At this point of his career, the word "prolific" is attached to Gucci Mane almost as often as "Atlanta" and "trap." So it's a surprise that it took two years and a whole lot of soul-searching for the prolific Atlanta trap godfather to complete his official 16th full-length, Breath of Fresh Air. Unlike past albums, this one is notable for being one of Gucci's more "positive" LPs, an intentional pivot that came as a result of the numerous high-profile deaths and imprisonments of his close friends and mentees. Indeed, the album lives up to the title and is one of his most accessible and enjoyable sets to date, packed with nostalgic samples, refreshing production, and his ever-reliably quotable bars. While the wanton violence and anger has been toned down slightly, the sober family man hasn't been declawed by any means. The beats hit hard, the sex is still explicit, and his guests more than make up for his occasional laid-back approach. Highlights include "Thank Me," which features a posthumous appearance by one of his aforementioned fallen comrades, Young Dolph, and production by Kori Anders so popping it'll put a stank face on the hardest of critics; the head-bobbing earworm "There I Go" with J. Cole and Mike WiLL Made-It; and the Disc 1 bookends "Must Be Me" and "Stomach Grumbling," two of Fresh Air's main thesis statements. Disc 2 features standouts like the dramatic, string-laden "06 Gucci" with DaBaby and 21 Savage and the Zaytoven-produced singalong "Say No Mo." Even though it's marketed as a "new positive" Gucci, Breath of Fresh Air shouldn't worry longtime fans wondering if he's seen the light and switched to gospel: this is yet another collection of rousing, engaging trap from a master veteran who knows exactly what his loyal fan base demands.© Neil Z. Yeung /TiVo

In the year and a half after being released from a life-changing prison sentence, prolific Atlanta trap king Gucci Mane issued nine efforts, capping off 2017 with his 11th studio album, Mr. Davis. At this stage in his game, it was safe to say that the new Gucci era hit its stride, and on Mr. Davis, Guwop finally assembled the best statement to represent his new mindset and outlook on life. While works like Everybody Looking and Woptober were competent and enjoyable trap exercises, they were yet more of the same, two more albums that were mostly interchangeable with The Return of the East Atlanta Santa and Drop Top Wop. Which is why Mr. Davis stands out as perhaps his best post-prison effort: the songs pop, the production is memorable, and the guests weave effortlessly into their respective tracks without detracting from Gucci's signature delivery. Featuring production by frequent collaborators like Zaytoven, Metro Boomin, and Southside, Mr. Davis is home to catchy beats and hypnotic atmosphere, like on the crackling "Back On" and the woozy "Members Only." The ominous, Migos-featuring Metro/Southside collaboration "I Get the Bag" glides through a cavernous hollow, while Mike WiLL Made-It weaves a twisted, oddly Björk-like beat that allows Slim Jxmmi, Young Dolph, and Gucci to go toe to toe on "Stunting Ain't Nuthin." Other guests provide further highlights, like Big Sean on the haunting "Changed"; ScHoolboy Q on a typically menacing "Lil Story"; and Nicki Minaj on a scorching "Make Love." A crop of R&B singers also appear to smooth out the rough rap edges. While the Weeknd and Ty Dolla $ign provide reliable vocals, a surprise appearance by Monica on "We Ride" and a contribution by Rico Love on "Miss My Woe" elevate these tracks above the crowd and provide rewarding breaks to the steady stream of brags and sex-and-hustling rhymes. The best combination of rap bravado and vocal soul is on the tough Chris Brown collaboration, "Tone It Down," which delivers an addictive flute-sample earworm that begs for radio play. For all the accessible songs -- which make up the majority of Mr. Davis -- Gucci is sure to include a handful of blunt confessionals, like the brutally honest "Money Make Ya Handsome" and the vulnerable intro ("Work in Progress") and closer ("Made It"). These are triumphant moments for Gucci, whose efforts to turn his life around and live a healthier lifestyle are clearly sources of pride for the rapper. For all the big-bass boomers and required rap boasting, it's nice to hear some positivity and sincerity. As Gucci reflects on his life thus far, Mr. Davis is an appropriate way to commemorate his road to recovery with this testament to how far he's come.© Neil Z. Yeung /TiVo

With his new career in Hollywood (a starring role in the weird summer comedy Spring Breakers) and a name change to GuWop on the advice of his new friend Marilyn Manson (a change that didn't stick very long), Gucci Mane's recent mixtapes painted him as a ringtone rapper who was moonlighting too much and didn't have enough energy to deliver the wacky goods consistently. This "official" release comes on cool with its lumbering, hazy title cut opener, but once the familiar "M-M-M-M-M-Maybach Music" drop introduces Rick Ross, things began to look up, and the apathy of the recent past begins to fade. Some 17 tracks later, it's just about gone. Superstar team-ups like "Use Me" with 2 Chainz, "Nuthin on Ya" with Wiz Khalifa, and "Darker" with Chief Keef all bring the thug party with an extra twist of weird, while the solo cut "Hell Yes" gets drenched in Auto-Tune and comes close to the strange experience of listening to T-Pain talk in his sleep. Big surprise is "Point in My Life," where Gucci does the usual lyrical rambling, but this time over a Prince-like, power rock ballad, where the guitar wails and the chorus includes the almost Tracy Morgan-moment "I'm havin' sex with your mind." Good times, some redundant numbers, all of it jumbled together, and everything else returning fans are used to (or frustrated by). Just be aware, Gucci's inspired by more serene and soft moments at this point, so call this the most "couch locked" of all Trap Houses and get prepared to sprawl out for a long, low ride.© David Jeffries /TiVo

On the fourth release in Gucci Mane's street release series Trap House, the mush-mouthed and party-minded rapper stumbles through a druggy "Intro" before spitting the hooky yet standard-issue trap track "Already." That's all expected, but the creative skies open up and shine on Gucci and Chief Keef when "Top in the Trash" hits the speakers, and this pattern continues with the Mane man stealing that piano-driven angst from Lil Wayne on "She Love Money" before getting all wonderfully weird on the long audio exhale called "Drugs Like You." Late on the album there's "How We Rockin'," where the two worlds meet as skittish EDM riffs fly over stomping hardcore beats, but the iffy running order of these tracks never helps to explain all the flip-flopping, then a 19-song track list helps to move the release into the "fans only" column.© David Jeffries /TiVo

Another year, another Gucci Mane release. This time, it's a sequel to 2020's So Icy Gang, Vol. 1 with his 1017 crew. So Icy Gang: The ReUp notched another Top 40 hit for the trap godfather, who highlights both famous friends (Quavo, Lil Durk, Latto) and familiar 1017 faces like Foogiano, Pooh Shiesty, Big Scarr, and more. Longtime fans will find more of the same, for better or worse, adding almost three dozen new Gucci trap anthems to the mix.© Neil Z. Yeung /TiVo

For Atlanta MC Gucci Mane, the road to the release of his debut, TRAP HOUSE, was, to say the least, a bit bizarre. First there was a dispute over the underground hit "Icy," a collaboration with Young Jeezy of Boyz N Da Hood, with Gucci denying Def Jam the rights to put the track on the latter's debut record, which led to an exchange of accusatory mixtape tracks. Then, the week before TRAP HOUSE dropped, Gucci Mane found himself surrendering to murder charges. Controversy has rarely hurt record sales, but the album ultimately stands or falls on the strength of Mane's rap skills. To that effect, he is a charismatic rapper who rhymes with an agreeable rawness about rising from life on the streets. There is no smoke-and-mirrors obfuscation to his style; "Lawnmower Man" simply speaks of his prowess, "Black Tees" plainly, playfully swipes at the Dem Franchize Boyz hit "White Tees." The controversial "Icy" employs an electronic beat as spare as Mane's style for an effective paean to the streets. Across all the tracks, Gucci Mane's breezy demeanor contrasts his hard lyrics for a capable debut. © TiVo

Gucci Mane albums come and go, but some things never change: his mean streak, his sense of irony, and his super-sized ego. These are in full effect on Ice Daddy on which the godfather of trap (a title he shares with Jeezy) makes his personality into a musical element in its own right, incorporating it in his light-hearted flow. But behind the lightheartedness, it's a heavy sound that predominates thanks to the efforts of the great Mike WiLL Made-It and Zaytoven. The latter distills the instrumental on Top Of Shit down to its frantic, joyful core, before 2 Chainz and Young Dolph come and deliver the coup de grace. On this album, Gucci Mane is less forceful than usual, despite raw tracks such as Lately or Rich N**** Shit. But he makes up for it with retro tracks like the excellent Bust Down produced by Mike WiLL Made-It. This album proves that Gucci Mane is not about to give up his throne. © Brice Miclet/Qobuz