The State vs Radric Davis Album Review

It could be argued that since this summer, no rapper saw more success in 2009 than Gucci Mane. Earning features with artists ranging from Mariah Carey to Usher to Yo Gotti to Lil Wayne, it is safe to say that Gucci was definitely a hot commodity. To further his success, we saw Gucci release major mixtapes such as Writing on the Wall, The Movie 2, and The Cold War 3 Disc/ 3 DJ Mega Mixtape. As the year closed it is safe to say, there was only step left to solidify 2009 as the year of Gucci and that was to close out with the release of his second studio album... The State vs Radric Davis!

Understanding the magnitude of this album, Gucci Mane sought out production from seemingly everywhere. He begins the album by calling up Grammy-Nominated Producer Drumma Boy to lay the foundation for what would become something "Classical"! Drumma Boy sets the stage with the classicial piano and the voices of a choir to paint a regal and majestic aura on the track. You get Gucci in an aggressive flow and rounds out the track with the choir chanting "Nothing's Gonna Stop My Reign.... Gucci" After a brief interlude featuring Mike Epps, we dive into the heart of the album. Gucci decides to begin with the subject he knows all too well... Ballin! With tracks like the Heavy and Lemonade, Gucci chooses to reflect on the wealth he has accumulated to this point with great splendor and craft. With lines like "I Took 300 Out My Stash And I Went & Bought A Phantom/ I Need Some Toilet Paper I The S*** In East Atlanta" Gucci sets out to further the notion that he ain't missing any meals these days.

From there the album changes pace and addresses the ladies that enter his life. This section seemingly is more for new fans he gained with tracks like Obsessed or LoL Smiley Face. As such, these tracks come off as a little more pop as he utilizes producers like Polow Da Don for "Spotlight" or FATBOI for "Bad, Bad, Bad". This attempt at commercial success can't be faulted but in a hit or miss situation these tracks certainly miss. As such, this section becomes a dull point in the album and seemingly serve as filler tracks for the album as oppose to adding to the overall appeal of the work. It should be noted that all is not lost as we do get tracks such as the Zaytoven banger "I Think I'm In Love" or the FATBOI beat "Sex In Crazy Places".

At this point in the album, Gucci goes back to the Street/ Trap sound that we all associate Gucci with. No better way to jump-start the album back up than with the resurrection of Jazze Pha as he produces a hood classic entitled "The Movie". Here Gucci aims giving the people the sound that many fell in love with over the summer. Tracks like "Volume" and "Gingerbread Man" aim at those Gucci fans that have been with him as he built his name through all of the mixtapes and closes out with the Fall 2009 Anthem "Wasted".

The album closes out with two Drumma Boy tracks that truly hit home as "Real Life" music that most of us can relate two. The first is "Kush Is My Cologne" which is an ode to all the "Mary Jane" lovers of this world. A well crafted track that opens with the godfather of Southern Rap and Real Music, Bun B, the song places you in a copacetic and relaxed with the ambiance created. The album then goes on to close out with summary of Gucci's life up to this album and the controversies he's been apart of. Quite possibly the best song on the album, "Worst Enemy" paints Gucci in a realistic and slightly vulnerable state and is truly one of our first insights into Radric Davis. One of the best lines comes form the third verse "All My Homies Ain't My Homies/ Half My Friends No Longer Want Me/ I'm Still Hungry As I Was When I Did My First Live Performance". In this conclusion to the album we finally dive through all the facets of who Gucci Mane and find Radric Davis at the core of it all. With one more skit from Mike Epps and Gucci and the official "Wasted Remix", we reach the end of the State vs Radric Davis and the only thing that is left is the verdict from the jury... YOU!

All in all I find The State vs Radric Davis to be a very good album. Of the 20 tracks found on the album, I find myself only skipping over 3 or 4 songs. Here is the break down of the album:

Production: 4 out of 5
Concept: 3 out of 5
Lyrics: 3 out of 5
Re-playability: 4 out of 5
Features: 3 out of 5
Overall: 3.4 out of 5

Track Listing
01 Classical (Intro) [Drumma Boy]
02 Interlude: Toilet Bowl Shawty/Mike Epps
03 Heavy [Shawty Redd]
04 Stupid Wild ft. Lil Wayne & Cam’Ron [Bangladesh]
05 All About The Money ft. Rick Ross [Drumma Boy]
06 Lemonade [Bangladesh]
07 Bingo ft. Soulja Boy Tell’Em & Waka Flocka Flame [Scott Storch]
08 Spotlight ft. Usher [Polow Da Don]
09 I Think I’m In Love ft. Jason Caesar [Zaytoven]
10 Bad Bad Bad ft. Keyshia Cole [FATBOI]
11 Interlude: Toilet Bowl Shawty/Mike Epps
12 Sex In Crazy Places ft. Bobby V, Nicki Minaj & Trina [FATBOI]
13 The Movie [Jazze Pha]
14 Volume ft. Wooh Da Kid [J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League]
15 Gingerbread Man ft. OJ Da Juiceman [Mannie Fresh]
16 Wasted ft. Plies [FATBOI]
17 Kush Is My Cologne ft. Bun B, Devin the Dude & E-40 [Drumma Boy]
18 Worst Enemy [Drumma Boy]
19 Interlude: Toilet Bowl Shawty/Mike Epps
20 Wasted (Remix) [FATBOI]

Heavy


Lemonade


Spotlight


Wasted


Worst Enemy