Gunna isn’t holding back on his new album A Gift & A Curse, out Friday on Young Stoner Life Records.
The record notably marks Gunna’s first to be released since he entered an Alford plea deal in the YSL RICO case last December. Young Thug, meanwhile, remains behind bars after being denied bond several times.
On the track “I Was Just Thinking,” Gunna appears to speak directly to Thug in the first verse. He addresses claims of snitching while highlighting the emotional toll the case has taken. A few lines later, the 30-year-old appears to make a subliminal reference to Wack 100, who’s been publicly critical about the Alford plea.
"Only I done cried 'causе this feelin' for my bro (King Slime)
And you know my mind, you done watched that n***a grow
Know you hearin' the lies that your li'l brother might fold
Yeah, I had popped out, but don't let 'em say I told
No, I ain't you li'l boys, I'ma show you that I'm grown
Bulletproof the big toys, let me show you how we roll
Old n***as in my business, had to tell 'em tuck they nose
You wack n***as can't get with this, I'm 100 for sure”
On the second verse of “Ca$h $hit,” Gunna seemingly calls for Young Thug’s freedom—“seemingly” because though it quite clearly sounds like Gunna is rapping “free my Bro Jeffro,” i.e. Young Thug, the official visualizer shared to Gunna’s YouTube lists the lyric as instead “free that boy Jerold.”
“Rodeo Dr,” meanwhile, sees Gunna more directly refuting those who’ve referred to him as a “rat” since his release.
"I know some n***as locked up in the dungeon that say they feel me like a fabric
I know you heard I been pullin' up pressin' these n***as who claimin' I ratted"
The introspection and frustration are especially potent on “Paybach,” an aptly named cut that opens with reflections from Gunna about family and addiction in the chorus. From there, Gunna uses the first verse to call out those who “say I did it and I swear that I ain’t did it.” He also lets out a call of “motherfuck the system” before appearing to again address Thug deeper into the verse.
“Talkin' 'bout all of these fuck n***as that always had some envy
Yeah, know they envious
Switching on my brother, are you serious?
N***a ain't gon' touch me and that's period”
Gunna also spoke on his time behind bars in a more general way on album opener “Back at It,” remarking to fans that he “ain’t tryna sleep in no damn bunk” because he’s supposed to be “here making anthems.”
Lead-up single "Bread & Butter," released at the top of June, dives deep into the situation. In verse one he acknowledges how loud the snitching allegations are.
“You bitch ass n***as got me as the topic of the chat
You switched on me when you know you in business with a rat
And the boy, that’s like your brother, ain't nobody speak on that"
In the chorus, Gunna croons that he's been in a "dark tunnel."
“I'm right back and I lost mad commas
I had been down bad inside a dark tunnel, yeah
Fuck them boys, I found out who my real partners
And who was only with me 'cause I had dollars.”
He keeps going in the second verse, accusing the District Attorney of doing some "sneaky shit" that he "fell for."
“Never gave no statement or agreed to take no stand on ’em
On whatever you n***as on, then trust me I’mma stand on it
Lawyers and that DA did some sneaky shit, I fell for it
On my P’s and Q’s because this time I be prepared for it.”
To be clear, an Alford plea is an oft-misunderstood and/or misrepresented type of agreement in which someone who’s been accused of a crime maintains their innocence of that crime while formally pleading guilty and avoiding a trial. In a statement shared with Complex in December via his lawyers, Gunna detailed his decision to enter an Alford plea in his case, thus facilitating his release.
“While I have agreed to always be truthful, I want to make it perfectly clear that I have NOT made any statements, have NOT been interviewed, have NOT cooperated, have NOT agreed to testify or be a witness for or against any party in the case, and have absolutely NO intention of being involved in the trial process in any way,” Gunna said at the time.
