2020, Thug was thought to have confirmed the album's release date of November 27, 2020, for Black Friday and confirmed that late American rapper and singer Juice Wrld would be featured. Instead, the album's lead single, "Take It to Trial", featuring American rapper and YSL Records signee Yak Gotti, was released on Black Friday, but taken down abruptly, and later put back up with a new cover art on December 18, 2020. On November 19, 2020, in an interview on American rapper T.I.'s podcast, Expeditiously, Young Thug revealed that he was working on Slime Language 2 and his upcoming second studio album, Punk, wanting to "start anew" and "start a new relationship with my label". On the same day, he was working with Gunna and Lil Baby in the studio. He officially announced the album's release date on April 12, 2021, also sharing the album's cover art. Artists signed to YSL Records who contribute to the album consist of Young Thug (label boss), Gunna, Yak Gotti, Lil Duke, YTB Trench, Yung Kayo, Thug's brother Unfoonk, Thug's girlfriend Karlae, T-Shyne, Lil Keed, Strick, FN DaDealer, Thug's nephew BSlime and Thug's sisters HiDoraah and Dolly White. The other artists who appear on the album consist of Travis Scott, Drake, Rowdy Rebel, Lil Uzi Vert, Coi Leray, Big Sean, Nav, Skepta, Future, YNW Melly, Yung Bleu, Sheck Wes, Kid Cudi, and Meek Mill. The only artist who is signed to YSL on the deluxe edition of the album is Thug's daughter Mego. The non-YSL-signed artists from the deluxe edition consist of DaBaby, Don Toliver, Jim Jones, and 24Heavy.

Singles

The album's lead single, "Take It to Trial", featuring American rapper and YSL signee Yak Gotti, was released on December 18, 2020. "GFU", performed by Yak Gotti and American rapper Sheck Wes, featuring American rapper and fellow YSL signee Yung Kayo, was released on January 29, 2021, as its second single. On February 12, 2021, "That Go!", performed by Young Thug and American rapper Meek Mill, featuring American rapper and fellow YSL signee T-Shyne, was released as the third and final single.

Cover artwork

The cover art is in the form of a large family portrait, showing the YSL collective sitting in a horror film-inspired living room. Behind the collective, lightning bolts can be seen outside the windows, while a green dog sits in front of everyone, reminiscent of The Mask.

Critical reception

Hypebeast's Sophie Caraan noted of the album: "Despite having a myriad of featured artists in addition to the collective, Slime Language 2 shines a light on both the adaptability and star quality of the YSL Records signees, effectively proving that these artists will stand the tests of time and go down on their own paths to greatness".

Pitchfork's Mehan Jayasuriya wrote how the album has some weak spots, but it proves Young Thug's huge influence on rap today, even when he isn't the main focus. With her quoting, "Ultimately, Slime Language 2 is a label compilation and the usual caveats apply: it’s far too long, the back half is padded out with a few throwaways (“GFU,” “Como Te Llama”) and hardly anyone is showing up with their best material. That said, Slime Language 2 succeeds as a survey of how pervasive Thug's influence has become. Young Thug may not be much of a presence on the album but his sound is all over these songs".

Commercial performance

Slime Language 2 debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart with 113,000 album-equivalent units, including 6,000 pure album sales in its first week. This marks the third number one album for YSL Records, after Young Thug's So Much Fun in 2019 and Gunna's Wunna in 2020.

Personnel

Credits adapted from Tidal.