We first heard Gucci Mane on “Icy,” a luxurious piece featured on the independently released Trap House in 2005 and over the course of the last four years; he has released several mixtapes that have brought his Southern swagger and coarse tone to the forefront. The Icy brother tips the scale of no expense spared with The State vs. Radric Davis. The material is an affirmation of his becoming a heavyweight on the Warner Bros. artist roster. The record company pulled together a surplus of well known rappers and singers such as Bun B, Trina, Rick Ross and Keyshia Cole and they also enlisted the help of production masters like Scott Scorch and Jazze Pha.
Gucci Mane perfects the art of the southern rapper on “Heavy,” a vowel-chimed piece on bravado; “Wasted,” an ode to drinking where he cahoots with Plies and the bass driven, “Stupid Wild,” an East Coast meets South cut that screams banger even before Gucci opens his mouth. The tracks on the album seem to fit the aforementioned tone as they allow Gucci Mane to unload rhymes that satisfy even professors and masters of Hip-Hop.
The majority of The State vs. Radric Davis unites Gucci Mane with others allowing for a cooperative second release. “Kush Is My Cologne,” is where Gucci Mane’s alliance with Bun B, E-40 & Devin the Dude seems to delight him. His rhymes flow easily and do not seem rushed or forced especially the lines “what I need cologne for/they tried to send me to rehab but I said no, no I won’t go,” and “kush for breakfast/wit my Captain Crunch/I smoke ten blunts before lunch/don’t that sound like too much.” Gucci indulges in descriptive raps on “Lemonade,” a festival on everything yellow from cars to jewelry to carpet, which flies through the collection with an Oompa Loompa like chorus and a Bangladesh bambino; “Bad Bad Bad,” a mushy adventure where Keyshia Cole performs wondrous vocal lulls and “Sex In Crazy Places,” a risqué offering from Trina, Nicki Minaj, and La Flare himself.
The State vs. Radric Davis is a commendable project from the Alabama citizen. It validates his graduation into the music game and shows forth a rapper hell-bent on making himself a superstar, despite his conscientious effort to stay in his own rhyming lane that his fan base has grown accustomed to. Gucci Mane was named #6 on MTV’s Hottest MCs In The Game list and based on this anthology of songs, one can see why.
The State vs. Radric Davis receives a PARL
Kyle’s Picks from The State vs. Radric Davis
Gucci Mane f/ Bun B, E-40 & Devin The Dude – Kush Is My Cologne
Gucci Mane f/ Bobby V, Nicki Minaj, & Trina – Sex In Crazy Places