Gucci Mane - Mr. Davis

Gucci Mane
Mr. Davis
2017
Spotify

I've been excited about this record for awhile because I am fascinated with Gucci Mane's story, however before I put it on I had this twinge of anxiety. Would it be any good? How could He keep putting out music at the pace He does and not over saturate? Is this where my love of Gucci finally turns? Well let me assuage your fears, Mr. Davis bangs. The production from minute one is razor sharp, showing how Trap music can sound when done at an extremely high level. You can almost imagine these beats in less capable hands and how minimal and vacant they might sound, but on this album they absolutely fill the room. The collaboration with Migos "I Get the Bag" has this bass that is so booming but never blown out, its fantastic. Gucci Mane has never been the lyrical genius of rap, only dropping in the occasional super cutting line, but He is so consistent and his voice so soothing that you really just forgive it. He has said "making 2 million a week" about 1,000 times in different songs but it never feels repetitive. The Weeknd takes a break from his Starboy persona on "Curve" and slides back into his drug and sex addicted vibe and boy does it fit him well. Gucci's delivery does not change all that much besides some pace shifts, but it fits the beats so well it elevates every thing that He says. The feature list is just ridiculous with folks like: Nicki Minaj, A$AP Rocky, Ty Dolla $ign, Big Sean, Monica, Schoolboy Q, and the aforementioned Migos essentially listing a who's who of hip hop (minus Monica). Gucci allows them all to bring their own special flavor and often sits back and picks his spots a hallmark of a great collaborator.

Similar to Kendrick's DAMN, Mr. Davis' production is almost orchestral and ominous but unlike that album it is much more casual. DAMN felt angry and like it had something powerful to say but this record is happy to be much lighter lyrically and more fun to dance to. Big Sean who seems to only be good when He features brings another solid performance on "Changed". However, it is Nicki Minaj who take the throne for best bars on the record with the previously released "Make Love". The entire verse is amazing but this line stands out: "She ain't eatin but I swear she got some bum ass taste/text her man like "Dawg, how that bum ass taste?"/Pay your rent!/and stay in your bum ass place" a dig on Azelia Banks' album Broke With Expensive Taste. The Monica collaboration, the first with a real singer on the record falls quite flat. It just doesn't fit with what Gucci does a sticks out like some kind of gimmick. At 17 tracks and over an hour of music the record is pretty long and does loose a bit of steam as the end comes, but peppered in are tracks that bring you right back around like "Lil Story" with Schoolboy Q. Mr. Davis is yet another feather in Gucci's seemingly endless cap. It may not go down as one of his best but even saying that is something.

9.0 out of 10