Young Thug has officially declared his long-running feud with Lil Wayne is over. In a recent podcast appearance, the YSL rapper revealed that not only have they settled their past differences, but the two hip-hop stars also have a joint album in the works. The announcement marks a major turning point in a relationship that has been strained since 2015, tracing back to Thug’s album title choices and his association with Wayne’s former mentor, Birdman.
From Idolization to Tension
Young Thug, whose real name is Jeffery Lamar Williams, has never been shy about his admiration for Lil Wayne, whose real name is Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. Long before any conflict, Thug consistently called Wayne his idol. Back in January 2014, he famously said there was no one he’d rather work with, stating he would choose a studio session with Wayne over one with Michael Jackson.
The trouble began to brew in February 2014 when Young Thug signed with Cash Money Records, the label co-founded by Birdman and home to Lil Wayne. At the time, Wayne was already engaged in a fierce and public contractual battle with Birdman and Cash Money, claiming they were refusing to release his long-awaited album, “Tha Carter V.” Thug’s alignment with Birdman placed him on the opposite side of his idol’s fight.
The situation escalated in March 2014 when Young Thug announced his upcoming project would be titled “Tha Carter VI,” directly referencing Wayne’s iconic album series. While Thug insisted it was a tribute, the move was widely perceived as disrespectful, especially given that Wayne’s own “Tha Carter V” was being withheld from release. The tension was further amplified when Lil Wayne’s daughter, Reginae Carter, publicly criticized Thug for the title, calling him “childish.”
The Beef Erupts Publicly
By April 2015, the subtle jabs turned into direct confrontations. At a tour stop, Lil Wayne took a shot at Young Thug, telling the crowd, “stop listening to songs of n*ggas who pose naked on their motherfucking album covers.” Thug responded on social media, but instead of firing back, he expressed his continued reverence. In a since-deleted post, he said, “I understand that Lil Wayne is frustrated about his career… but this is my idol. I wouldn’t ever in my life swap words with him or beef with him about nothin’.”
Young Thug was ultimately forced to change his album title from “Tha Carter VI” to “Barter 6.” He claimed the change was due to a lawsuit, stating, “Can’t name the mixtape Carter VI, cause these fuck ass n*ggas trying to sue…just like some hoes.”
The conflict took a dangerous turn later that month. On April 26, 2015, Lil Wayne’s tour bus was shot at in Atlanta. The main suspect, Jimmy “PeeWee Roscoe” Winfrey, was identified as a former tour manager for Young Thug. Winfrey was later sentenced to 10 years in prison and 10 years’ probation for the shooting. While the incident was linked to Thug’s associate, the rapper was never charged and has denied any involvement.
Squashing the Beef and a New Beginning
After years of silence and subtle signs of a thaw, Young Thug opened up about the current state of his relationship with Lil Wayne during a September 2024 appearance on “The Pivot Podcast.” He explained that their past issues were largely fueled by outside voices.
“He [Lil Wayne] ain’t on the internet. He was just like going off of what people would say to him or what fans’ll say,” Thug revealed. “He’ll just be at one of his shows and his fans’ll be, ‘Hey, f**k Young Thug. That ni** just wanna be you. He’s a bi**h. He wore a dress.’ He was feeding off that typa sh*t.”
Thug then shared the groundbreaking news that their feud is firmly in the past, replaced by a creative partnership.
“Me and him got a way better relationship now. We got an album and everything. We just ain’t sat down and just put the sh*t together and release the album together.”
This will not be their first time collaborating. The only official track the two have released together is “Take Kare” from October 2014, which also featured Rich Gang. The prospect of a full joint album signals a complete reconciliation and a new chapter for the two artists, moving from conflict to collaboration.
Fan reactions to the news have been mixed. On social media, one user commented, “He conveniently left out the part where Thug got YSL dudes to shoot up Wayne’s tour bus,” highlighting that some still connect Thug to the 2015 incident. Another fan offered a different perspective, writing, “All the beef and issues with all these rap artist was just Kayfabe that went too far.”
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