“I remember thinking in the last few weeks this song might be too late cause it’s been a minute since the last one and look here we go again twice in less than 24hrs … #BlackLivesMatter.” – Slim Thug
Backed by somber strings, Houston rapper Slim Thug addresses the grim reality of life for African-Americans on “IDKY” featuring X.O. on the hook. The song’s release comes a day after the fatal shootings of Alton Sterling by Baton Rouge police and of Philando Castile by a Minnesota police officer in the Falcon Heights, a suburb of Saint Paul. They were the 558th and 560th people killed by the police in 2016. The song wasn’t planned on being released early but upon hearing of the atrocities yesterday, Slim Thug decided he needed to share immediately. He raps, “I was born and raised in the USA / Where we see cops killing blacks on the news every day / And they do it like it’s okay, like they know they gon’ get away / To stop myself from thinking reckless I just ignore it and pray.” The track is one of the more somber cuts from Slim Thug’s upcoming album Hogg Life 4: American King, which will hit stores August 4th via EMPIRE, the fourth release in his Hogg Life series. Featuring two appearances from Boosie Badazz, as well as contributions from X.O., and Nikki Lactson, Hogg Life 4: American King is another quality addition to Thug’s inimitable discography. Previously, Slim Thug treated fans to lead single “Peaceful,” a melodic, guitar-led rumination on his rarified position in the hood–after a lifetime of hustling, the Boss can afford to escape the world and enjoy the fruits of his labor. Both “IDKY” and “Peaceful” are currently available to purchase on iTunes and are available as a gratis download with pre-order of the full album.
Slim Thug is a leading voice in Houston rap, dominating the game since the mid-’00s. Born Stayve Thomas, Slim Thug earned the nickname “Boss Hogg” in high school from driving around a boxframe Cadillac. He earned his break as a rapper when he freestyled in front of legendary Houston DJ Michael Watts, who helped him move thousands of mixtape CDs out of the trunk of his car. Featured alongside Paul Wall on Mike Jones’ seminal single “Still Tippin’,” Thug became one of the brightest stars in Hip-Hop with his 2005 Neptunes-produced album Already Platinum, which featured hit songs such as “Like a Boss.” Slim Thug earned a number one Billboard hit when he collaborated with Beyoncé on “Check On It” in 2006. Slim Thug continued his momentum with 2009’s Boss of All Bosses, which debuted at number 15 on the Billboard charts. Slim Thug released the first three volumes of the Hogg Life series of albums in 2015, cementing his role as a premier elder statesman in Houston and a mentor to young Houston rappers such as Sosamann, Beatking, and Sauce Twinz. The latest volume, Hogg Life Volume 4: American King, releases via EMPIRE on August 4th and is currently available for pre-order.
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