Punk

Punk is the second studio album by American rapper Young Thug. It was released on October 15, 2021, through YSL Records and is distributed by Atlantic Records and 300 Entertainment. The album contains guest appearances from Strick, J. Cole, T-Shyne, Gunna, Future, BSlime, Juice Wrld, Post Malone, ASAP Rocky, Lil Double 0, Drake, Travis Scott, Doja Cat, Nate Ruess, Jeff Bhasker, and Mac Miller. The production on the album was handled by a variety of record producers, including T-Minus, Metro Boomin, Kanye West, Pi'erre Bourne, Wheezy, Oz, Louis Bell, and Watt, among others.
The album received generally positive reviews from music critics and was a commercial success. It debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart, earning 90,000 album-equivalent units in its first week.
Background and release
In an interview about recording his debut studio album, So Much Fun (2019), Young Thug told The Fader that he wanted to release a follow-up album in the "upcoming weeks". In contrast to his debut, which he described as a "lighthearted work", Punk would be more personal and introspective. He implied that the new album was "touching" and interpreted the meaning of Punk as "brave, not self centered, conscious, very, very neglected, very misunderstood, very patient, very authentic". He said the album would reflect "real rap".
On July 27, 2021, Thug featured on an NPR Tiny Desk home concert, where he performed four new songs and teased an October 15 release date for the album, as seen on the back of his t-shirt. More promotion for Punk is a video published on October 13, 2021, of Thug smashing a $320,000 Rolls-Royce with the word "punk" painted on it in pink.
Following Punk’s release, Thug stated during his appearance on The Breakfast Club that his track "Day Before" with Mac Miller was recorded on the day before Miller's death on September 7, 2018.