Young Thug Set to Make Long-Awaited Return at Summer Smash Festival

Young Thug is officially making his return to the stage this weekend, marking his first live performance since his release from jail last year. The Atlanta-born rapper, who made headlines after accepting a plea deal in his RICO trial, is now set to headline the final day of the 2025 Lyrical Lemonade Summer Smash in Chicago.

The event, which runs June 21–23, will see Thugger close out the festival on Sunday, June 22. Anticipation is building rapidly after the rapper teased his comeback with a cinematic video on social media, boldly declaring: “THUGGER RETURNS.”

This performance is more than just another concert—it’s a full-circle moment. According to Elliot Montanez, director of operations at Lyrical Lemonade, “In a weird way, all of that happened with Summer Smash being one of the shows he was about to do before he went away for a little bit, and now Summer Smash being the first show fresh out, it is full circle. I’m definitely glad that moment will be at Summer Smash, where fans will interact with him in person for the first time in a minute.”

Back in 2022, Young Thug was originally set to co-headline the festival with Gunna, but both were arrested shortly before the event took place. Their slots were eventually filled by Lil Uzi Vert. Now, three years later, Thugger is reclaiming his spot and reconnecting with fans who have been waiting eagerly for his return.

In the lead-up to his performance, Thugger has also been making headlines for reasons outside of music. He recently joked about trading in rap for a streaming career after appearing on Kick with Adin Ross. Amazed at the streamer’s multi-million-dollar earnings, Thugger quipped, “I’ma stop doing music and start streaming. I’m telling ya, I’m done rapping and gonna start streaming.”

He went on to explain the appeal: “Y’all live a cool life. Y’all go everywhere everyday. Y’all got cats wondering around this bitch. Y’all got all types of crazy stuff.”

Despite the playful tone, fans are still laser-focused on Thugger’s musical comeback. His highly anticipated album Uy Scuti is slated for release sometime this month, though no official date has been confirmed. With only two Fridays left in June, speculation is swirling that it could drop any day now—or face a possible delay.

One thing is certain: Young Thug’s return to the spotlight is already creating waves. All eyes are on Summer Smash this weekend as the rap icon reclaims his throne.