Gucci Mane

Gucci Mane's Trap Back Mixtape 'A Journey'

06 Feb 2012 19:14:35 EST

'We finna take y'all ... through East Atlanta,' rapper tells Mixtape Daily.
By Rob Markman, with reporting by FLX

Mixtape Daily: Main Pick
Mixtape: Trap Back

Headliners: Gucci Mane and DJ Holiday

Representing: Atlanta

Real Spit: Gucci Mane is heating up the streets once again. While sports fans were gearing up to watch the Super Bowl on Sunday, Gooch dropped Trap Back. "We finnin' to take y'all on a tour, on a journey through East Atlanta, the ups and downs, with ya boy Gucci Mane," the rapper told Mixtape Daily about his street-based mixtape.

Incarcerated B.M.F. head Big Meech sets things off for Gucci with a surprising shout-out atop "The Godfather" theme song on "Intro (Big Meech)." Still, Gooch doesn't just rely on his street ties. On "1995," the "So Icy" MC chronicles his rise from the street game to the rap game. The Sonny Digital-produced banger sets the tone early, while "Get It Back" with 2 Chainz proves that Trap Back is a complete listen throughout. Zaytoven lays the musical backdrop for the slow but potent "Brick Fair." The track's beat is the perfect complement for guest rapper Future's sing-songy flow.

There isn't much diversity in Gucci's subject matter, but then again, trap rap is what the 1017 rapper does best. Yo Gotti and Jadakiss join the ice cream man on "Blessing," and together they're thankful for seeing another day over an 808-heavy Lex Luger beat. Over the course of 19 tracks, Gucci Mane returns triumphantly to the trap that he once dominated, and there's no turning back.

Joints to Check For

» "1995" - "It's just detailing when I started back in '95, when I first got in the game, I didn't have all the things that I got now and how I had to make something outta nothing."

» "Walking Lick" - " 'Walking Lick' is a walking robbery in progress, an easy come-up. So when I say, 'I'm a walking lick,' I walk around with millions of dollars of jewelry on, $100,000 dollars inside my purse. So if a person wants to catch me at the wrong time, it could be a fair opportunity or situation for whoever caught me at that time. But it won't happen — that's the whole ironic part of the song."

» "Plain Jane" - " 'Plain Jane' is a song basically about a watch. This watch is worth $90,000 Plain Jane, but I'm gonna throw some rocks off in it anyway, just to be hood. If you got you a watch just with no diamonds, just with the band and the bezel, it's worth a hundred grand. Once you add the diamonds in it, it makes the appraisal of the watch cost even more."

For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines.

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Young Jeezy On Gucci Mane Rift: 'It Was Nothing'

02 Dec 2011 14:47:02 EST

Jeezy tells 'RapFix Live' the whole thing started because he couldn't perform with Gucc while recovering from throat surgery.
By Rob Markman, with reporting by Sway Calloway

It was all just a misunderstanding. After Young Jeezy appeared on Gucci Mane's 2005 track "Icy" but later refused to perform the record with Gucc, things between the two rappers got tense.

When the Snowman appeared on Wednesday's "RapFix Live," he revealed that what Gucci Mane didn't know was it was Jeezy's secret throat surgery that kept him from performing the record.

"When I met homey, he was just a guy hanging at the studio and he was fan. And I took to him and 'cause I just liked the way he got down, he was always cool, he was always excited," Jeezy said of how he and Gucci first met.

Jeezy — who was the hottest street rapper at the time — agreed to do "Icy" with Gucci Mane and even helped put the record together, he said. But soon after, he lost his voice, so when a request to perform the song came through to Jeezy's people, he declined without giving a reason. "Around that time is when I lost my voice," Jeezy revealed to Sway. "But nobody knew that I lost my voice but, like, maybe four of my homeboys. Def Jam didn't know, nobody knew.

"I think they got offended, but he didn't know that I lost my voice and just had surgery and was laying on a deathbed not knowing whether or not I would be able to speak again."

It is important to note that the two MCs have since called a truce. But before they made a peaceful resolution, Jeezy and Gucci traded subtle and sometimes not-so-subtle barbs on record. The drama even spilled onto the streets. "It just started then and turned into something else," Jeezy said. "I just felt like he was getting disrespectful about the situation because he wasn't being a businessman about it and understanding."

Jeezy, who is set to drop his fourth album, TM 103: Hustlerz Ambition, on December 20, told Sway that he believed the media made it out to be more than it was. "It's over now. But for what it's worth, it was nothing," he said.

In August, Gucci Mane had a similar stance when he sat with Sway on "RapFix Live." "On the strength of [the fact that] anything could have happened between not just me and him [but] between our camps, we just came to a sit-down of just respecting the fact that somebody can get hurt, and it ain't going to be us," Gucci said of the truce. "That's what made us do that."

Don't expect a future collaboration between the former foes, however. "I think we should just stay away from that totally," Jeezy said.

Are you glad Jeezy and Gucci settled things? Let us know in the comments.

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Gucci Mane Denied Early Release, Hit With Civil Suit

28 Oct 2011 18:57:37 EDT

Rapper offered to perform at a women's shelter in exchange for a reduction in his sentence.
By Alvin Blanco

Any early welcome-home parties for Gucci Mane need to be put on hold. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that the "Wasted" rapper's attempt to have his jail sentence reduced in half was denied Friday (October 28) by DeKalb State Court Judge Eleanor Ross.

Gucci (born Radric Davis) is currently serving a six-month sentence after pleading guilty to two counts of battery, two counts of reckless conduct and one count of disorderly conduct for pushing a woman out of a moving vehicle back in January.

After picking up a woman at the South Dekalb Mall under the pretense of going to breakfast, Gucci instead invited her to a tryst at a hotel. Gucci allegedly pushed the woman out of his Hummer when she refused his advances and asked to be driven back to the mall. Gucci wasn't arrested for the incident until April and was sentenced in September.

On Friday, Gucci's lawyer suggested that his client would hold a concert to benefit the DeKalb County Battered Women's Shelter in exchange for a reduction in his sentence. Judge Ross' response: "I don't think it would be appropriate to let him out just because he's a rapper."

That wasn't the end of Gucci's bad news for the day: Moments after having his motion for a reduced sentence denied, he learned that he was also facing a civil suit from the victim, who identified him by the tattoo of an ice-cream cone on his face.

In August, Gucci released Ferrari Boyz, a collaborative album with fellow 1017 Brick Squad member Waka Flocka Flame. Last week, Waka tweeted, "Gucci home," leading many to believe Gucci had been released early. Upon his actual release, Gucci will be required to complete 12 weeks of anger management courses and pay $5,091 to cover the victim's medical bills and a $3,000 fine.

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Gucci Mane Sent Back To Jail For Six Months

13 Sep 2011 16:56:17 EDT

Rapper's lawyer tells MTV News they 'expected' case to come down after January car-shoving incident.
By Rob Markman

After only three months on the street, Gucci Mane is back behind bars.

In April, Gucci was jailed on numerous unspecified probation violations, which stem from a 2005 aggravated assault case. That month, however, the Atlanta rapper was also arrested on charges he shoved a female passenger from a moving vehicle back in January. While Gucci served time on probation violations from the '05 case, he had yet to be sentenced in the January incident until Tuesday (September 13).

The rapper's attorney, Ashutosh Joshi, confirmed to MTV News that Gucci has been sentenced to six months in jail after pleading guilty to two counts of battery, two counts of reckless conduct and one count of disorderly conduct for pushing a woman out of his Hummer back on January 28.

The "Wasted" MC is currently locked up in Georgia's DeKalb County Jail, where his lawyer hopes he will be allowed to serve out his entire sentence. "It's a case that we knew about, that we expected would come about at some point," Joshi said.

State Court Judge Eleanor Ross sentenced Gucci to six months and three years of probation, which is to take effect after his release. As a result of his plea, the Atlanta trap spitter was ordered to complete 12 weeks of anger management courses, pay $5,091 to cover the woman's medical bills and a separate $3,000 fine. (The 1017 rapper's current sentence also satisfies the criminal damage to government property charge he was handed after kicking a cop car last year.)

On the morning of January 28, the victim, a 36-year-old Atlanta resident, was at the South DeKalb Mall, when she was approached by a male driving a white Hummer; he was eventually identified as Gucci Mane. According to the victim, Gucci asked if she wanted to get breakfast, to which she agreed before entering his vehicle. However, once inside the truck, Gucci allegedly offered the victim $150 to "go to the hotel." When she refused and asked to be driven back to the mall, the rapper allegedly leaned over to open the passenger side door and shoved her out of the moving vehicle.

According to the report, the victim "had redness on her left side/ back area." And although she had never met Gucci before, the victim stated that she was familiar with his music and "recognized an 'ice cream cone' tattoo on the suspect's face."

How will Gucci's current sentence affect his career? Tell us what you think in the comments.

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Waka Flocka Flame Explains Retirement Talk

15 Aug 2011 18:48:39 EDT

'Yeah, I'm gonna retire — from the industry,' Waka says on 'RapFix Live.'
By Rob Markman, with reporting by Sway Calloway

Jay-Z famously said that he would retire after he dropped his debut album Reasonable Doubt way back in 1996, and we all saw how that worked out. With only one solo album under his belt, could Waka Flocka Flame do what Jigga couldn't?

Last month, the "Hard in Da Paint" rapper tweeted "This game 2 fake I [quit] rap after this year," but when Sway asked Waka about his post-rap plans, he elaborated on the statement.

"Nah, I am gonna retire. I'm gonna retire from the industry," Waka said on last week's "RapFix Live." "I'm not gonna kick it in the industry no more. I'm gonna do what I wanna do, how I started like from the beginning. I'm gonna do exactly what I wanna do."

Flocka didn't exactly say that he'd quit making music, however. Instead, the Atlanta-based rapper said he would go on to operate outside the music industry's traditional avenues.

"I don't expect to win awards, I don't expect to go to big venues. I'm gonna really help the youth — this is what I started doin' it for, so I'm gonna finish doin' it," he said. "Yeah, I'm gonna retire — from the industry."

For now, though, fans can tide themselves over with Ferrari Boyz, Waka's joint album with mentor Gucci Mane, which dropped last Tuesday. "Man, we just came to smash the game — point blank, period," Waka told Sway when asked why the duo made Ferrari Boyz. "They chasin' our sound, folks' singles is on our sound, and we might as well just go 'head and give it all to 'em."

Do you think Waka Flocka Flame can make it on his own terms? Let us know in the comments!

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Royce Da 5'9" Calls Watch The Throne 'Great For Hip-Hop'

11 Aug 2011 20:22:50 EDT

Eminem collaborator tells 'RapFix Live' Jay-Z and Kanye West's joint album shows that 'it's cool to be lyrical.'
By Rob Markman, with reporting by Sway Calloway

Hip-hop tandems are nothing new. In 2009, KRS-One and Buckshot collaborated on Survival Skills, and that same year Canibus and Keith Murray got together and put out their Undergods album.

But in 2011, the idea of two solo MCs getting together seems to be more popular than ever. In June, Royce da 5'9" and Eminem dropped their collaborative EP, Hell: The Sequel, as Bad Meets Evil, then on Monday, Jay-Z and Kanye West released their get-together, Watch the Throne. On the very next day, Gucci Mane and Waka Flocka Flame emerged with their Ferrari Boyz album.

"It's a trend," Royce da 5'9" said when he visited "RapFix Live" on Wednesday. "I don't know who did it first, but it's definitely a trend. I think my group — without tooting our own horns — I think my group Slaughterhouse started that four-man trend, that group trend. As far as the tandem thing, me and Em were working on the EP for a long time."

Royce doesn't take full credit for setting things off with Bad Meets Evil; he said he believes great minds think alike. "I think it's a good thing that people are teaming up doing that because it's something new in hip-hop and something that will continue the art form growing. If it stays the same for long periods of time, it starts to feel like it could fade away — which it can."

The Detroit rapper, who dropped his fifth solo album, Success is Certain, earlier this week, admits that he's only heard WTT in its entirety once — but so far, so good. "I think it's good," Nickel Nine commented. "It sounds like they went in and did what they wanted to do, which I can respect. That's exactly what me and Marshall did: We went in and did the type of music that we wanted to do.

"They wanted to go in and make an album; that's what they did. We wanted to go in and just be lyrical and box, go back and forth, and we not thinking about making an album."

The success of both Watch the Throne and Hell: The Sequel leaves Royce optimistic about hip-hop's future. "I think the fact that both of those projects are out and they are doing well, it's great for hip-hop because both of them are lyrical projects, and it was one time in hip-hop when it wasn't really cool to be lyrical," he said. "So you got these big guns going in and showing these kids of today that it's cool to be lyrical."

Share your thoughts about the joint album trend in the comments section below!

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Gucci Mane 'Can't See' Recording With Young Jeezy Again

11 Aug 2011 16:34:54 EDT

During 'RapFix Live,' Royce Da 5'9" also shares his thoughts on hip-hop beefs.
By Alvin Blanco, with reporting by Sway Calloway

Gucci Mane and Young Jeezy have squashed their beef again, but don't expect any new music from the Atlanta rappers.

MTV News' "RapFix Live" caught up with Gucci Mane for his first on-camera interview since his release from prison, and the "Lemonade" rapper confirmed to Sway Calloway that he and his longtime rival decided to squelch any further altercations between their respective teams.

"On the strength of [the fact that] anything could have happened between not just me and him [but] between our camps, we just came to a sit-down of just respecting the fact that somebody can get hurt, and it ain't going to be us," Gucci said. "That's what made us do that."

Although the two trap stars came to rap prominence almost simultaneously — Jeezy was featured on Gucci's early hit "So Icey" — they began feuding soon after. Things quickly went from words on wax to real violence. In 2005, five men who were allegedly party of Jeezy's camp, stormed into a home where Gucci was visiting a woman. One of those men, who was thought to be affiliated with Jeezy (which he has vehemently denied), was later found dead.

Barbs were traded in song thereafter, with occasional confrontations between the two factions. However, during a 2009 radio interview with DJ Drama, Gucci — calling in from jail — and Jeezy said they were squashing their differences and mentioned the possibility of collaborating.

But Mr. La Flare, who just dropped his Ferrari Boyz collaboration with Waka Flocka Flame, offered an "I don't think so" when asked about the possibility of him and Jeezy creating music together again, adding, "We started the conversation, but I can't see it happening."

Royce Da 5'9", also a guest on Wednesday's edition of "RapFix Live," who famously feuded with D12 years ago, is no stranger to rap beefs and offered his own insight on the matter. "People need to realize that a lot of these beefs that stem from rap or stem from other things, it doesn't mean you have to make a song just because you squashed the beef," Nickel Nine said. "People should just appreciate that they're not beefing anymore; that's great in itself. They can stop there, and it's OK."

Fortunately for rap fans, the Detroit lyricist has recorded with a number of individuals he, at one point, wasn't on good terms with. Notable among them is Eminem, with the pair releasing Hell: The Sequel as Bad Meets Evil last June. Before Royce finally met up with Slim Shady again — the two had stopped speaking in 2003 — he first ended his beef with the late Proof and then the rest of D12. Sometime after, word got back to Eminem that there were no longer any issues between the MCs, and he called Royce. The phone call put in perspective how inconsequential all the previous back-and-forth was.

"I answered the phone. He said, 'Royce, it's Marshall,' " Royce recalled. "I said, 'What's up, Marshall?' And then we just started laughing. It's like embarrassing. It's so childish. That's what happens when you in your 20s: You grow out of that."

Do you think we'll ever hear music from Gucci and Jeezy again? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

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Gucci Mane, Waka Flocka Flame Shy Away From Throne Comparison

10 Aug 2011 23:38:45 EDT

Comparing Ferrari Boyz to Kanye and Jay 'is like comparing Dirk Nowitzki to Larry Bird,' Waka tells 'RapFix Live.'
By Rob Markman, with reporting by Sway Calloway

Though their albums drop on the same week, comparing Gucci Mane and Waka Flocka Flame's Ferrari Boyz collaboration to Jay-Z and Kanye West's Watch the Throne is like apples to oranges.

Actually, Waka's got a better analogy: "Trying to compare us to Jay-Z [and Kanye] is like comparing Dirk Nowitzki to Larry Bird — that's disrespectful," the rapper said, referring to the Mavericks star and Celtics legend, when he appeared on "RapFix Live" on Wednesday. "That's like two different classes."

It isn't that Waka and Gucci lack accomplishments. Since releasing his 2005 single "Icy," Gucci has slowly risen up the rap ranks and experienced a breakout year in 2009, when he dropped his Warner Bros. Record debut, The State vs. Radric Davis. The album produced a number of notable singles like the Usher-assisted "Spotlight," "Wasted" with Plies and the street favorite "Lemonade."

Though he's been stalled by legal trouble and just finished up a three-month prison sentence in July, Gucci now stands as one of the South's premier rappers. Not far behind him is protégé Waka, who has amassed quite a few hits himself. Since last year, Flocka has commanded rap's attention in a big way with his singles "O Let's Do It," "Hard in Da Paint" and "No Hands." Still, he is a relative newcomer and just happy to be considered among the greats. "I been rappin' for three years, those folks got 15 years," Flocka said of the difference between him and the Throne. "I'm happy that my name comes in the conversation — even behind Gucc. At the end of the day it's all respect; I'm a fan of music."

The Ferrari Boyz team hopes their joint LP will serve as a springboard for solo projects later this year. Gucci already seems to have made concrete plans. "I'm definitely gonna drop an album this year, at the end of the year," he said. "I think this is just gonna show people that I'm still goin' hard, and the way we picked these beats on this project here is gonna get people excited about what's next to come from both of us."

The "Freaky Gurl" rapper points to the beats on Ferrari Boyz specifically. "The production on this is A class," he said. "We got some young producers that went hard on this album."

The album boasts beats from Southern mainstays like Drumma Boy and Shawty Redd. It also showcases the talents of Lex Luger and newcomer Southside, who both got their starts on Waka's mixtapes and his Flockaveli LP last year but have since branched out.

"Southside, he's goin' hard. You know how it is; we want that new sound," Waka said before being reminded of his producer's other notable placement. "Matter of fact, Southside is on Jay-Z and Kanye album."

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Gucci Mane, Waka Flocka 'Smash The Game' On Ferrari Boyz

09 Aug 2011 18:19:34 EDT

Check out 'RapFix Live' Wednesday at 4 p.m. ET on MTV.com for more from the duo.
By Rob Markman, with reporting by Sway Calloway

Jay-Z and Kanye West aren't the only rappers dropping a collab album this week. As soloists, Atlanta's Gucci Mane and Waka Flocka Flame have taken their Southern-drenched sound worldwide, and on Tuesday (August 9), the duo released Ferrari Boyz, an LP Waka said was inspired by the people.

"Fans were like, 'Man, y'all need to do somethin' together, work with people in the industry,' " Waka told MTV News' Sway. "See, we could agree with one of the statements: We'll work together, but the industry folks, they industry, you follow me?"

On Ferrari Boyz, the 1017 representatives keep everything in-house. The majority of the album was produced by Lex Luger and Southside, both of whom contributed largely to Waka's first album, Flockaveli, in 2010. As far as guest appearances go, the Ferrari Boyz didn't call on any of their past big-name collaborators like Rick Ross, Diddy or Usher. Instead, underground MCs like Tity Boi (a.k.a. 2 Chainz) and Georgia rapper Rocko rounded out the track list.

"Man, we just came to smash the game — point blank, period," Waka said. "They chasin' our sound, folks' singles is on our sound, and we might as well just go 'head and give it all to 'em."

For Gucci, who was freed from Fulton County Jail in July after a three-month stint, working with his rap protégé for this new album was a positive experience. "We had so much fun just making the album. I had a blast just goin' in there with Waka, just findin'out rhymes, just about anything," Gucci said. "We just went in there and we just let it all hang out."

On Wednesday, Gucci and Waka will appear on MTV's "RapFix Live" at 4 p.m. ET and talk about their new album as well as their recent dramas.

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Gucci Mane, Waka Flocka Flame Visit 'RapFix Live'!

08 Aug 2011 16:21:26 EDT

Eminem's Bad Meets Evil partner Royce Da 5'9" will also hit the red couch Wednesday at 4 p.m. ET on MTV.com.
By Rob Markman

It's Gucci time! Last week, Game, Diddy and Machine Gun Kelly joined us on "RapFix Live," and on Wednesday at 4 p.m. ET, Gucci Mane and Waka Flocka Flame will sit down with MTV News' Sway to discuss Gucci's recent release from prison, as well as the duo's new Ferrari Boyz LP.

It's been a tumultuous year for Gucci, who was released from Fulton County Jail in Atlanta in July. The "Freaky Gurl" rapper was jailed in April after numerous probation violations stemming from a 2005 aggravated assault case. While his rap mentor was behind bars, however, Waka Flocka Flame has emerged as one of rap's notable hitmakers after dropping his debut album, Flockaveli, last October. Proving that he could carry on without Gucci, Waka made his mark thanks to singles like "O Let's Do It," "Hard in Da Paint," "Grove St. Party" and the Roscoe Dash and Wale-assisted "No Hands."

Now that the pair are reunited, they are set to drop their collaborative Ferrari Boyz, featuring singles like "PacMan" and "She Be Puttin' On," on Tuesday. Expect the duo to talk music, drama and their overall position in the rap game when they sit with Sway.

And that's not all. this week "RapFix Live" will also welcome one-half of Bad Meets Evil, Royce Da 5'9". In May, Eminem and Royce chopped it up with Sway in Detroit in an exclusive "RFL" interview. This past weekend, the Slaughterhouse MC took the stage alongside Em and Bruno Mars to perform their new single "Lighters" at Lollapalooza. Even though he is still in BME promo mode, Royce is also releasing his Success Is Certain solo album, so there'll be plenty to talk about.

Catch Gucci Mane, Waka Flocka Flame and Royce Da 5'9" on "RapFix Live" Wednesday at 4 p.m. ET on MTV.com!

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