Gunna Gets Even Further in His Birkin: 'WUNNA' Album Review
By Miles Hagan
We have to address the album covers off rip. Drip or Drown 2 got a pass, and the WUNNA cover is something no one could have expected. I just wanna know who is coming up with the ideas. Gunna has built a reputation through slick flows and creating an unmatched vibe with his music. Outside of music he has a well documented affinity for designer clothes and accessories. The energy and swagger that comes along with this bleeds into almost every one of his tracks. While him and several other members of the Atlanta rap scene have been dubbed as Young Thug’s children, they have begun to separate themselves. Gunna looks to build upon the interesting sounds he began to experiment with on songs like “Who You Foolin”. In the documentary he published along with the album he talks about traveling when making this body of work, and needing to get out of Atlanta for a little. WUNNA stands for “Wealthy Unapologetic Nigga Naturally Authentic”. I would be lying if I said I understood what he fully meant by labeling himself as this. What I can say with certainty is that heavy money talk should be expected.
The appeal of Gunna is what has made us fans of so many Atlanta artists that came before him. He simply doesn't care about what anyone has to say. People across the internet talk about the pants this man wears, his album covers, and everything in between. Through it all he delivers music that exudes this unmatched confidence. Along with this, he has this ability to surf over beats at his own pace, never seeming rushed. While he is spitting, we are in his world. Look no further than a song like “COOLER THAN A BITCH” with Roddy Rich. This is about 2 minutes of Gunna switching between flows seamlessly while he lets the listener know they will never have as much money as him, be around the same women as him, and there is nothing we can do about it. Similar to “Numbers” on A Boogie’s last album, Roddy slides over these perfectly placed spanish sounding guitars on his way to one of many excellent guest features on the project. While this may be the most energetic and versatile Gunna has ever sounded on a full length release, he recognizes that to keep an 18 track album sounding fresh he needs quality features to switch up the sound and pace of the album. He does this beautifully and while still carrying the majority of the rapping workload on WUNNA.
Even from the first track “ARGENTINA” it feels like Gunna is able to be so comfortable on this project, because he really found the sounds that work for him. The entire album is filled with these laid back beats, that almost allow Gunna’s voice to become a part of the production. Rather than going on top of one another they work hand in hand. The drums are hard enough on every song to still give WUNNA that traditional trap feel. The instrumentation on this project is what makes it different from the traditional trap album. “SKYBOX”, which was the single released before this, is another example of this. The bass is booming but the synths in the background give it a glittery feel, it almost feels like we are in the clouds. While the lyrics may be “hard” the only way that this music could be described is as a wave or a vibe that is absolutely infectious.
Gunna calls back to the production that got this to this status a few times. At this point “Sold Out Dates” has been remade three times with the addition of “MET GALA”. While not the most experimental during the album’s run time, it’s far from bad. This is in contrast to a song like “TOP FLOOR”, which features Travis Scott and has similar horns and drums to “Hot” off Young Thug’s So Much Fun. While similar to that track this song completely has an energy of its own, and sounds hand made for both Gunna and Travis right down to the ad libs.
Gunna earned his flowers on WUNNA. Anyone who was already a fan of Gunna heard him with an allstar production team and some new sounds. Those who were not fans of the Atlanta rapper should give this album a listen just to hear “NASTY GIRL”, and if they still don't like his music I’ll let them be. It is great to see that Gunna has taken this early success in stride, and continued to improve his craft. Too often artists get caught chasing trends, or trying to be something they aren’t. Gunna over the years has just gotten further in his bag and this is the culmination of his efforts.
Favorite Songs:
DOLLAZ ON MY HEAD (Feat. Young Thug)
NASTY GIRL / ON CAMERA
COOLER THAN A BITCH (Feat. Roddy Ricch)
Rating: 8
Listen to WUNNA here:
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