Atlanta rapper Gunna achieved one among hip-hop’s most exceptional comebacks final 12 months. After being ensnared within the YSL RICO case and spending seven months behind bars, he obtained out on a plea deal and launched A Reward and a Curse final June, buoyed by the infectious single “Fukumean,” which grew to become his first Quantity One hit. He positioned himself again on the identical trajectory he was on in 2022, when his album DS4Ever debuted at Quantity One on the Billboard albums chart and marked his celebrity ascension.
Enter his fifth album, One among Wun, with a title that speaks as a lot to typical rapper ego because it does to his standing as one of many few rappers to beat the justice system’s current and ongoing criminalization of rap. The mission reveals him totally unbothered, inserting his bid for coolest man on the earth one slinky melody at a time. Regardless of what naysayers may take into consideration him, he’s simply targeted on delivering his trademark sound to his loyal fan base.
Essentially the most notable factor concerning the Gunna expertise is the polish. Whereas his YSL up to date Younger Thug is a grasp of vocal hysterics, akin to a sports activities automotive stopping and beginning on a dime whereas weaving lanes, Gunna has all the time exemplified a precision that’s an ideal match for his easy, lush beats. When One among Wun begins with “Collage,” you image a luxurious automotive gliding down a freeway at night time, scored by producers Evrgrn and Younger T. That immersive begin units the tone for One among Wun, which is dominated, for higher or worse, by midtempo, synth-driven manufacturing.
After eight years within the sport, Gunna is aware of precisely who he’s, and easy methods to complement the beats he chooses with disparate vocal melodies. His choice for subdued manufacturing makes his voice his main instrument, and he delivers his traces with a unique cadence and move on nearly each music. A music titled “Hakuna Matata” hints at how dexterous Gunna will get, unfurling rapid-fire lyrics over a bass-heavy manufacturing co-crafted by Evrgrn, Fritz, Kenny Stuntin, and Don Oskar. On “Treesh” and “Life’s Altering,” he artfully stretches his finish rhyme, and on album nearer “Time Reveals, Be Cautious What You Want For,” he will get near outright singing. The totality of the album exemplifies his talent as a robust vocalist with seemingly infinite methods to strategy a monitor.
The variance in move helps the 19 tracks right here from mixing into each other, although the redundancy in sonic decisions finally makes the listener understand how lengthy One among Wun is. None of those beats are unhealthy in a vacuum. However the total physique of labor may have used extra variance, such because the rim clicks on the breezy, Leon Bridges-feature “Clear My Rain.” The uniformity in vibes may not matter to Gunna’s die-hards, however it could have been good to listen to him have enjoyable over totally different BPMs and percussion.
Gunna’s main themes don’t stray removed from love, stuntin’ on haters, and making a living (whereas being impeccably dressed), all of which he does nicely. However there’s extra taking place on the album beneath the floor. He subtly references the backlash in opposition to him on the hook of “One among Wun,” when he rhymes, “Assume all about how they need me to lose, however I’m W, due for a win.” On the primary verse of “In the present day I Did Good,” he references his bodily transformation, telling us, “I ain’t been eatin’ bullshit.” On “Black Jack,” he proclaims, “Lot of shit to deal, with however we’ll be alright.” The album would’ve been extra sturdy if it had extra of this introspective unpacking, however it’s nonetheless a robust mission that can fulfill his most ardent followers.
