Honorable Mention: Gucci Mane The Return of East Atlanta Santa
Released: December 15th, 2016
Must Listen: “St. Brick Intro“
When Gucci Mane’s third LP of the year comes on it sounds very very familiar. It sounds familiar because you’ve heard it countless times. Gucci Mane flipped “Jingle Bells” and turned it into a trap anthem. That’s the way he starts off The Return of East Atlanta Santa, and it’s perfect.
On his first two albums post prison, it seemed as if Gucci was trying to still figure himself out. His vocal ranges, the tone he wanted his music to take on and so forth. On this one, he’s figured it out and it works out perfectly. Gucci is still gangsta, but he’s also way more playful and joyful than ever before. You can practically here the Christmas Joy all through the album littered with his usual tales of Atlanta and recreational drug use.
He’s light on features as well, but the guest spots he has are especially solid. He collaborates with Drake on “Both” which is a Metro Boomin produced banger, and even though Drake isn’t saying much outside of the hook it’s cool because Gucci leads off with a home run of a verse. Bryson Tiller and Travis $cott are the other two lone features, and although they both take a back seat to Gucci that’s what’s needed. We missed Gucci Mane, and he’s finally shining bright as we knew he would post jail. Excuse us as we dash through the snow for the millionth time.