DS4EVER - Gunna
Intro:
Gunna is one of the biggest Atlanta artists right now. He broke into the game with his peer Lil Baby around 2017-2018. While he does consistently drop albums & mixtapes, he’s mostly known for having amazing guest appearances. I’ve grown to love some of Gunna’s songs, but also haven’t fallen in love with a complete project of his. Does Gunna’s 4th Drip Season installment live up to expectations?
Strengths:
Gunna is notoriously known for his signature laidback flows & delivery. Not only does it make most of his songs easy to listen to, but it also matches his chill persona. I enjoy it when he delivers higher-pitched vocals like the ones on “flooded”. While having moments where he flows like Young Thug, he has been putting effort into rapping more.
With Gunna emphasizing his rapping on this album, he taps into some introspective moments like on the song “livin wild”. Most of the album centers around his luxurious lifestyle filled with money & women. He’s very similar to Rick Ross in this was except less inspiring. Lil Baby & 21 Savage steal the show with their features, but it’s nice hearing how much chemistry Gunna has with Kodak Black & Chris Brown.
The beat selection is a key highlight of DS4EVER. Songs like “pushin P” & “thought i was playin” are the perfect example of this trait. Similar to his other work, the beats here feature piano, guitar & trippy synth melodies. Production is closer to the other projects in the series and focuses less on capturing a watery or psychedelic feel.
Weaknesses:
I can appreciate Gunna’s more meaningful songs, but these also end up being some of his weakest & least engaging ones too. It’s just a splash of introspection in a sea of worn-out & generic trap tropes. If his lines aren’t bad or basic, they’re simply just void of any real meaning & are there to just make a rhyme.
There are some bad singing moments that are either out of tune or an awkward fit entirely (Ex: you & me). I also don’t like when his delivery is too laidback on the more upbeat tracks (Ex: poochie gown). Young Thug slightly underperformed on both of his features, but still helped make this album’s first half better than the second portion.
Overall:
After a disappointing first impression, DS4EVER is an album that grew on me with each listen. It’s far from being one of Gunna’s best or worst releases. There are plenty of songs here that will be non-skips in my library & playlists. The album’s success proves that he’s truly feeding his core audience exactly what they need. Thank you all for reading and be sure to listen to Gunna’s new album with the link below.
