The Gucci Mane we know today is far different from the one we knew early in his career. In the late 2000s and early 2010s, Gucci was chubby, especially nasally, and prolific with his mixtapes. He frequently got caught up with the law, beefed with several different rappers, and was generally chaotic in his energy. By the time he got out in May 2016, he was essentially a new man.
Nowadays, Gucci Mane seems much healthier than he was in the past. He’s considered his mental and physical health a lot more. Frankly, it’s all about money and legacy at this point in his life and career. How does the Atlanta legend want to be remembered by people? Although his greatest hits came during some of his lowest, darkest moments, he wants people to see that period as a mark of his endurance.
During an interview with XXL in 2017 for their 20th anniversary covers, Gucci reflected on being in the limelight during his highs and lows. Ultimately, he looks back and feels like an underdog who came back and beat the odds.
Gucci Mane Wants Fans to Remember Him as a Beautiful Comeback Story
“To the public, I think my career has been a bunch of ups and downs, but I think it’s a resilient comeback story. I’m proud of the person I am now,” Gucci told the publication. “I’m so proud that I went through all this stuff and I’m still here. I feel like I’m the most resilient person in the history of the world, not even just rap music. I feel like, to my fans, to my fellow artists, to the people that look up to me, I hope they see my story and say, ‘this is somebody who never would give up.’”
Ultimately, Gucci Mane credited his last prison stint from 2014 to 2016 with radically changing his perspective. Back in the day, all he cared about was recording. Now, with a lot more responsibilities on his plate, he can’t just rot in the studio and crank out records the way that he used to do.
“I think that the three years I spent in prison played a critical role in me being the person that I am now. It taught me how to really appreciate my freedom [and] appreciate the job I got,” Gucci Mane explained. “I respect the position that I’m in in hip-hop, and I take none of that for granted. That’s why I treasure my health, I treasure my job, I make millions of dollars. I’m blessed, and I’m thankful for it, so every day I treat it like that.”
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