Credit: Wikimedia

Young Thug shared his new album UY Scuti last week. Following its release, the Atlanta rapper has provided some context behind the album cover.

Thugger’s fourth studio effort, released on September 26th, features cover art that depicts him as a white man with his hands over his ears.

During his appearance on the It’s Up There Podcast, Thug explained that changing his skin colour was a bit of humour about the popularity of white people.

“I think it was just, like, some funny shit,” he said. “But it’s still serious to the point where I went with it. We always joked and played in my hood. ‘N*gga, you want to be the biggest, go white.’ We just talking shit… it’s just a narrative that the world paint. And we just going with the narrative… ‘Michael Jackson went white for this’ – we know that ain’t true.”

He added, “We just go with the motions. It’s just all fun. They always let the white people be the biggest. I love white people, too. We got big-ass artists too that’s Black – I was just pushing the envelope a little bit.”

Thug expanded on his comments, touching on Eminem’s status in the mainstream as a white man. “You want to be the biggest n*gga in this motherfucking world, you got to be Eminem,” he said. “I just put the white album cover out, just talking shit. It’s just all fun shit, though. I ain’t with none of that political shit.”

He continued, “We having fun, it’s music, and you shouldn’t take it so serious. It’s not like we can make it out alive, anyway. We all gon’ die, no matter what. You got to choose to be happy and put in the world what you want and the legacy you want to create for yourself, ’cause that’s what it’s about.”

UY Scuti includes appearances from Cardi B, Future, Travis Scott, Lil Baby, 21 Savage, Quavo, Sexyy Red, and many others.