After over two years away, Young Thug is getting ready to release his comeback album, UY Scuti. Thugger probably would have preferred to release the album, his first since 2023’s Business is Business, under different circumstances. What should have been a triumphant return to music after the lengthiest trial in Georgia state history and an outcome that secured his freedom has instead morphed into a release marred by snitching allegations, beef, and a long list of leaked audio clips from his jail calls that paint a rather disheartening portrait of a man largely revered for his innovative approach to hip-hop.
The calls have caused potentially damaging changes to Thug’s public perception. When combined with the allegations of “snitching” that he’s had to combat and the laundry list of public apologies he’s had to make, the saga also serves as a reminder that these artists are human. As such, they are also prone to not always making the most ideal decisions. Now, UY Scuti will reportedly see Thug continue to address everything going on in his life. The biggest pre-album example of this new direction stems from the release of “Miss My Dogs,” a seven-minute track where Thug speaks directly to those he mentioned in those leaked calls. Because of all he went through, this has the potential to be his most personal album to date. As he gets ready to release the album on Friday, September 26, this is a look back at everything we know about it so far.
What Does The Title Mean?
The title of the album, UY Scuti, draws its name from the red supergiant star, one of the largest known in the universe. In March, he made a tweet that simply read “KING SPIDER THE BIGGEST STAR,” well before fans even knew the name of the album. The album title plays into Thug’s belief that he is a superstar. As we know from all his leaked jail calls, Thugger thinks very highly of himself in that department. Perhaps the most notable example stems from criticizing Kendrick Lamar for not providing a feature verse on Business Is Business. Considering the title and eyes on him after such a high-profile couple of years without much musical output, Thug is under a bit of pressure to burn bright with the project’s full release.
Read More: Young Thug's Triumphant Return To The Stage Post-Jail: Tracing His Steps Since The YSL Trial
Confirmed Singles & Potential Inclusions
Two singles have already helped pave the way for UY Scuti’s release. The first, “Money on Money,” released in April, came with a Future verse and served as a proper reintroduction to Thug’s signature bravado and after his January verse on Lil Baby’s “Dum, Dumb, and Dumber.” The second, “Miss My Dogs,” dropped on September 12, only a week before the album’s original release date. “Miss My Dogs,” which has a rating of 3.72 out of 5 on HotNewHipHop with nine reviews tallied, doubles as a public apology to Drake, Future, 21 Savage, Gucci Mane, Mariah the Scientist, and others.
“Miss My Dogs” is not confirmed as an album single as of this writing. However, the song is the most vulnerable Thug has allowed himself to be in his music in a very long time. Its accompanying video adds to the emotional heft. It splices in behind-the-scenes footage featuring the people to whom Thug is extending an olive branch. Beyond the officially released tracks, there are plenty of leaks and snippets that Thug's teased since the beginning of the year. We expect more than a few of those to end up on the final version of the album.
It Will Have A Star-Studded Feature & Producer List
As is tradition with Thugger projects, UY Scuti is expected to have a long list of featured names. Some guest appearances include the aforementioned Future and 21 Savage, as well as Ken Carson, whom Thug premiered a new song with during his set at Summer Smash this past June. The former two made tweets about their involvement earlier in the summer. Mariah The Scientist was also set to be on the album, but after an admission of infidelity from Thug, fans do not know where the two currently stand. However, Thug has not walked back any confirmation of Mariah appearing on the album. And of course, there is the potential for features from others who’ve been in Thug’s orbit for years.
Lil Baby remains a possibility, though it is also unclear where they stand after the leaked calls. Drake and Thug have been close collaborators for years. Even with Drake’s name being mentioned on the calls, that likely will not change. On the production side, confirmed names include Wheezy, Southside, and Metro Boomin, three longtime collaborators. Metro started working on beats for Thug as soon as his release from jail. Young Thug albums always feel like large-scale events because of how many other artists come through to make their voices heard. With this album being his first major effort since coming out of jail, everyone who’s anyone will likely show up, even with the controversy he’s been navigating for the last few weeks.
UY Scuti Comes During A Stacked Release Period
UY Scuti comes during a battle for sales and attention between some of the biggest stars in popular music. Sabrina Carpenter kicked off that stretch with the release of Man’s Best Friend on August 29, which sold 366,000 copies in its opening week. Thugger originally intended to drop on September 19. However, he confirmed on September 17 that the album is now dropping on September 26. The September 19 release date would have seen him go head-to-head with Cardi B’s sophomore album, Am I The Drama?, a release that is nearly seven years in the making after the Grammy-winning Invasion of Privacy. Instead, he will be competing with Doja Cat, who also releases her new album Vie on September 26. Of course, any new music from Doja projects to be a big deal considering her A-list status.
He will also engage in a sales war with rival YFN Lucci. Lucci announced earlier this week that he moved his album’s release date to the 26th as well. Thug claimed that there is no heat between the two of them, but this move coming after Lucci’s certainly implies otherwise. The week after his new release date, Taylor Swift will drop on October 3. As always, Swift will dominate public discussion for essentially as long as she wants to. Several of the biggest names around (and a rival) will be putting forth their latest works for all to hear in rapid succession. That could wind up being detrimental to the attention Thug’s project receives from the general population. However, hip-hop fans will undoubtedly be locked in to what has become one of the genre’s most highly anticipated releases of 2025.
