The Brave News

by Nnamdi Chugbo

On February 22nd, 2019, Atlanta-based rapper Gunna released his debut album and first project of 2019, “Drip or Drown 2.”

Gunna had a very strong 2018, to say the least. In February of 2018, Gunna gave fans arguably his best piece of work of all time in “Drip Season 3.” He then continued to collaborate with big-time artists such as Lil Baby, Travis Scott, Playboi Carti, Lil Uzi Vert, 21 Savage, Tory Lanez, and even with Mariah Carey. His collaborative mixtape “Drip Harder” with Lil Baby was certified as RIAA gold (500,000 units sold), and it featured the 2018 hit single “Drip Too Hard“, which was certified RIAA platinum (1,000,000 units sold).

Looking to further his success in the past year, Gunna delivered a 16-track album to his fans with the two lead singles “One Call” and “Speed It Up.” The album is executively produced by Wheezy and Turbo the Great, and brings in the likes of Playboi Carti, Young Thug, and Lil Baby for featuring verses on “Same Yung N*gga,” “3 Headed Snake,” and “Derrick Fisher.”

Throughout the album, Gunna smoothly sails over calming, melodic beats while rapping about expensive clothing, new cars, and the high life. Gunna holds a high reputation for consistently bringing out the best of soothing acoustic guitar beats, and he truly delivered once again on songs such as “Richie Millie Plan” and “Out The Hood.” Gunna even floats on a beat with a Chinese sample from Tong-Li on “Who You Foolin,” where he speaks about keeping his faith in God and staying focused on his work to avoid all the fake people and evil facades in his life.

While it boasts some impressive qualities, “Drip or Drown 2″ is not a perfect project, however. The album is consumed by slow paced songs, which Gunna excels in. The album completely dismisses the amazing melodic value that Gunna can bring to fast paced beats.

Overall, the album delivers a solid 16-track soundtrack of relaxed beats that Gunna complements well with his unique style of sing-rapping. “Drip or Drown 2″ brings in the firepower of some solid features while not over-saturating it with too many. As always, Gunna’s production from Wheezy and Turbo the Great is top tier, arguably the best in the game right now.

The album lacks the powerful fast paced charm of his 2018 project “Drip Season 3,” but still puts his incomparable melodic talents to display. Listeners should definitely be excited for the rest of Gunna’s work in 2019, as the young artist has much space for improvement and experimenting.