Image via Complex Original
Gucci Mane's work ethic is unprecedented. In the seven years he's been active in hip-hop, the Atlanta rapper has released more projects—both mixtapes and albums—than perhaps all of his contemporaries. Gucci's commitment to studio recording is well-documented, and his tremendous output in less than a decade supports this.
Most recently, Gucci Mane released his Trap God mixtape. Complex spoke with him about the significance of that project, but also, several other releases. There wasn't time to talk about all 40-plus mixtapes, albums, and EPs Gucci has put out since 2005, but many of the most notable moments in La Flare's discography were indeed discussed.
Read on from for a breakdown of 19 of Gucci Mane's most essential projects, with words, stories, and inisghts from the man himself.
Interview by David Drake (@somanyshrimp)
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Trap House (2005)
Gucci Mane: Trap House album, that’s when I had my hit song “Icy.” I had the “Black Tee” remix. That was one of my first times recording with Shawty Redd, some of me and Zaytoven’s best work. That established me as the artist I am today and just started my core fanbase. It was a great first presentation of me.
What was it like being in Atlanta at that time?
There was a lot of money in the town at the time. The economy was booming.
What did you feel like your place was?
I feel like I was the number one underdog. I was the underdog, but I was the number one underdog.
Hard to Kill (2006)
Gucci Mane: My second studio album. That was me and Zay just going hard at it. I just got out of jail from a murder rap, aggravated assault. So I had a lot of anger and I just put it all in the studio and it just came out to be one of my dopest albums.
How’d you meet Zaytoven?
I met Zaytoven through a mutual friend of ours that introduced us when I was 18.
Your rap style was very different then.
Back then I was writing my lyrics down. Right now I don’t write my lyrics down.
When did that transition happen?
Sometime around 2007, 2008. No Pad No Pencil, Chicken Talk.
Chicken Talk (2006), No Pad No Pencil (2007)
After Hard to Kill what was going on at that time?
Gucci Mane: I left Big Cat records, put out a mixtape called Chicken Talk. After Chicken Talk, I did No Pad No Pencil.
Let’s talk about Chicken Talk. How’d you meet up with Burn One?
I was one of the hardest artists in the streets, so Burn One sought me out and asked me could he do my next mixtape. Once I got those songs together, I called him, told him let’s do it.
Why was it you decided to stop writing down lyrics?
It seemed like I used to be pushed for time. So as a time constraint, I just started freestyling because it was quicker. There was a huge demand for my songs, for my mixtapes, so I was just recording so many songs, so many songs. I thought, to do more songs in the day I’d just start saying whatever came into my head.
Well, I’m interested because it seems like you always write full songs, not just
verses. What made you think that way?
I was always a smart guy, I always say making a song to me is kind of like making a project—I always took the same way I was taught, just to write things down, and that’s how I applied it to my music when I used to write my music down. I used to format it. After doing it so many years, they got rigid, so I threw the paper away and started doing it out of my head.
After No Pad No Pencil—that was a huge one—
That was one of my biggest mixtapes.
That seemed to mark the beginning of your buzz. When could you first tell the buzz happened?
Instant feedback, great feedback from around the nation. My first song—when Franchise dropped “White Tee” I made “Black Tee.” That was the number one song in Atlanta. I was doing shows going around the Southeast on the first song I ever did, and that was just a remake of a song. So I got success instantly.
Back to the Traphouse (2007)
And at that point you had another major album come out, Back to the Traphouse.
Gucci Mane: Yeah, on Atlantic. That wasn’t one of my best albums. I think it was a nice album, but it wasn’t the best selection of songs that I could have put together at that time. I could have put together a better album. But the partners I had at Atlantic, we bumped heads so much. We couldn’t come together with the right album. That’s why the partnership ended. I partnered up with Warner Brothers/Asylum, and I had 100% leeway to do the album the way I wanted to do it.
I was going to say one of my favorite songs was “I Move Chickens” off that one.
That’s one of my favorite songs off that album, too.
Ice Attack (2007), Ice Attack: Part 2 (2007), EA Sportscenter (2008)
EA Sportscenter and the two Ice Attack albums—
Gucci Mane: Those were definitely after the two Trap House albums. That was me giving the fans what they wanted to hear, because I felt like I didn’t put together the best songs that I could have put together on Back to the Trap House.
Was Jeezy the hottest artist in Atlanta at that point?
I’d say Lil Scrappy, but he was on his way. Ice Attack, Mr. Perfect, EA Sportscenter all came out simultaneously.
The Movie (2008), The Movie Part 2 (2009), The BurrPrint: The Movie 3-D (2009)
Soon after that The Movie came out.
Gucci Mane: At the time I was in the zone, and the beats and collaborations just all made sense. The Movie was my best put-together mixtape.
Do you have a favorite song off that record?
"The Intro." That’s one of my favorite verses I ever did.
I really liked “I’m a Star”
Yeah that was a freestyle. I was too wasted. It was a hit and people still love it.
After that we had The Movie 2…
I think that was great, we didn’t really push it, we just put it out there, but it had great songs on it. I wasn’t even pushing it, I wasn’t focused on it.
Then we have Movie 3 … that was another big one right?
That was a pretty big one, but it still wasn’t none of them like the Movie 1. I think we’re going to have to do a sequel to Trap God, cause it’s so powerful. People will demand that there be a sequel.
Movie 3, did you have a favorite song off that one? I always liked "My Shadow."
"My Shadow" is one of my favorite songs on there.
Zone 6 to Duval (2008)
After The Movie, this was the first one I listened to. From Zone 6 To Duval.
Gucci Mane: That was one of my hardest mixtapes ever. The beats on that were so crazy. We had the hardest beats on there. Cause Shawty Redd did most of the beats instead of Zaytoven. It had a harder feel. It was more hood, more urban.
Why do you think it doesn’t get the same recognition as some of the others?
Because the DJ was not as well known as some of the DJs from Atlanta. He was from Jacksonville.
The Cold War: Guccimerica, Great Brrritain, Brrrussia (2009)
Gucci Mane: Do you know the one where I dropped three at one time?
Yeah.
I liked "Timothy" off that. I felt like that could have been real big. That "Timothy" song, that shit was dope. A lot of people talked about it, but that was big. That was a big song.
Did you think one of those three tapes was better than the others?
I think the one with Drama was probably a little better. To be honest. Had the two Drake songs on there.
The State vs. Radric Davis (2009)
After the three records came out—let’s talk about your albums. The State vs. Radric Davis.
Gucci Mane: I feel like that’s one of my best albums. Classic album. Almost went Gold. That’s my best-selling album. It’s my only number one hit single I had of my own. The following album,The Appeal, is one of my better albums too, I just feel like I didn’t promote it like I should have. I just had so many things going on in my life at the time. But I definitely think the State vs. Radric Davis is my best album ever. The intro [“Classical”] [is my favorite].
Did it seem like there was a point where your music really clicked?
State vs. Radric Davis was my best put together album.
The Appeal: Georgia's Most Wanted (2010)
Gucci Mane: Biggest humongous budget. Sold 60,000 the first week, second-best selling album I ever had. But I didn’t push it or promote it or push the right songs, things got leaked.
Do you have a favorite song off the album?
“Making Love to the Money”
I always liked the Swizz one. Not "Gucci Time," the other one.
"It’s Alive.” And then “What’s it Gonna Be” was my other favorite.
That’s a serious song. I shot a video for that song. It came kind of late but it deserved it, it was so hard.
What was the recording process for all of these like?
I go to the studio all night every night. Every night I’m in Atlanta I’m in the studio all night.
After you started getting attention from the media in 2009, after you got out of jail. No one had really written stuff in the press until that point. Did that change how you were recording?
I stayed hungry, I keep myself driven.
When people bother you for interviews—
It’s not even a bother thing, it gauges—the more people want me, the more people that want to do business with me or talk to me or take pictures with me, that let’s me know how relevant I am at the time.
Trap Back (2012)
Gucci Mane: Trap Back was getting fresh out of jail, the first 25 songs I recorded I put them out. I feel like it was real good, it was slapping. I’m Up was everybody in the industry collaborating with me, ready for me to do an album. But I wasn’t ready so I put those songs out. Trap God was me saying I’m gonna dedicate this to my fans, put out a mixtape with concentrated effort. That’s why I feel like it came out so good. Then I’m gonna put my time in on my guap album, feel like I’m gonna make it a classic.
Trap God (2012)
Can you talk about what your mindstate’s been like recording this, what you’re trying to prove with Trap God?
Gucci Mane: I’ve proved so much stuff already. Really I’m just having so much fun making the music, I’m just in the zone. It reflects on my music, you can just hear that I’m doing the music the way I want to do it, I’m getting the best beats these producers got, I’m just getting A+ songs.
You have a favorite song?
My favorite song off Trap God is probably “Fuck the World” featuring Future. And then “Get Your Roley Up” with Scooter and Waka.
Who are you favorite people to work with right now?
Waka, Scooter, Rocko. Ross. Wooh da Kid. Juiceman.