Send "Gucci Mane " Ringtones to your Cell 
| Pitchfork |
 Gucci Mane's first post-prison mixtape of 2010, Mr. Zone 6, was another successful outing for one of rap's most divisive artists. With Gucci's focus on nimble rap acrobatics over an almost flat-line production style, the record was a victory for lyrical density at the expense of the colorful songwriting and stylistic affects that characterized his 2007-2009 output. The multi-dimensional pop approach that congealed memorably on 2008's The Movie mixtape had taken a backseat, a possible by-product of his court-enforced sobriety. Maybe he's fallen from the wagon, because Jewelry Selection is a more musically dynamic record than Mr. Zone 6, and its production, much of it from longstanding collaborator Drumma Boi, again pops from the speakers.This reflects well on both 2010 records and the Gucci project at large, his conceptual range letting fans choose their favorite approach. Jewelry Selection has its own drawbacks; despite competent rapping, "Gucci Time" is banal, a rehash of Jay-Z's "On to the Next One" with an unnecessarily shrill Justice sample. (Someone at Gucci HQ still hasn't figured out that it was the artist's untainted appeal, cf. "Wasted" and "Lemonade", that made for his greatest commercial successes.) It's also unclear why anyone thought the rote Rick Ross-style strip club banger "Makin Love to the Money" needed to mar two of his 2010 releases. But the bulk of Jewelry Selection works in much more novel terrain. Like so many of his best mixtapes, Gucci operates by zooming in on one strain of his style and blowing it up to LP length with a multitude of variations, adding new dimensions to a massive, shifting body of work. In this case, he fleshes out the archetype captured by The Burrrprint (2): HD's "Coca Coca"-- darker lyrical themes delivered with straight-faced detachment over ominous, gothic production. What makes this vein particularly vibrant is how it balances the more eccentric elements of his persona with street rap's brutal, populist traditionalism. Gucci is a rap version of Heath Ledger's Joker, his exaggerated mania grounded by the violent reality he represents, the more rote gangster formulas given new life by his colorful charisma....full text |
| Sputnikmusic |
| When Gucci Mane was released from Fulton County Jail early last year, he immediately recorded “I’m Back B*tch (First Day Out)”, a song that critics say contains one of his best verses. Among other lyrical gems on the track, Gucci said “You on my sh*t list, I’m on the Forbes list.” Now, Gucci Mane actually is on the Forbes list. Along with aptly titled “crunk n*gga” Lil Jon and newly crowned King of Miami Rick Ross, the So Icey CEO cracked Forbes’ 2010 “Hip-Hop Cash Kings” tied at 20th with five mil grossed in the past year. (And just imagine where he would have placed if he hadn’t released all those popular mixtapes for free). But as the money piles up, and the mixtapes keep coming, Gucci Mane sounds less and less inspired. He had arguably the best year for any rapper in ’09; as he not only retained his long time cult following, but gained a myriad of new fans. The state of Georgia released him, and then HE released a slew of great mixtapes (think, Writing On The Wall, The Movie Pt. 2,The Cold War trilogy) that eventually culminated into a top ten album (The State vs. Radric Davis) in December, but not before his vast discography was surmounted by what is seen by many as his masterpiece, The Movie 3-D: The Burrprint, late in the fall. To equate his current activity in the game to math, Gucci’s skill is inversely proportionate to his popularity (no way, Bulldog! What a concept!) The more fans he gets, the more he technically stagnates. At the moment, he seems content with just riding the hype train rather than releasing quality material and expanding upon the skill he started to seriously develop around a year and a half ago. The first single off of The Appeal (which is also on this mixtape) “It’s Gucci Time” – produced by Swizz Beatz – comes nowhere close to rivaling, say, “Lemonade”. The track is made with the intent to get the club jumpin’ – an ode-to-self anthem placed over grinding, mechanized, looped rise and fall synths and light drums. If that weren’t bad enough, he also includes the worst song off of Mr. Zone 6, “Makin’ Love to the Money”, on the tape as well....full text |
| Exclaim |
| Now that Gucci Mane is a free man, the rapper has been busy working on his next album The Appeal, which is slated to drop later this year. But if that wait is becoming a bit too frustrating, Gucci has teamed up with DJ Holiday for yet another new mixtape. As every fan of the rapper knows, his mixtapes are often better than his albums. Jewelry Selection is his third mix to drop in 2010, and features 13 new tracks alongside three epic interludes called “Gucci Speaks” and a bonus track. Download the mix here or stream it on that handy player below. For the extra adventurous, Prefix has posted an unspeakably NSFW video for “Making Love to the Money” here. Jewelry Selection: 1. “Block Party” 2. “Making Love To The Money” 3. “Trap Talk” 4. “Gucci Time” (featuring Swizz Beatz) 5. “Cleopatra” 6. “First Song Back” 7. “Electricity” 8. “Gross” 9. “Stone Cold” 10. “Poltergeist” 11. “Vampires” 12. “Bosses” 13. “Don’t Believe Dat”...full text |
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