At midnight ET (June 16), Gunna made his full-length return to music with his brand new studio album a Gift & a Curse. The project comes just half a year removed from Gunna being released from jail, and over a year since he was initially arrested for his involvement in his label Young Stoner Life’s racketeering case.
Videos by American Songwriter
Going into a Gift & a Curse, many of Gunna’s fans and friends in the industry were weary about supporting him, as they felt his Alford plea of guilt in court, where he admitted YSL was a street gang, could hurt Young Thug’s chances of earning freedom. Thug, who is currently awaiting trial on eight counts in connection to the YSL case, founded the imprint and was a mentor to Gunna.
However, while fans speculated if Gunna turned his back on Thug, the rapper’s tone on a Gift & a Curse begs to differ. The 30-year-old first mentions Thug on the album’s fifth song “ca$h $hit,” as he proclaims free my bro Jeffo, referring to Thug’s legal name Jeffery Williams.
Then on the seventh track “rodeo dr,” Gunna hypothetically asks why he would stay behind bars just to appease Twitter trolls, along with paying homage to fellow YSL artist Lil Keed, who passed away in 2022.
Let me turn back around and go back to a cell for a n***a with internet jokes
Fuck this shit, I’m still doin’ it for Jeff and Lil Keed and you know it’s R.I.P. to the Pope
And my heart covered in Chrome, damn, they just now rockin’ Chrome
Seven songs later, Gunna gets a bit more into the nitty-gritty of his polarizing decision to enter a plea deal. During “i was just thinking,” he remembers a time when he was worried that Thug would think he potentially betrayed him. But ultimately, he comes to his senses and realizes his plea deal did not negatively affect Thug.
Only I done cried ‘causе this feelin’ for my bro (King Slime)
And you know my mind, you done watched that n***a grow)
Know you hearin’ the lies that your lil’ brother might fold (Gunna Wunna)
Yeah, I had popped out, but don’t let ’em say I told
Along with the album Friday, Gunna delivered the music video for the second song “back to the moon,” a Gift & a Curse‘s second visual after its lead single “bread & butter.” With Gunna’s prior two albums both hitting No. 1 on the Billboard 200, it will certainly be interesting to see how his newly-divided fanbase consumes the new LP.
Check out the “back to the moon” video below.
Photo by Kevin Mazur/MG22/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue
Don’t wait! Gunna announces The Bittersweet Tour 2024. Buy your tickets now!
