Exactly. I felt for the man, but I don't pity him in the slightest. He's good. His shady cousin got some bars in two songs, I think he's not suffering too bad on the problem front.
I could see how you'd want to attribute it to a "neo-minstrel thing" critically, but Young Thug represents a part of black culture that is rarely seen or discussed. A couple of the most ruthless guys on my block growing up were gay. Thugger is a dramatization of people that actually exist. I'm not sure if critics know that, but he goes a long way as an example of members of the gay black community whose existence is rarely acknowledged. How well he represents them is up for debate, but at least people know they exist. That's why Omar from The Wire was such a subversive character on TV. Rap can be all-encompassing, it doesn't have to be one or the other. I think having a more complete variety of characterizations is better than presenting any one view of "the black experience."
SWISHWAVES will indeed premiere in tandem with a fashion show.