Gucci Mane

Biography

Radric Delantic Davis, known professionally as Gucci Mane, was born in Bessemer, Alabama, on February 12, 1980. At the age of nine, he moved with his single mother to Atlanta, Georgia. His father, a former U.S. serviceman and power plant worker, was not consistently present in his early life. The nickname "Gucci Mane" was originally his father's. Growing up in East Atlanta's Zone 6, he was exposed to the area's prevalent drug and rap scenes from a young age. By the time he was a teenager, he was involved in drug dealing to make money.

Career Beginnings and Rise of Trap

Gucci Mane began rapping at 14 and started his music career in 2001. He is widely credited as one of the pioneers of the trap music subgenre, along with fellow Atlanta rappers T.I. and Jeezy. In 2005, he released his debut independent album, "Trap House," which featured the single "Icy" with Young Jeezy. This was followed by "Hard to Kill" in 2006, which included his first Billboard Hot 100 entry, "Freaky Gurl," and "Trap-A-Thon" in 2007. That same year, he founded his own record label, 1017 Records, initially known as 1017 Brick Squad Records. The label has since signed prominent artists like Waka Flocka Flame, Young Thug, and Migos.

Mainstream Success and Prolific Output

His first major-label album, "Back to the Trap House," was released in 2007. However, it was his 2009 album, "The State vs. Radric Davis," that marked his mainstream breakthrough, eventually becoming his first gold-certified album. Throughout his career, Gucci Mane has been incredibly prolific, releasing over 15 studio albums and more than 70 mixtapes. Even while incarcerated between 2014 and 2016, he continued to release a large volume of music. His 2016 collaboration with Rae Sremmurd, "Black Beatles," became his first number-one single on the Billboard Hot 100. He has collaborated with a diverse range of artists, including Drake, Chris Brown, Selena Gomez, and Marilyn Manson.

Legal Issues and Personal Transformation

Gucci Mane's career has been frequently interrupted by numerous legal issues and stints in prison. He faced a murder charge in 2005, though the charges were later dropped as it was ruled an act of self-defense. His time in a maximum-security federal prison from 2014 to 2016 marked a significant turning point. During this period, he wrote his memoir, "The Autobiography of Gucci Mane," which was published in 2017 and became a New York Times bestseller. He emerged from prison transformed, having overcome his addiction to lean and embracing a healthier lifestyle.

Business Ventures and Personal Life

Beyond music, Gucci Mane has ventured into other businesses. He launched a clothing line called Delantic and has collaborated with the fashion brand Gucci. He has also invested in real estate. In 2017, he married Keyshia Ka'oir. Their wedding was broadcast on BET in a series called "Gucci Mane & Keyshia Ka'oir: The Mane Event". The couple has two children together, a son named Ice born in 2020 and a daughter named Iceland born in 2023. Gucci Mane also has a son from a previous relationship. In 2023, the city of Atlanta officially declared October 17th as Gucci Mane Day in his honor.