On his third mixtape release of the year, iconic Atlanta rapper Young Thug makes his big artistic statement.

Following Slime Season 3 -- itself an equally competent and Zeitgeist-defining collection -- Thug's JEFFERY (initially titled No, My Name Is Jeffery) is thrilling and essential, one of the best rap releases of 2016.

The eponymous album includes ten tracks named after different idols and influencers in Thug's life, from contemporaries like Future ("Future Swag") and Gucci Mane ("Guwop") to icons like Kanye West (originally titled "Pop Star") and Rihanna.

Harambe, the slain zoo gorilla who spawned countless memes in 2016, even stars as a symbol of street violence and police brutality on the ferocious song dedicated in his honor.

While a slim percentage of his delivery is slightly more intelligible on JEFFERY, much of Thug's distinctive rapping remains intact, from the atonal wailing to the undulating mumbling, and the lyrics are as filthy and drugged-out as ever.

Yet, with the inclusion of some danceable dub and reggae influences on "Wyclef Jean" and "Swizz Beatz" -- which reveals Thug's best Louis Armstrong impression -- as well as a bright, almost-love song ("RiRi"), there's enough freshness here to make it his most exciting and mainstream release to date.

There is also a slew of familiar guests to balance his verses.

Thug mixes menace with atmosphere on the 808s Auto-Tuned "Floyd Mayweather" with Gucci Mane, Gunna, and Travi$ Scott, and swirls about unrequited love and attempts at faithful commitment on the tropical slow jam "Pick Up the Phone" with Migos' Quavo and Scott.

Wyclef Jean himself drops in on the Kanye track, wherein listeners might have the epiphanic realization that, stylistically, Young Thug owes as much to Wyclef as he does to Gucci and Future.

Speaking of style, there is a lot to unpack here and it's difficult to separate Thug's image from the music.

From the eye-opening album cover that sees Thug wearing a dress crafted by Italian designer Alessandro Trincone to his frequent shout-outs to the boys and "my mans," Thug's continuing challenge of hip-hop's gender rules and stereotypes is as inspiring as his album dedicated to inspirations.

Over the course of JEFFERY, he casually references Jimmy Choo, Christian Louboutin, Tiffany's, Chanel, Patek Philippe, and Pigalle just as nimbly as other rappers grasp at a Rolex or Rolls.

As a figure unlike anything in the 2010s rap world, Young Thug presents his best case for inclusion in the pantheon of hip-hop influencers with JEFFERY, a release as inspired as it is inspiring.