Gucci Mane, now behind bars, is no longer coasting on reputation garnered from “So Icey.” Still, the heir apparent to Juvenile has put out a good record — albeit less a 400 Degreez than a G-Code. The albums’ respective production both share an in-house feel. Juvenile, and I have no way of confirming this, received the best of Mannie Fresh’s beats during his Cash Money tenure. (400 Degreez was as much a debut record for the label’s in-house producer as it was for the rapper, or even the label.1) I feel like the same goes for Gucci and Zaytoven. Our esteemed contributor AJ calls attention the signature producer’s subdued presence on the record, and while I can’t argue with facts, I don’t think it makes for an unrepresentative listening experience. This sounds like a Gucci record — or, more specifically, it sounds like a an album version of a Gucci mixtape.2
For all the money behind the album — Scott Storch, and yes, Mannie Fresh, chip in on some of the 19 other, non-Zaytoven tracks on TSvRD — Gucci’s bubbly and effortless rhymes flourish unrestrained and quite close in subject matter and style to the stuff on the mixtapes. Gucci’s free and easy routines are represented as well here as anywhere, better than could have been expected. Indeed, this is no average rapper. The lights are shining bright, and there are more distractions when making a proper record for a proper label, but you couldn’t guess it from listening.
To be sure, there are clunkers. Some of the songs don’t work, some of the production is a bit subdued (if Gucci can be subdued — like a Porsche draped in cheesecloth, he shines through), and some of the hooks … well, the less said about “Spotlight,” the better. In a way, the album suffers from the same symptoms as Nas’ later (non-Illmatic) records: In the face of excellent rapping, better-than-average beats sound flat. Mixtapes have clunkers and heisted songs; it’s to be expected. Proper records have more space to fill, and while Gucci complies valiantly, he is at times unsupported.
That said, while Gucci has had a bit of a messy year, he’s turned in a hell of a clean record. In jail, on record, he sounds free as a bird. There’s a bit of injustice that it took so long for Gucci to get a proper album, but listening to it, it feels like a bit of a coup.
- Of course, it wasn't a debut anything.
- Matt, who wrote yesterday's Gucci review, put this insight forth yesterday. This is what I get for dawdling.
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