Gunna is an American rapper, singer and songwriter from College Park, Georgia.
He first gained popularity in 2018 with his mixtape Drip Season 3 and his collaboration with fellow Atlanta rapper Lil Baby on the song Drip Too Hard, which peaked at number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Since then, Gunna has released several successful projects, including his debut studio album Drip or Drown 2 in 2019, which debuted at number 3 on the Billboard 200 chart.
He is known for his melodic flow, catchy hooks, and lyrics about his luxurious lifestyle, fashion and relationships.
Gunna has collaborated with many other popular artists, including Travis Scott, Young Thug, and Future, and has become one of the most prominent figures in the current wave of trap music.
Gunna early life and career
Gunna grew up in the same neighborhood as fellow rapper and collaborator Lil Baby.
His childhood was marked by financial struggles, and he often had to move around with his mother to find affordable housing.
Despite these challenges, Gunna developed a passion for music at a young age.
He started writing and recording his own songs in high school, and eventually caught the attention of Atlanta-based rapper Young Thug.
Young Thug became a mentor to Gunna, and helped him get his start in the music industry.
Gunna’s first major breakthrough came in 2016, when he was featured on Young Thug’s mixtape, Jeffery.
He continued to gain popularity with his own mixtapes, including Drip Season and Drip Season 2, which showcased his unique blend of melodic flows and trap beats.
In 2018, Gunna released his debut studio album, Drip or Drown 2, which featured collaborations with Lil Baby, Young Thug and Playboi Carti.
The album received critical acclaim and helped solidify his place as one of the most promising young rappers in the game.
Since then, Gunna has continued to release hit songs and collaborate with some of the biggest names in hip-hop, including Travis Scott, Drake and Future.
He has also been recognized for his fashion sense, and has been featured in campaigns for brands like Puma and Coach.
Gunna and Young Thug relationship
Young Thug and Gunna have a close relationship that dates back to 2015 when they met through a mutual friend on the video shoot for Thugger’s With That.
Since then, they have collaborated on several tracks, and Gunna has honed his skills through his Drip Season mixtape series, calling on Thug for assists on tracks like Cop Me a Foreign and Secure the Vibe, while landing a feature on his label boss’ Tomorrow ‘Til Infinity.
By 2018, Gunna’s star was further on the rise, resulting in four features on Thug’s Slime Language compilation.
Thug returned the favor with guest verses on a pair of Drip Season 3 tracks, as well as an appearance on Gunna and Baby’s joint project, Drip Harder.
In 2022, Young Thug and Gunna were among 28 people charged with violating Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, with the grand-jury indictment identifying them and 26 other associates as members of the ‘criminal street gang’ YSL, or Young Slime Life.
Gunna pleaded guilty to a charge of racketeering conspiracy in what is known as an Alford plea, and his five-year sentence was commuted to time served and 500 hours of community service as part of the deal.
Despite the legal issues, their friendship remains strong, and they continue to collaborate on music.
In 2019, they scored their most successful joint track to date with the collaboration Hot, which landed at No. 26 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Did Gunna snitch?
Gunna has been accused of snitching in the ongoing YSL RICO case, which has resulted in a lot of controversy and speculation.
However, Gunna has denied these allegations and has addressed them in his music.
In his song, Bread and Butter, he suggests that he did not snitch and that he is innocent.
Gunna’s legal team has also reaffirmed his innocence, stating that he has never cooperated with law enforcement or prosecutors in the RICO case, and that what was said at his Alford plea hearing was solely to resolve his own case and cannot be used by the prosecution against Young Thug or any other defendant.
Despite these denials, Young Thug has gone off on Gunna for snitching in the YSL RICO case, as seen in a YouTube interview.
Understanding the YSL RICO case
The YSL RICO case is a criminal case against Young Thug and 27 other members of his Young Stoner Life (YSL) collective.
The case is based on allegations that YSL is a ‘street gang’ that has been involved in a wide range of criminal activity, including multiple murders, shootings, thefts and carjackings over the past decade.
The prosecution alleges that YSL has affiliation with the national Bloods gang, and some associates claim the Blood subset gangs S*x Money Murder and 30 Deep.
The case is built on the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, which is a federal law that allows for the prosecution of individuals who engage in ongoing criminal enterprises.
The trial has been ongoing for over 16 months, and it is currently on pace to be the longest trial in Georgia’s history.
The case has seen countless delays and complications from defendants and lawyers, and eight months later, not one juror has been seated.
