No doubt, since being released from prison in May, Gucci Mane has changed his ways — so much so that some people even believed he was a clone. While Atlanta’s Hip Hop community rallied around Guwop as he dropped his Everybody Looking album, one relationship strained to this day is with Waka Flocka.
During a July AMA session, Flocka answered “because im not a friend” when asked why he didn’t participate in his Gucci and Friends concert in Atlanta. Long staying silent on his relationship with the Flockaveli rapper, sir Radric Davis revealed in a recent Hot 97 interview that he hasn’t spoken with him in three years. Tweets from Flocka following the interview further confirmed a reunion between the two isn’t happening anytime soon. Fans of both would probably want this to happen ASAP.
For today’s edition of Stray Shots, HipHopDX Senior Features Writer Ural Garrett and Contributor Narsimha Chintaluri answer if a Gucci/Flocka reunion matters.
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Will Gucci Mane & Waka Flocka Ever Bury The Hatchet?
Ural Garrett: Saying Gucci Mane helped birth the current generation of Atlanta rappers is like calling “water is wet” a grand statement. We get it, Guwop’s cosign led to the prominences of Young Thug, Migos and a host of others. However, the biggest success story of his 1017 Brick Squad era was clearly Waka Flocka.
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Besides setting a significant trap standard with his Flockaveli debut that many within Hip Hop refuse to acknowledge, he’s transitioned successfully into mainstream. This year alone, PETA named him the sexiest vegan of 2016 and that doesn’t even account for his great run in the EDM scene. Meanwhile, Gucci Mane has settled into being a central figure within Hip Hop’s biggest movement at the moment.
A shame really. Despite how critics feel, their joint Ferrari Boyz album from 2011 is full of straight bangers. Let’s not act like “Break Her,” “She Be Puttin’ On” and “So Many Things” can’t still compete with anything New Atlanta pushes out. Most importantly, it was a great display of Southside’s early production before becoming a household name with Future. Just think about what a Ferrari Boyz album could sound like with Gucci, Flocka and Southside at their respective peaks. The featured guest list would be insane.
Right now, Gucci and Flocka couldn’t be in better headspaces but trying to force a collaboration isn’t always the best idea. Debra Antney, Gucci’s ex-manager and Waka’s mom, could continue her effectiveness as the voice of reason (anyone who watches VH1’s Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta understands that possibility).
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Who knows? They could both be building anticipation.
Narsimha Chintaluri: Now, I wouldn’t say Waka is the missing piece to Gucci’s “redemption story,” but he’s undeniably an asterisk in this chapter of the Trap God’s saga. Not to invoke the cancerous clone theory (an example, if you really need one in 2016, of how nothing is sacred — especially even remotely humorous tweets), but things have been going unbelievably well for the man. It was enough that he came out looking rejuvenated (I have a picture of him and his abs on my fridge now — I’m glad to report that it’s effectively changed my diet), but, since his release not even six months ago, he’s put out an album, featured on tracks with everyone from Drake, Kanye West and Lil Wayne to Kodak Black and Dreezy, performed a homecoming show, created a clothing line and been on the cover of numerous magazines. All that while on house arrest (the cutting of his ankle monitor being a Top 10 Snapchat story of all time).
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My point being: I think Gucci is doing great. Him and Flocka knew each other on a personal level, his mom being Guwop’s ex-manager, so if they don’t feel a need to patch things up then so be it. During his recent Hot 97 interview, Wop said they haven’t spoken for three years. That’s a long time, man. I can imagine it probably feels even longer if you’ve been locked up. However, Gucci didn’t seem upset, he just seemed content with where he’s at outside of this one particular issue. So if both parties would rather just keep it moving, I don’t think it should be held against them. I would probably feel different if there was any noticeable bad blood. And the vague details surrounding the initial fallout don’t help. Still, who’s to say there isn’t hope for the future — I mean, Gucci was just backstage at the Formation Tour with Jay Z.
