Words by Fatima Barrie
East Atlanta rapper and trap king Gucci Mane is topping the best sellers list with his autobiographical book, The Autobiography of Gucci Mane. No. 4 on The New York Times hardcover nonfiction list and no. 4 on the combined print and e-book nonfiction list, the honest, inspirational memoir focuses on Mane’s triumphs and pitfalls throughout his life and career.
Born Radric Delantic Davis in Bessemer, Alabama, growing up, Gucci Mane was exposed to the dirty game of scamming and drug dealing by his father. He soon took after and started selling drugs at the tender age of 14. After being in and out of jail during most of his adolescent and teenage years for robbery and drug related crimes, Mane made the conscious choice to become a rapper. He further explained his decision in an interview with NPR, “To be honest, once I got my first charge at like 20, 21, music was like: This is what I’m going to do. I don’t want to sell drugs no more.”
But the trouble didn’t end there, he continued to fall into the vicious cycle of violence and crime. In the midst of it all, Gucci Mane jumpstarted his rap career earning him the crown of trap music. He’s released an extensive list of mixtapes and studio albums combined, and has even founded his own record label. However, in 2014, Mane was sentenced to federal prison for charges of possessing an illegal firearm, facing a possible 35 years. Only having to serve two, during his time in prison, he was inspired by the stories of Johnny Cash, Mike Tyson, and Jimi Hendrix, prompting him to want to tell his own.
Mane was released from prison in May 2016 and got off of house arrest in September 2016. Since then, the artist has been able to persevere and make the ultimate lifestyle change both mentally and physically. Gucci Mane and co-writer Neil Martinez-Belkin tackle the ups and downs the rapper has endured, the love story of him and fiancé Keyshia Ka’oir, and multiple revelations that have left fans stunned and inspired. Read The Autobiography of Gucci Mane to see why it’s a New York Times bestseller. Gucci Mane’s latest studio album Mr. Davis will drop on October 13, and The Wopsters wedding, The Mane Event, will be streaming live on BET on October 17.
