Young Thug wearing a custom Rolex in GQ (photo: Ben Watts)

In the profile of the rapper that appeared in the February issue of GQ magazine, Young Thug is characterized as both violent and stoic, brilliant yet unintelligible. This dichotomy may explain why people are fascinated by his music. If art is a mirror for society, then Young Thug is showing us that growing up in the projects of south Atlanta indelibly affects the way you approach the world.

Instead of using fame and success as a vehicle to move away from the street, the hip hop star seems to want to take the street with him on his climb to the top. Unlike rappers like Jay Z, who seem well adjusted to the finer things in life, Thug still seems to cling onto the volatility and language of the street. Perhaps this is what makes people gravitate toward him, even though they may not understand a word he is saying in any of his songs.

In the above photo from his GQ shoot, Young Thug layers a Bally jacket over a floral shirt by All Saints and a tank by Saturdays NYC. He wears an Apple watch on his right wrist and a custom Rolex on his left wrist, making an interesting statement about whether or not smartwatch sales will have a negative effect on the mechanical watch industry.

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