REVIEW: Gucci Mane, The Cold War: Guccimerica

Gucci Mane
The Cold War: Guccimerica

Beats: XL
Lyrics: L
Originality: XL

Gucci Mane is an opportunist. After snagging the No. 6 slot on MTV’s 2009 Hottest MCs in the Game list, the Atlanta native capitalizes on the buzz by releasing three mixtapes on the same day. Teaming up with DJs Drama, Scream and Holiday for his Cold War series, the 1017 Brick Squad boss sets things off with the Drama-hosted Guccimerica.

Gucci opens the disc with the Killer Mike Mike Bigga and Drake featured “Street Cred,” where the trio keeps the block burning. Fellow Hottest MC Drizzy drops another verse on the sing-songy anthem “In My Business,” but it’s the Drumma Boi-guested “Follow Me” that finds Gucci quipping, “My chain is really stupid and my swag is real retarded/I’m shittin’ on these haters like I’m rappin’ on the toilet.”

Lyrically, Gucci isn’t expected to win many battles but the man is having way too much fun to care. On the playful “09 Bachelor Pad,” he manages to put together a few clever couplets like, “Shawty hotter than a hippopotamus in the Sahara/With a rump like a rhinoceros just like Tocarra/An ass like an ass-crologist I need a telescope/I asked what’s her zodiac so I can read her horoscope.”

Although his lackadaisical drawl can be annoying at times, as is the case on the antagonizing “Boiy,” Gucci arms himself with a bevy of trunk rattlin’ beats and catchy hooks to get over on. Surprisingly, Guccimerica winds up sounding like a nice place to visit if you ever have the opportunity. —Anslem Samuel