Before Young Thug scored his first Billboard No. 1 single with Camila Cabello’s “Havana” and his first chart-topping album with So Much Fun, he already built a reputation as one of Hip Hop’s most inventive stylists. Songs like “Stoner,” “Check,” “Danny Glover,” and “Best Friend” gave him mainstream visibility, but the real magic for early fans came in the deep cuts — the mixtape loosies, the oddball experiments, and the collaborations that showcased his willingness to bend rap into unrecognizable shapes.
This list focuses on that side of Thug: The pre-chart toppers that didn’t necessarily dominate (non-Atlanta) radio or rack up platinum plaques. Instead, they captured his restless creativity and cemented his influence in the South and beyond. For those who were following along before the charts caught up, these songs explain why Thug was already a legend in waiting.
1. Trigger Finger
On 1017 Thug, Thug flexed raw energy over C4Bombs’ production, blending menace and charisma. The mixtape staple showed his Lil Wayne influence while proving he could warp trap’s aggression into something stranger.
2. Can’t Tell (feat. T.I. and Boosie Badazz)
From Barter 6, “Can’t Tell” paired Thug with T.I. and Boosie Badazz over London on da Track’s menacing production. It was a snapshot of Thug sharpening his delivery alongside Southern legends before mainstream charts embraced him.
3. Safe
Dropped between JEFFERY and Beautiful Thugger Girls, “Safe” revealed Thug at his most vulnerable. Over Wheezy and Rex Kudo’s airy beat, he wrestled with paranoia and fame, showing emotional depth before pop success arrived.
4. I Know It (feat. Rich Homie Quan)
Rich Gang’s Tha Tour, Pt. 1 cemented the Young Thug–Rich Homie Quan partnership. On “I Know It,” Thug’s eccentric verses clashed playfully with the late Quan’s boasts, offering a pre-fame glimpse of chemistry that makes the reality all the more bittersweet.
5. Me Or Us (Remix) (feat. Travis Scott)
A surprise rarity, this remix from Beautiful Thugger Girls connected Thug with Travis Scott over production from Post Malone and Rex Kudo. Dreamy and melodic, it highlighted Thug’s experimental streak before chart-topping recognition fully arrived.
6. Paradise
An Allen Ritter-produced loosie that leaked before surfacing on the mixtape circuit, “Paradise” captured Thug’s futuristic instincts at full tilt. Rumored as an early single for his never-released Hy!£UN35, it’s a cult favorite from his pre-No. 1 vault.
7. Loaded (feat. Peewee Longway)
This super-throwback with Peewee Longway saw Thug on his raw Atlanta mixtape grind. Over Big K’s booming production, both rappers flexed street credentials, all of which was an early showcase of YSL energy before the mainstream.
8. Big B’s (feat. Chance The Rapper)
Initially a SoundCloud exclusive, this Chance the Rapper collab doubled as a show of platform support. With London on da Track behind the boards, Thug sounded celebratory yet sharp, flexing before his chart-topping milestones.
9. Pacifier
With Mike WiLL Made-It lacing distorted guitars, “Pacifier” found Thug spitting off-kilter, somewhat island-styled cadences that confused radio programmers. Initially pitched for Hy!£UN35, the track became a fan-favorite oddity, showcasing his fearless experimentation mid-mixtape run.
10. Achieve (feat. Teezie Dolla)
From his I Came from Nothing debut, “Achieve” shows a young Thug trading verses with Teezie Dolla. Ambitious, rough around the edges, and — dare we say — inspirational, it was a heavily Weezy F.-inspired glimpse of his earliest hunger.
11. Homie (feat. Meek Mill)
Thug and Gordo (or Carnage) kicked off Young Martha with this Meek Mill link-up, blending luxury flexes with street codes. A slick showcase of cross-coast chemistry, it hinted at Thug’s range beyond Atlanta’s borders.
12. Ok Cool (feat. Skooly)
An early standout from I Came from Nothing 3, “Ok Cool” paired Thug with Skooly for a fun flex. Over Yung Lan’s production, the two then-Atlanta upstarts traded charisma that hinted at their future longevity.
13. Gangster S**t
Thug resurfaced after a brief quiet spell with Wheezy’s hard-hitting production on “Gangster S**t.” The single reinforced his dominance with plenty of flexes, menace, and melody. It’s the type of anthem only he could deliver.
14. Cruise Ship
As one of Thug’s two solo showcases on Super Slimey, “Cruise Ship” saw him gliding over BL$$D and Chef’s production. Boasting wealth and rawness in equal measure, it solidified his ability to steal the spotlight even on joint projects.
15. WTF You Doin (feat. Rich The Kid, Lil Duke, and Quavo)
With DJ Durel behind the boards, Thug linked with Quavo, Rich the Kid, and Lil Duke for this chaotic posse cut. Its unfiltered energy mirrored the collaborative Atlanta mixtape scene that fueled his (and his collaborators’) ascent.
16. Hercules
This one was released following what turned out to be a real feud between Thug and the song’s producer, Metro Boomin. Fans even thought the tension was staged. Nonetheless, the track’s success showed that even real friction couldn’t mute their chemistry.
17. Haiti Slang
Opening I Came From Nothing 2, the syrup slow “Haiti Slang” showed Thug experimenting with playful word-bending, likely rooted in Frankie Smith and Snoop Dogg traditions. The early track highlighted his fascination with “slanguage” years before mainstream attention.