Meta Gucci

It’s common for an older artist to collaborate with the younger generation to stay relevant, but nobody encapsulates how to do so successfully as Gucci Mane.

Few are surprised with Gucci Mane’s newest wave into popular opinion. He’s had a long track record of positively received mixtapes and albums, feature verses from a host of Top 40’s finest, and has all but put on a good majority of Atlanta’s my recognized artists. Most of his contemporaries from when he first broke into wider audiences in 2005 have fallen from the mainstream eye, some almost entirely, while Gucci has topped charts and released nearly 10 projects since the time of his release, with another coming, gratifyingly, on October 17, 2017. Why has Gucci remained so relevant?

An obvious observation of his contining rise is the upping of Gucci Mane’s production game, the honing in on which beats he fits into, working extensively early-on with Metro Boomin, the whole of 808 Mafia, and longtime collaborators Mike WiLL Made-It and Zaytoven, each producer expertly building environments around Gucci instead of just making arbitrary beats to be rapped over. Into this middle period of his career his flow has become tighter as he recognized the influences of Gangsta Boo, E-40, and Ol’ Dirty Bastard on his flow. I appreciate his shout outs to these veterans because it highlights his genuine love of Hip Hop, creating in him an accepting post-regional ear and malleability in his music. He’s got a high level of intelligence for rapping, a quality I think hypebeasts overlook when the bump it because it’s topical.

The first time I heard his new single ‘I Get The Bag’ featuring Migos I was astounded and infinitely impressed at his use of himself. Where many older artists sound corny mimicking the flows of the newest artists, Gucci basically holds a mirror and imitates himself, which is so crazy because he’s confident enough to sit in a beat in such a meditative, OG fashion, simultaneously recognizing the modernized variation, gifting approval, and promoting the growth to those who want to be successful in the artform.

Gucci has done this in the past by placing significant boosts on the careers of Young Thug and Migos and the aforementioned producers, Waka Flocka Flame, Young Dolph, Chief Keef, recording some collaborative mixtapes with nearly al of them. This is not to say they wouldn’t have been on without him, but this type of approaval grants you a special type of confidence that’s great for your development.

In an interview with Hot 97 soon after his release he showed eagerness to work with Lil Yachty and Lil Uzi Vert because they were really bubbling now, and that he respected there sounds. Rap excites him.

Gucci Mane has solidified his influence for years to come. I love this because of the rejection of the rejection of new artists, directing his attention from the jealously that can proceed falling from grace into an appreciation for what he helped build. I have a feeling if Gucci ever fell off, he would still spend a lot of his time keeping up with the contemporary scenes, contemplating the value of the artists, writing raps to improve his flow ever-forward.

 

Credit: Marcus Scott Williams