Young Thug planning to return to stage at Belgian music festival
Young Thug performs onstage at 'Samsung Galaxy + Billboard' during the 2022 SXSW Conference and Festivals at Waterloo Park on March 17, 2022 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Amy E. Price/Getty Images for SXSW)
ATLANTA - Young Thug is set to make his highly anticipated return to the stage, marking his first performance since being released from jail in metro Atlanta.
The rapper will headline the third day of the Les Ardentes Festival in Belgium on July 5, according to the festival's website. This will be his first appearance at the event since 2017.
Tickets for the festival go on sale today at 11 a.m.
Young Thug, whose real name is Jeffery Williams, was released from jail in October after pleading guilty to charges in the YSL RICO (racketeering) case. Williams was accused of being the leader of a violent gang in metro Atlanta. Since being released, Williams has mostly kept a low profile.
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One possible reason for his absence from U.S. stages could be an ongoing lawsuit with AEG (Anschutz Entertainment Group), which alleges he violated a touring agreement. According to Billboard, Williams reportedly used his music copyrights as collateral in the deal.
In early December, his sister claimed on social media that her brother was "going crazy with the new music" and said fans "won't be disappointed."
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Williams' last album, "Business Is Business," was released in June 2023 while he was still on trial.
At this time, Young Thug and Ken Carson are the only two American rappers scheduled to perform at Les Ardentes.