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Gucci Mane, aka Big Guwop, is set to be freed from prison in 2017, but during his sentence he has released more music than several other rappers have released over their entire careers…combined.
Gucci Mane has dropped over 15 projects since getting locked up in 2013. However, that does not even begin to touch on the amount of projects he has released over the course of his career. To this day, Gucci has released approximately 76 projects.
But, the high amount of musical output is not the only thing that makes Gucci stand out from the rest of his Hip-Hop bredren. There are some other things about Mr. Radric Davis that make him one of the most interesting people in Hip-Hop Culture.
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Despite Legal Issues, Gucci Mane Is Smart
Firstly, the man beat a murder charge, something that few rappers have had to deal with over their careers. Most of his legal issues began shortly after the release of his first album, Trap House. And it happened before Gucci’s career had reached its peak, so for him to come out of it better than ever was astonishing.
Gucci received a scholarship and attended college at Georgia Perimeter College where he studied computer programming. He only left school because his scholarship was revoked when he was caught with a large amount of crack and sent to jail for three months.
It may be surprising because Gucci is considered as a major part of the “Trap Music” genre of Hip-Hop. Not many of those guys associate themselves with college.
Although Gucci never finished, the fact that he received a scholarship to go to college shows that he is smart, despite the questionable decisions he has made (like tattooing an ice cream cone on his face, which actually kicked off an era of rappers getting their mugs inked up). And he has common sense as well, proven by his recently launched an advice column with XXL called “Ask Gucci,” where he has given some valuable advice.
Gucci’s legal issues are a fiasco within themselves. He has been arrested over 20 times and sometimes for the most bewildering things. Incidents like driving on the wrong side of the road, hitting a marine with a bottle, smacking another man with a pool cue, pushing a woman out of a moving vehicle, threatening cops – and murder – have landed the rapper behind bars.
But it is something he is not proud of, which he admitted in an interview with The Fader.
“I value my core fans I got from the hood. I think a lot of things might hit home with them, like problems with the law or how I talk about partying—all the different topics I cover when I do rap,” Gucci told the magazine from prison. “But I also value my suburban fans who take a liking to my music and like the way I change cadences. I appreciate all of them cause both types of fans push me to record all the time, both push me to give my best when I do a show. Both push me to be the best rapper and not just do it as a hobby, but do it as a job and take it seriously and put pride in it.”
Despite his intelligence, Gucci has had to deal with is his mental problems. He was admitted to a psychiatric facility in 2011.
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An Ear For Talent
Another fascinating thing about Gucci is that he has a keen ear for talent. He has had a hand in the careers of artists such as Young Jeezy, Nicki Minaj, Young Thug, French Montana, Yo Gotti, Waka Flocka Flame, OJ Da Juiceman, Peewee Longway, Chief Keef, Rich Homie Quan, Migos, Young Dolph, and others.
“I learned a lot from him, based on consistency, always feeding the fans and doing it right,” Young Dolph told MTV about how Gucci influenced his career, which is taking off. “His work ethic crazy. Make ten songs in a day, 12 songs in a day, eight songs in a day.”
But, Gucci’s attention is not just limited to artists, as he has also done the same for producers such as Zaytoven and Lex Luger. His ability to spot talent is undeniable because he was always one of the first to take a chance on giving artists exposure. Gucci may not always be given credit for what he has done, but he has been an important part of many artists’ careers.
Gucci’s impact on Hip-Hop culture can never be erased. Rappers like Fetty Wap, Future, Isaiah Rashad, and even Kendrick Lamar have paid their respects to Gucci Mane over the years. Gucci’s influence over so many current rappers is evident in today’s music. He played an enormous role in expanding the trap music culture as it continued to grow in mainstream Hip-Hop.
As a legend, Gucci will always be remembered for the mark that he has made on the culture.
