Gucci Mane Biography

Gucci Mane is a hip hop artist who helped create the trap music subgenre, along with T.I. and Young Jeezy.

Early Life

Radric Delantic Davis was born in Birmingham, Alabama on February 12, 1980, to a single mother. As a child, he liked writing and by age 14 he was rapping. He started making his own music and was part of the underground rap scene.

Career Beginnings and Success

Under Tommy Boy Records, Gucci released his debut album Trap House, considered an independent success. The album enjoyed the number 1 spot on Billboard’s Heatseekers Album. Soon followed the 2006 LP Hard to Kill which offered the hit single Freaky Gurl. After several guest album contributions, he released the record The State vs. Radric Davis under the new management of Warner Bros. Records. Wasted featuring Plies proved to be Gucci’s most successful single to date. It reached spot 3 on the Rap Songs chart. In 2009, Mane was listed on MTV’s Hottest MC in the Game list, at number 6. His highest charting EP was revealed in 2011 as The Return of Mr. Zone 6, Mane’s 10th EP. The mixtape Trap Back was received to good reviews in 2012. As a result, Gucci released more similar projects like Trap God and Trap God 2. He finished these series with the LP Trap House III  in 2013.

Prison and Numerous Feuds 

In 2013 he went on a controversial rant calling out several rap artists like  Nicki Minaj, Drake, 2 Chainz, Rick Ross, Young Jeezy, T.I., Waka Flocka and Tyga. The same month he apologized for the outburst to the community, including family and fans. He stated the cause was a struggling addiction to codeine and promethazine. Gucci was admitted into rehab as a consequence. In 2014 he was sent to prison and released a total of 12 projects while incarcerated. In 2016, Gucci released a 36 compilation album on iTunes consisting of past projects called Meal Ticket.

Release from Prison

The same year, he was set free from prison and to no surprise started releasing new material. He was the main act in the concert Gucci & Friends joined by Fetty Wap, 2 Chainz, Future, and Drake. His collaboration with Rae Sremmurd for Black Beatles, was a commercial success as it topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart for 7 non-consecutive weeks.

Photo credit:: Billboard