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Atlanta’s exiled rap king has returned to the live stage. Young Thug, who spent more than two years behind bars before pleading guilty to racketeering and other charges, was Sunday’s headliner at Lyrical Lemonade and SPKRBX’s 2025 Summer Smash, following headlining sets from fellow ATL legend Future on Saturday and a duet set from Yeat and Don Toliver on Friday night.
The sweltering heat at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, Illinois, just outside Chicago, set the tone for Thug’s blazing spectacle, his first show since his 2022 arrest. Donning Joker makeup, he brought a revitalized version of himself to the tens of thousands of fans in attendance. Ten minutes past the slated 9:30 start time, fans were treated to a dramatic video package of Young Thug practically apologizing to his fans for being away for so long. As it concluded, the light shined on a man with an eerie-looking mask on his face atop a tower across from the stage. This was merely a distraction from Thug himself, standing in the middle of a giant circular structure connected to a large, flame-throwing ramp.
Thug’s grand performance at Summer Smash was years in the making, as he and Gunna were initially booked as headliners for the 2022 edition. Unfortunately in the months leading up, both of them were arrested. Berto Solorio, Summer Smash president and co-founder and CEO of SPKRBX, has long been a huge fan of YSL Records’ music. Naturally, Young Thug was a sought-after target to bring to Chicago, even before his initial booking in 2022. “I think we always had him as one of our targets leading up to the 2022 booking, 2019, 2021,” Solorio says. “Obviously the coin kind of landed in different places every year with availability or if we weren’t able to come to a deal, but I think when we got him in 2022 that was going to be his first time performing at Summer Smash and as a headliner as opposed to being a part of the undercard.”
Jake Milan, Summer Smash talent buyer and executive producer of Lyrical Lemonade, says that whenever they book artists, they’re always shooting to create moments that are either first time moments or created so unique that they can’t be replicated. Thug’s performance felt like a true welcome-home party, from the stage design and Thug’s elaborate, yet haunting introduction, to three generations of Atlanta and Southern rappers and collaborators onstage to Thug’s stage diving.
It’s the reason why the arrest was such a blow for both SPKRBX and Lyrical Lemonade. “When we had that opportunity to do Thug and Gunna together, it was something we were all so excited about and being able to have those two share the stage for the first time ever when they were doing insane music together,” Milan says. “Them getting arrested about a month before the fest and having to pivot from that was devastating for our whole team.”
Thug was sure he made the night special for the fans who came from Chicago, Atlanta, and other points both domestic and abroad. He brought out Travis Scott to perform his verse on “Hot (Remix)” followed by everyone’s favorite song: “Fein.” Then Thug gave us a shocking surprise by bringing out T.I., who performed “About the Money,” the 2014 collaboration that helped solidify Young Thug as a superstar. London on the Track joined him for “Lifestyle,” while Ken Carson came out to premiere a new song from Thug’s forthcoming UY Scuti.
To Chicago’s G Herbo, who worked with Young Thug on 2022’s emotionally gripping “Breathe Slow” and also performed on Sunday, Thug’s appearance meant the world to Chicago and beyond. “It means everything for Slime to just — his presence is everything, bro. Being incarcerated at that time and the world missing him, his fans missing him, his peers, his brothers, guys like me, I missed him when he was gone,” Herbo says. “Just his presence alone is priceless.”
Returning performers Homixide Gang, one of the hottest rap groups from Atlanta via Playboi Carti’s Opium Records, grew up on Young Thug’s music. In their eyes, his music influenced an entire generation of artists and creatives. “He means a lot to our generation, that’s what we came up on,” said Homixide Bino.
“He impacted Atlanta and more than just Atlanta. Style-wise, the way niggas rap, slang, all that. Don’t nobody want to see nobody locked up,” said Homixide Meechie.
The tens of thousands of fans in attendance would certainly agree as they would loudly sing hits like “Slatty,” “Lifestyle,” “Killed Before,” and even his charismatic verse from Drake’s “Way Too Sexy.” Classics like “Check” and “Danny Glover” were excluded, which proved a bit disappointing. Still, the superstar delivered a strong show that sent a message: Thugga is finally home for good.
For all the highs that Young Thug’s performance delivered, there comes one somber realization. When you hear him perform monumental collaborations, “Hot (Remix)” and “Ski”, there is a strong likelihood that fans may never hear those songs performed with him and Gunna sharing the same stage ever again. If there’s anything else to take away from his historic performance, it’s that Young Thug is back and he’s here to stay, even if the YSL his day-one fans loved and appreciated will never be the same again.
From Rolling Stone US.
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