Super Slimey at 8: Why Future & Young Thug’s 2017 Collab Still Matters — and How to Bring the Fun Back
Published by Da WERKHORSE
Super Slimey and the Atlanta rap ecosystem was buzzing. Some of the project’s work touched down inside our own walls at Patchwerk Recording Studios — late nights, fast ideas, and the kind of session chemistry that defined the era.
2017: A Moment in Time for Atlanta’s Hip-Hop Climate
In 2017, trap wasn’t a sub-genre — it was the weather. Skittering hi-hats, trunk-rattling 808s, Auto-Tuned melodies, and hook-first records ran the streaming economy. Surprise releases ruled the calendar, mixtapes blurred into albums, and the studio was both lab and battleground.
Super Slimey captured that exact current: two kindred stylists trading cadences, bending melody into flexes, and turning Atlanta’s cadence into a worldwide dialect.
Inside Patchwerk, that season felt like electricity: vocal stacks flying, engineers chasing takes at 3 a.m., producers pushing the low end until the room breathed.
The project’s energy mirrored what we heard night after night — urgency, playfulness, and the confidence to try the left-field idea right now.
What Made That Era So Fun
- Spontaneity & surprise: minimal rollouts, maximum impact. When records landed unannounced, the city moved in real time.
- Studio-first culture: the session was the message. Chemistry between artist and engineer drove decisions more than spreadsheets did.
- Atlanta swagger, global reach: local textures — global resonance. The sound was born in rooms like ours and echoed everywhere.
- Bold production: beats that felt like controlled earthquakes — clean transients, heavy low end, and hooks that wouldn’t leave.
- Collaboration without over-calculation: pairings that felt exciting precisely because they were a little risky.
How the Game Shifted — and How We Get the Spark Back
The ecosystem evolved after 2017: more micro-genres, algorithmic lanes, and content calendars. All useful — but some of the fun and unpredictability faded from the foreground. Here’s what it takes to re-ignite it:
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- Re-embrace the late-night lab: make room for messy experiments, off-grid flows, and fast pivots. Magic loves a deadline at 2:57 a.m.
- Let the city lead: center regional identity — engineers, producers, slang, and tempo — then scale it outward.
- Surprise-friendly rollouts: keep a plan, but leave a trapdoor for the unannounced drop. Buzz thrives on “did you hear…?”
- Pairings with purpose: A&R for chemistry, not just spreadsheets. When artists push each other, listeners feel it.
- Engineer-driven excellence: highlight vocal chains, arrangement choices, and mix philosophy. The “how” is culture, too.
Patchwerk Touch: Sessions, Sweat, and the Sound of Super Slimey
without losing grit, and low-end that travels — fits the Super Slimey aesthetic. It’s the difference between loud and alive.
Anniversary Salute: Streaming on Patchwerk Radio
To honor the project’s recent anniversary, Patchwerk Radio is spinning cuts from Super Slimey all month — still honoring the work and the sessions that helped shape it. It’s not just nostalgia; it’s a reminder of what happens when vibe, talent, and timing align. Tap in, rediscover the records, and bring that spirit into your next session.
If You’re an Artist, Producer, or Engineer — Here’s Your Playbook
- Book the focused block: commit to an uninterrupted window. Leave room for the last-minute idea that changes everything.
- Design the chain: come in with a reference for vocal tone, comp strategy, and arrangement targets.
- Move fast, print choices: use work tapes and stems; don’t wait to “perfect” before you commit.
- Invite tension: pair collaborators who challenge comfort zones. Keep a short “why this collab” brief and chase it.
- Plan for surprise: have assets ready so you can drop when the room says “now.”
We’ve seen it firsthand: when the process is playful and precise, the records hit different. That was the story in 2017 — and it can be the story again.
