An unofficial holiday was declared on May 26, 2016 when Gucci Mane was released from prison early. Although he was gone from the game for a mere 3 years, it has felt like so much longer in the hearts of his loyal fans. Now that he’s back on streets, we have compiled a list of artists that we’d love to see him work with. But before you read any further we must ask, did you miss him, or miss his raps?
7. Lil Yachty
Image courtesy of Hypetrak
Lil Yachty has been bubbling on the Atlanta music scene for the last few months, thanks to the success of viral hits “1Night” and “Minnesota”. Known for his syrupy melodies and varied autotune delivery, Lil Yachty has built a cult internet following in a short amount of time. In a recent No Jumper interview, Yachty expressed his interest in working with Gucci Mane, coincided by the approval of his current (and Gucci’s former) manager, Coach K. Yachty’s talent for catchy hooks would be the perfect complement to Gucci’s raw, nasally delivery. Due to both artist’s connections with Coach K, this is surely a collaboration we can expect to see in the very near future.
6. Key!
Image provided by YouTube
One of the lesser known artists on the list, Key! is a rapper (and occasional singer) that also hails from Zone 6, Atlanta. A former member and founding piece of the rap collective, Two-9, Key! opted not to sign a major label deal and has been continually building a fanbase as an independent artist. Key! is a perfect fit in terms of potential Gucci Mane collaborators due not only to his neighborhood affiliation, but also due to his extreme versatility. Key! blends street experiences and hood terminologies with pop melodies and humorous metaphors, most notably in the hit songs “Look at Wrist” and “U Guessed It”. With the recent release of his mixtape Before I Scream, maybe he has built up enough of a buzz to earn a Gucci Mane co-sign.
5. Kodak Black
Image courtesy of BET
After his recent catapult into mainstream airwaves, Kodak Black is a shoe-in for future collaborations with Gucci Mane. Kodak Black, an upstart from Pompano Beach, Florida, is a hood star who has suddenly been thrust into the limelight due to the success of a number of singles, including Drake’s personal favorite, “No Flockin”. Kodak was also named to the XXL Freshman list this year and recently released the highly anticipated mixtape, Lil Big Pac. Black has a song with Gucci Mane titled “Vibin in This Bih”, but this song more than likely features an old, pre-recorded Gucci verse.
4. 21 Savage
Photo courtesy of Complex
This is a match made in trap heaven. 21 Savage is an up and comer that also has ties to the eastern side of Atlanta. After releasing two well-received mixtapes, Slaughter King and Savage Boomin, in the last year, 21 has built quite a name for himself in recent months. 21 Savage is one of several artists recently named to the XXL freshman list for 2016. Although there's already a Gucci Mane song on the internet featuring 21, this was not a song that was created by the two in the studio together. 21 is one of few rappers that has fully immersed himself in street music, with the street credit to match. Gucci Mane is known for taking young, talented street stars under his wing and grooming them into stars, so why should 21 Savage be any different? One can only wonder what type of dope-beating, crack cooking, wig-splitting hood anthems the two would create.
3. Young Thug
Image courtesy of Rap Basement
This is a no brainer. Young Thug and Gucci Mane have a long history of working together, as Thug was signed to Bricksquad records at the beginning of his career. One of Gucci Mane’s many musical protégés, a new collaboration between the two has been long overdue. Thug expressed his admiration for Gucci Mane a number of times while he was locked away, and expectedly showed extreme delight upon his release. Young Thug’s sound and style has evolved so much since the last time the two worked together that a new record between them would likely sound unlike anything we’d previously heard. Although there are already probably a number of records between the two that are locked away in the vault, some new recordings will surely be in the works when the time comes.
2. Waka Flocka
Image courtesy of Brooklyn Bowl
Although this choice may not make sense to a number of people due to Waka Flocka and Gucci Mane’s long history of musical collaborations, one must take recent historical context into account. Around the time that Gucci was initially facing the legal issues that landed him in jail, he went on a long tirade about his associates in the music industry, taking shots at friends, enemies, executives and more. Among those listed, he claimed that Waka was “disloyal”, and a number of comments ensued. During an appearance with The Breakfast Club, Waka claimed that he’d never be cool with Gucci again. Then, during a later appearance, he claimed the two were back on good terms. Because of the lack of clarity, we can only speculate about the future between these two. One thing is for sure though, we’d love to see the “Ferrari Boyz” reunite.
1.Young Jeezy
Image courtesy of Pitchfork
This is the most controversial, yet sought after collaboration on the list. Pretty much everyone who has paid attention to Gucci Mane or Young Jeezy’s careers in the last ten years is familiar with this long-standing beef. Things initially went sour when the rights to the song “Icy” failed to be credited amicably. After a number of run-ins, bullets and diss songs, it seemed as if both artists had finally moved on, but the silence was broken as Gucci Mane began dissing Jeezy once again. With all of these events years behind both artists, there's nothing that Hip-Hop and Trap fans would love more than seeing these two Atlanta legends make peace and provide great street music. While both artists are conversely different in their styles, they have a number of similarities that make them a great match. At this point it's highly unlikely that the two will ever work together again, but all we can do is hope.
