Young Thug looks at his own reflection shamefully in his double cup of lean.  He downs it all just to make it go away.  He pops out his phone and goes on Instagram – only to see the same hurtful comments.  “You sound and dress like a girl!! Thats sus bro frfr.” “If anyone knows what language this guy is speaking, lmk.”  “6 children with 4 different women? Real stand up guy…”  He quickly closes the app.  Young Thug just doesn’t know who he is anymore.  He’s lost himself in a persona that simply is not him.  Gucci Mane always warned him about getting lost in the sauce, and he feared it was already too late.

Later that night, Thug gets a text from Drake asking him to come to the studio in Atlanta.  He’s working on a new album and wants to get a verse from Thug.  Even in a down mood, he’s good friends with Drake and begrudgingly decides to take the trip over.  Greeted by familiar faces upon arriving, Gucci, 2 Chainz, 40 and Noel are all in the studio.  Drake greets Thug with a personalized handshake he has no recollection of creating with him.  Drake claims they made it together at Onyx last time they were hanging.  Thug shrugs it off.  

Young Thug tries to remain positive, but he is still in a bad mood and its apparent to the rest of the crew.  40 pulls him aside and asks him if everything is all good.  Thug doesn’t answer.  40 says, “you sure you good bro?”  Thug looks down at his shoes as his bottom lip starts to quiver.  40 asks if he wants to lay his verse tomorrow, but at that point its too late.  Young Thug is hysterically crying.  Unconsolably.  40 is shocked and takes Young Thug outside of the studio for a cig.  “Whats wrong man?  Seriously, like I’m here to help.”  “I just don’t feel like myself anymore man.  I’ve become something I’m not.  The money, the women, the access.  This isn’t what I imagined success would bring.  All I wanted to do was provide for my family – I didn’t want any of this other stuff with it.  I’m very shy and being in the spotlight is too much for me!  These people know too much about Thug.”  40 ashes his cigarette and looked deep into the Atlanta night.  After a moment of silence he responds, “They might know too much about Young Thug, I’ll give you that brother, but how much do they truly know about Jeffery?  How much do they know about Jeffery Williams?  The young, energetic, creative kid from Jonesboro South projects?  They know about you now, Jeffery, but they sure as hell don’t know how you got here.  All the sacrifices you had to make. Fuck autotune.  Fuck pitched up vocals.  Give them you Jeffery.  Give them you and they will accept you for who you are, not for who you think they want you to be.”  Jeffery never thought of it like that.  All this time he was trying to be something he wasn’t in this rap game, but it didn’t make him happy.  That would all change tonight.  Jeffery told 40 he was going to give them him.  A taste of Jeffery.  40 responded with “I love it Jeff – lets get back in the studio and make greatness.”

Jeffery got back in the studio and asked Noel to run the beat back.  “The usual mix for you, right Thug?”  “Nah, not tonight bro, I’m gonna try a little something different.”  2 Chainz and Gucci looked at each other puzzled, but they trusted the star.  “Alright, I’ll play it from the chorus”  

Yeah, I’m convinced I made sacrifices, I been ballin’ ever since

The look in Thug’s eyes turned from distraught to inspired.  It was all coming back to him.  The long nights in the studio when making “I Came From Nothing.” The first time he heard Stoner on the radio.  The birth of his first child.  

Yeah, I did some wrong, I had no choice in my defense

He wasn’t Young Thug tonight.  He was far from it.  He was Jeffery Lamar Williams.

Someone watchin’ over us, so shout goes out to—

I was stealin’ from a bitch, back when I was 21 My favorite gun was a SIG, 20 in the clip, head one Growin’ up, I was a runnin’ back You never made me ran once

His eyes were completely closed shut.  He had both hands up in the air, almost like he was signaling that a field goal went right through the uprights.  His head was slowly move left to right, almost like a bobblehead.  

I got shot, sweat started runnin’ That shit was red like Hunt (ketchup) I’m kickin’ pimpin’ like I punt But don’t you think shit’s sweet?

40 looked at Drake and gave him an encouraging nod.  Drake asked, “Ayo, what’d you tell my guy Thug out cher? He need a ting or sumtin?”  40 didn’t answer.  

I’m talkin’ sweet, deer meat I’m talkin’ suite like he sleep We ain’t doin’ too much talkin’ I’m talmbout talkin’ like a speech Like the President, I kill ’em neat I’m talkin’ neat like freak I’m talkin’ neat like fleek I’m talkin’ neat like a geek (yeah)

2 Chainz kept doing this thing with his hand that looked like a robot doing the Milly Rock.  Gucci pulled out his phone to start IG living this monumental moment in history.

You come with beef, I eat the beatI’m talkin’ B’s, spellin’ B Double R, that’s a Rolls, paint it yellow like it’s dairy I’m talkin’ Rose like Derrick I’m talkin’ Rolls like a belly

All of a sudden, Thug quickly opened his eyes and lowered his hands.  He ripped off his leather coat and pulled his hair out of a pony tail.  

Like a new car, I got two keys Tryna score the bucket like a Chevy seat Then I heard they been pullin’ all week I’ma use her name, like, “Who is he?” You get it? I said I’ma use her name, like, “Who is he?” Got some gold on, leprechaun sheets Deep sleep short for deceased

The emotion in the verse was tangible.  Noel started choking on his gum.  Drake ended his FaceTime call with J Lo. Jeffery was grinning ear to ear in the booth, almost laughing.  “What’s he on?” asked Gucci.  “Freedom” 40 said.

Jeffery finished the verse and stepped out.  He could not stop smiling.  Drake dapped him up and congratulated him for the verse.  “You slayyedddd that bro, real talk.  This is definitely making the album, whenever we drop it.  I aint even got a title for dis but a swearrrrrrr on err’ting this is on it.  This this this!! Wooooo.”  Jeffery warmly embraced Drake and thanked him for the opportunity.  They listened to the track a few more times, Noel and 40 putting the finishing touches on it, and the night concluded shortly after. 2 Chainz, Drake and Gucci were hitting Follies, but Jeffery didn’t want to attend. He hates clubs. Before leaving the studio, Jeffery thanked 40 for his help.  “You made me realize a lot tonight man, and I thank you for that.  You gave me more life tonight than I’ve had in the past 3 years.”  40 quickly jotted something down on his notepad and told him it was no problem.  “We all lose our way at times, but music can be the guiding force that helps us regain our footing”