Do you like Gunna? I’ve been a big Gunna fan ever since the release of his 2016 mixtape, Drip Season 1. Before that, I really didn’t understand any of his work. Too artsy, too intellectual. It was on Drip Season 3 where Gunna’s presence became more apparent. I think Drip Season 3 was his undisputed masterpiece. It’s an epic meditation on intangibility. At the same time, it deepens and enriches the meaning of the preceding two mixtapes. Listen to the brilliant ensemble playing of Wheezy, Lil Baby and Gunna. You can practically hear every nuance of every instrument. In terms of lyrical craftsmanship, the sheer songwriting, this album hits a new peak of professionalism. Take the lyrics to Helluva Price. In this song, Gunna addresses the problems of abusive political authority. In King Kong (feat. Young Thug) is the most moving trap song of the 2010s, about monogamy and commitment. The song is extremely uplifting. His lyrics are as positive and affirmative as anything I’ve heard in rap. Gunna’s solo career seems to be more commercial and therefore more satisfying, in a narrower way. Especially songs like Helluva Price and At the Hotel. But I also think Gunna works best within the confines of the duo with Lil Baby than as a solo artist, and I stress the word artist. This is Drip Too Hard, a great, great song, a personal favorite. Their early work was a little too new wave for my tastes, but when Drip Harder came out in 2019, I think they really came into their own, commercially and artistically. The whole album has a clear, crisp sound, and a new sheen of consummate professionalism that really gives the songs a big boost. He’s been compared to 2Pac, but I think Gunna has a far more bitter, cynical sense of humor.