a Gift & a Curse - Gunna
Gunna Wunna Dropped for the Summa
I'm going to say this right off the bat. I love Gunna's new album. I love how the production, especially in the first half, is more stripped-down and minimal than Gunna's typical style. This leave so much room for Gunna to shine through. And shine he does. He comes with flows and melodies that I've never heard from him.
Looking at the album as a whole
It seems to come out of a place of genuine pain. For some, this album is Gunna's telling his side of the story for the YSL RICO, but I think the greater narrative here is that Gunna feels alone, remorseful, and like he's been betrayed. the dark album cover showcases Gunna's side eye to the world. Normally we'd expect to see a tracklist full of collaborations with the people closest to him (Lil Baby, Young Thug, etc); here the tracklist is barren of features. Then there's the title of the album, a Gift & a Curse. It's very rare to hear someone describe their freedom as a "curse". One can only imagine how bittersweet that is.
I really want to talk about my favorite tracks on this album.
Track 1 - back at it
This beat is amazing. It's rare to hear Gunna truly rap over a beat rather than letting his voice harmonize and blend with a beat. The guitar in the background is beautiful. The way the bass keeps you on the edge of your seat the whole way through by never fully dropping is amazing. It builds this sense of tension for the rest of the album. I love Gunna's subtle experimentation with vocal effects. The flow in the chorus reminds me of his flow on "Speed it Up" and is almost nostalgic in a way. Lines like "And this is the thanks I get, tell me who wrong" are really impactful. Most rappers in Gunna's position would have a more defensive outlook toward the public. Gunna, in contrast, seems to feel more hurt and betrayed by the way people are treating him. Which is supported by a very sad and melancholic beat.
Track 2 - back to the moon
I love the way Gunna comes into this track. Using a (relatively) high-speed flow. The first words out of his mouth "If you don't like me, don't do what I do" perfectly set the tone. This song really shows Gunna's destain for the world around him
Track 5 - ca$h $hit
Track 6 - fukumean
Track 7 - rodeo dr
An incredible 3 track run for Gunna. Ca$h $hit is a really fun song with a good bounce and a great chorus. Fukumean is a strong contender for the best song on the album. The background vocals are wonderful and the overall melody of the song is highly infectious. The song is very laid back and still captivating. The transition from fukumean to rodeo dr is simply amazing. It's so good that at this point I can't hear one song without wanting to hear the other. Rodeo dr is a welcome elevation in energy. I can't listen to this song without nodding my head.
Track 9 - p angels
I love this track. I really really love this track. The ambiance in the beginning with the strings and the piano. Then there's the faint foliage in the background where you can hear birds chirping and the sounds of nature. To have all that immediately contrasted when the beat finally drops. The beautiful strings and piano are replaced by a hard-hitting 808 and the foliage is replaced by the faint sound of a smoke alarm with a dead battery. I have no idea whether or not that sound is intentional or not. That dead smoke alarm sound is persistent in the background of a few songs but it is extremely present in this one. I don't think Gunna is oblivious enough to not notice something like that. Regardless, it grew on me. The first time I heard it I immediately turned off the song because it bothered me so much, now I can't imagine the song without it. I feel like it adds something to the song and adds to that juxtaposition I described earlier. This song really is a great illustration of the title of the album, A Gift and a Curse.
Overall this was a really good album and definitely worth a listen.