The reception of Gunna over the last couple of years has been fascinating to watch. At one point, before all of the YSL drama started, he was considered to potentially be the torchbearer in Melodic Trap music. He followed in the footsteps of greats like Future and Young Thug and had an excellent working relationship with Lil Baby. Projects like the mixtape Drip Season 3, his collaborative tape with Lil Baby called Drip Harder, and the album Wunna cemented Gunna as one top Trap artists in the game near the end of the 2020s, and it seemed like he was destined to take the throne as the next great artist in the genre. Then, two years ago, the YSL music label, run by Gunna’s mentor Young Thug, was cited as a criminal organization, with most of its members being locked up, notably Gunna and Young Thug. Near the end of 2022, though, Gunna ended up taking an Alford Plea and ended up being released from prison. Young Thug was not offered the same kind of deal(he is still on trial to this day), so most Hip Hop fans assumed that Gunna had given up some information on his mentor to get released. Although this has never been confirmed and Gunna will not have to stand trial against Young Thug, he was labeled by many in the Hip Hop industry as a snitch, tarnishing his reputation. Last year, summer, about 6 months or so after he was released, Gunna made his return to music with his album a Gift & a Curse. This featureless project was considered among Gunna’s best releases yet(if not his best). I personally loved a Gift & a Curse, and it is one of my favorite Hip Hop projects of 2023. It is an extremely succinct and smooth Melodic Trap track that shows Gunna’s immense talent and sees him open up about his life in ways that he has not before. a Gift & a Curse helped get Gunna back into the good graces of the Hip Hop world, as no matter what you think about the situation with YSL, it could not be denied that he can make great Trap music. Gunna has been active to start 2024, releasing a few high-quality singles in anticipation of his new record. One of Wun has the potential to make people totally forget about their qualms with him if it was as good or better than a Gift & a Curse, as people will always go with recency bias these days. With that being said, here is how I feel about Gunna’s new album One of Wun. Please let me know in the comments below what your favorite songs are from One of Wun, and also comment on how you feel about it as a whole.
Buckle up, because considering this is a 20-song album, I may have a lot to say. If the whole album is as good as the first track, ‘collage,’ Gunna could have another great one on his hands(we will see how consistent the quality is on this one, though, because some of his records have trailed off towards the end). ‘collage’ is a silky and ethereal banger with an overall bright sound but a gruff undertone. The melody for this one has such a bright yet melancholy sound. The synths that drive this track are layered in a way that makes it shimmery and charming, but they also have a dark element that almost makes the track a bit grating. The beat for ‘collage’ is not anything too special, but its even-keeled tempo drives the song along so nicely. ‘collage’ is a song where Gunna’s rap flow is at its absolute peak. The way he slides on this instrumental makes the track so addicting. Due to Gunna’s flow and how it sits on this interesting instrumental, ‘collage’ is a song that is so fun to just vibe and bop your head along to. Gunna definitely started this record off strong with ‘collage.’ ‘one of wun’ is a song that I have noticed has become a quick fan favorite. Honestly, although this one is alright, it does not grab me as much as ‘collage’(or as much as it seems to be grabbing other Gunna fans). ‘one of wun’ has a very triumphant melody. The synths that drive this melody are super epic and sweet; they almost have a church bell sound to them, which adds to the victorious feeling of the track. The beat for ‘one of wun’ is nothing special to me. The track has an even-keeled tempo that is easy to vibe along to, but it does not have much power. I will admit that Gunna’s rap performance on this track is great due to his awesome rap flow, and it really does bring up the quality of the track for me. ‘one of wun’ is not a track I am digging as much as others, but maybe it will grow on me. ‘neck on a yacht’ is another song that has quickly been considered as a highlight from this album according to the masses. I do completely agree with the general consensus on this one; in fact, it could be one of the best Trap tracks of the year when it’s all said and done. This track has the energy of an old Waka Flocka or Gucci Mane track. The first thing I thought of when I heard this one is long like ‘Lemonade’ or ‘Oh Let’s Do It.’ The piano-driven melody for this track has such a menacing and dark tone. This is the kind of looming melody that makes it feel like debauchery is on the horizon. The beat for ‘neck on a yacht’ is just as hard-hitting and bold as the melody. This bass-heavy beat takes the energy of the track over the top and makes it pop. Gunna raps with a bit more emphasis on this track, matching the energy of the instrumental nicely. ‘neck on a yacht’ is a total banger that will get any function jumping when it comes on. ‘whatsapp (wassam)’ is one of the two singles released in anticipation of this record. This track has a similar harsh and foreboding energy to the last track, albeit with a bit of a lighter tone. There is something about this melody that makes me think of sailing on the ocean. The clear whistling synths that come in and out of the melody have a tone that is similar to the music that is played when pirates are out at sea in a movie(weird observation, but think about it). The beat for ‘whatsapp (wassam)’ is very tough and goes nicely with this quirky and dim melody. Gunna’s performance on ‘whatsapp (wassam)’ is solid, but it is not one of his best in my opinion. His rapping does give a bit more energy to the track and help it bump more. ‘whatsapp (wassam)’ is an okay track to me, but there are other songs on this album that I think would have worked better as the single. ‘hakuna matata’ is a song where Gunna is at his absolute best in my opinion. The instrumental for this one is a bit more lowkey than anything we have heard to this point. This track has a gloomy and murky melody that is pretty simple. This melody is put on top of a pretty low-key Trap beat that does not have a ton of strength to it. This is totally okay though, because the faint nature of this melody and beat let Gunna shine. Gunna certainly does shine on this one. His flow on this track is impeccable and addicting, and the way he fluctuates his tone gives so much energy to the track and makes it so appealing. ‘hakuna matata’ may not be a very intense song, but it is a song where Gunna showcases his rapping prowess.
‘prada dem,’ which features Offset, is the other track that was released as a single for this record. Unlike ‘whatsapp (wassam),’ ‘prada dem’ is a super engaging track that has single and club banger energy written all over it. The instrumental for ‘prada dem’ actually is not so different from the one on ‘hakuna matata.’ In fact, it kind of just feels like a more powerful version of that track. The melody has a similar tone to ‘hakuna matata’ and the beat has a similar tempo, but they are just more intricate and full of vigor. The instrumental for ‘prada dem’ is cool, but the thing that makes this song awesome are the vocals from Gunna and Offset. Both of them rap with so much liveliness and potency on this track; also, the more gruff tone that Offset raps with creates an awesome contrast with the smoother vocals of Gunna. ‘prada dem’ is a great track that certainly got many people excited for the potential of this record. ‘treesh’ is an additional song that majorly appealed to me immediately. This one is not being talked about a ton right now, but I could definitely see it ending up becoming a sleeper hit. ‘treesh’ immediately reminded me of the iconic sleeper hit from a Gift and a Curse, ‘fukumean.’ This song totally has the energy of that incredible track. The synths that drive this melody are eccentric, strange, and futuristic. The tone of this melody has an ultramodern and dystopian feeling that is somehow unsettling and inviting at the same time. The beat for ‘treesh’ totally pounds, giving this song a larger-than-life energy. As cool as the instrumental is for ‘treesh’ Gunna’s vocals are what take it over the top. Particularly, the hook, where Gunna keeps chanting the title of the track, is what makes this one so captivating. ‘treesh’ is an earworm that is so fun to sing along to, and I can not wait to hear this one when out at a club because I know it will make the place go crazy. ‘on one tonight’ is the shortest song of the record to this point at 1:30. It has a different tone than anything before it. There is no dark or triumphant energy in this track; instead, it feels very laid back and sunny. ‘on one tonight’ has a melody that reminds me of summer. This is the kind of song to play with the windows down or while riding a bike on a hot July day. Gunna’s vocals on this song are as joyous and delightful as the melody. His rap performance adds to the good energy of the track. The only thing holding ‘on one tonight’ back is its length. I really wish this song were not so short because it has such positive energy and provides a nice buffer from the shady feeling of the record to this point. ‘back in the a’ is the first track from this record that truly feels like a dud to me. This one just does draw me in much. The melody and beat are just kind of boring in my opinion. Gunna’s performance is alright, but he does not give the song any added energy. Because of this, ‘back in the a’ just feels so sleepy. I do not have much more to say about this one, so I will leave it at that. ‘trio’ is the second song in a row that does not grab me a ton. I will say that I enjoy this one a lot more than ‘back in the a,’ but it also definitely does not have the quality of the first several tracks from this record. ‘trio’ is only 1:56, but somehow feels shorter. This song honestly just flies by. Within the context of the record, it sounds nice. The melody is warm and luscious, and the bass-heavy beat will get you to bop your head when you hear it. Gunna’s flow on this track is very good, but there is no fluctuation in his tone at all. This lack of fluctuation makes the song very monotone and is probably why it feels like it flies by. ‘trio’ is not a bad track, but it does not live up to what we were getting to begin this record.
Gunna returns to form with the song ‘still prevail.’ This song easily has one of the coolest and most unique sounds on the record. The melody for this one is so Soulful. This electric guitar-driven melody, which is complemented by a bass guitar and a keyboard riff, has a sound that is reminiscent of classic Funk music. This one has a Psychedelia element that makes it stand out. The beat for ‘still prevail’ is intricate and fresh, and it sounds very cool when paired with this melody. As nice as the instrumental is for this one, Gunna’s vocal performance makes this song so silky. ‘still prevail’ is a super cool track where Gunna goes a slightly different direction with his sound. ‘blackjack’ almost feels like a continuation of ‘still prevail.’ This melody and drum pattern for this one is very similar to the track before it. ‘blackjack’ has a slightly more saturated sound that differentiates its sound, but besides that, I feel it’s just so similar to ‘still prevail.’ Gunna’s vocals on ‘blackjack’ are not nearly as captivating as they are on ‘still prevail,’ making this one feel very bland. ‘$$$,’ which features Normani, sees Gunna go in a pretty different direction with his sound. This song is the first one without a traditional Trap beat. The beat on this one has a bit of a 1990s R&B feeling to it as well, which goes nicely with this sweet R&B piano-driven melody. Gunna gives one of his best vocal performances on ‘$$$.’ He demonstrates his range and shows a different side to his vocal style. Normani sounds great as well; I love how her delicate tone contrasts with the more raspy tone from Gunna. ‘$$$’ is a track once again where Gunna shows his range a bit. ‘clear my rain,’ which features Leon Bridges. Is a song I have mixed feelings about. The instrumental for this one is very sleepy, but the vocals are so dynamic. Gunna and Leon Bridges both flex their singing ability and complement each other so nicely on ‘clear my rain,’ but this instrumental does not grab me at all. It is a shame because I want to be into ‘clear my rain,’ but I just can not do it. ‘conscience’ is a song that brings a bit more juice. This melody and beat are a lot tougher than what we have heard in the last several songs. This abrupt change in tone is welcomed, because I started to get a bit fatigued with the album after ‘clear my rain.’ Gunna’s vocals are not anything special on ‘conscience,’ but they are good enough to make the song a banger. ‘conscience’ is not the most dynamic song on this record, but it does break up the texture, which is appreciated.
‘the time’ keeps the tough sound of the last song but brings back some of the funk we were getting on the previous few songs. It almost feels like a funkier version of ‘conscience,’ as it has a similar tone in melody and beat to that one. Gunna’s vocals on ‘the time’ are better than they are on ‘conscience.’ He rides this melody and beat so nicely, making this track extremely catchy. ‘the time’ could end up being a sleeper hit from this record. ‘let it breathe,’ which features Roddy Ricch, is probably the song that has been getting the most buzz on this record so far. It is not difficult to see why, as everything about this song is cool. The melody is so melancholy yet so smooth, and the bass heavy beat makes this song super gritty. As entertaining as the instrumental is, the best thing about ‘let it breathe’ is the vocals. Roddy Ricch particularly kills it on this track and makes this song so appealing. ‘let it breathe’ is a track that certainly deserves the hype it’s getting. After how heavy the last couple of songs were, ‘life’s changing’ makes the album feel like it is coming to a halt. This song has a significantly softer sound than the last few tracks. This song almost has a sobering effect because of how it redirects the album’s energy(although there is nothing actually sober-sounding about this record). ‘life’s changing’ has a trippy piano-driven melody that is highly saturated and clear. This melody is put on top of a pretty low-key but sort of upbeat Trap beat that makes the song sound super straightforward. Gunna’s vocals on ‘life’s changing’ are alright, but they are not among his best on the record. This certainly is not a bad song, but it is a bit forgettable because of how much it differs in energy from the couple of bangers before it. Gunna the energy down even further on ‘today i did good.’ This is probably the most dainty and laid-back song of the record(which is kind of saying a lot). Everything about this one is low-key. The pleasant piano-driven melody is very simple and elegant, and the beat is very light as well. Gunna’s vocal performance on ‘today i did good’ is nothing to write home about, but it does work well for the sound of the track. I like his flow on this one and how his sort of dejected tone gives an emotional element to the track. ‘today i did good’ is not the most enthralling song of the record, but it is a cool little melodic Trap track regardless. Gunna closes out One of Wun on a very downtrodden note with ‘time reveals, be careful what you wish for.’ To be frank, I did not know that Gunna could even make a song like this. ‘time reveals, be careful what you wish for’ is a gloomy and dejected six-and-a-half minute melodic Trap track where Gunna vents about all of the struggles he has been going through in his life. It honestly has the energy of a Rod Wave track. The straightforward piano-driven melody, which has a very grave tone, is put on top of a soft yet intricate Trap beat that really adds to the emotion of the track. At about the four-minute mark, the beat cuts out and the tone of the melody changes, taking on a lot more of an atmospheric yet positive sound. I like this switch-up in the instrumental, as it sends the album out on more of an optimistic note, which I appreciate considering how sad a lot of the sound of this record is. Gunna has one of his best vocal performances of the record on ‘time reveals, be careful what you wish for.’ He shows his range on this one, and proves how varied he can be with his vocal style when he wants to be. ‘time reveals, be careful what you wish for’ is a very cool track that closes One of Wun out very strongly.
It is pretty clear to see at this point that Gunna knows what he is good at. It seems like he sees no reason to go too far outside of the box and try extremely unfamiliar sounds or styles of music, as he has realized that if he perfects what he excels at, that is more than good enough. In a way, this is a shame. Over the last year or so, Gunna has done multiple features (such as his performances on Tyla’s ‘Jump’ and Normani’s ‘1:59’) that prove he can adapt to many different styles of music due to his unique vocal style. For his own projects, though, Gunna has decided to stick to the status quo. This is not necessarily a bad thing at all. If you are into groovy melodic Trap music, One of Wun has so much for you to love. Now, there are a couple of songs that almost feel like repeats of other ones on this record(which makes me think I should have done a best songs list instead of a full review, but I digress). One of Wun is not a bold or audacious effort from Gunna on any level, but it is very consistent. As someone who is a big fan of this style of Trap music, One of Wun is super enjoyable. I guess that is all that matters. One of Wun will certainly not go down as one of the more interesting or eye-catching Hip Hop projects of the year, but it works for what it is, and I know I will be returning to it quite a bit.
EAST SIDE VIBES 