In the words of Miss Erykah Badu, Atlanta, Ga. native rapper Jeffery Williams has catapulted into the music industry as Young Thug.
The genre that’s harbored millennial rappers such as Mr. Thug, Kanye West, Chance the Rapper, Kendrick Lamar and Nicki Minaj, just to name a few, hip-hop is undoubtedly one of the most prominent and influential genres today. Certainly maintaining a place as a staple for any gathering bound to bring people together, the backbone of hip-hop seems to be through the vigorous “Bad and Boujee” and “Bodak Yellow’s" of the genre.
Now, look back to the stereotypical aesthetic of rappers such as Snoop Dogg, Flavor Flav and Jay-Z; images that embodied an image of a black man with gold chains and tattoos, and also managed to symbolize the ideal image of a “rapper.” Yet, today is no different as rappers are still expressing themselves through excessive chains, meaningless tattoos, luxurious vehicles, abundances of women and more. However, Young Thug is an exception. Surely setting himself apart from the pool of newcomers of the industry, the Atlanta native is not your typical rapper.
Initially jumping into the industry at the age of 16, Young Thug made a name for himself through his unorthodox expressive style statements and vulgar lyrics. As of most recently, he wore a dress head to toe on his 2016 album cover, “Jeffery”. Contrary to societal views of masculinity, clearly Young Thug has completely disregarded that narrative and tends to stick to his own personal views.
In an interview with Daze, Young Thug said, “Women’s clothes are (slimmer) than men’s clothes. The jeans I got on right now, they’re women’s jeans. But they fit how they’re supposed to fit. Like a rock star. The only thing I probably have in men’s is, like, briefs. T-shirts. Ninety percent of my clothes are women’s.”
Yet, he is surprisingly not the only millennial rapper to do so. The son of well-known actors Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith, Jaden Smith has evolved into a triple threat that challenges gender stereotypes.
Balancing life as an artist, actor and activist for the free mind, Smith is well acquainted with the camera. As of most recently, he was chosen as the new face of Louis Vuitton’s womenswear. Nicolas Ghesquière, the creative director of Louis Vuitton, gave Smith a chance to shy away from gender norms as he’s pictured in a sequined skirt for the clothing lines campaign.
"Wearing a skirt comes as naturally to him (Smith) as it would be to a woman who, long ago, granted herself permission to wear a man’s trench or tuxedo,” Ghesquière said.
Gender stereotypes have changed in the past and can continue to do so in the present. What was once viewed as pushing the limits is slowly being viewed as normal.
