Gucci Mane is three years removed from a prison sentence in which he pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. This was the culmination of a long list of legal troubles for the rapper, but since then he hasn't gotten himself into any trouble. He cleaned himself up, both mentally and physically, so much in fact that a conspiracy theory started circulating that Gucci was cloned while in prison.
The cover of Delusions of Grandeur shows a very fit Gucci Mane flexing his muscles and standing on the top of two Rolls Royces, which matches the extravagant vibe of the music on the album. This is arguably the most boastful he's been since being released from prison in 2016, with songs like Human Chandelier proclaiming that he's the "coldest nigga that's ever lived," the outro to Bussdown listing off that he's "more handsome, more healthy, more cocky, wrist more rocky, money longer, bread stronger," and Proud of You and Look at Me Now coming off like open letters to his success and improvement due to his constant obsession with self care.
Gucci extends these themes on ICE, a collaboration with Gunna & Lil Baby. This collaboration is special due to the fact that this is the first time that they've all been on a track together. Gunna & Lil Baby prove themselves worthy on this track, following in Gucci's footsteps and putting their own spin on the flow and cadence that he started the song with.
Songs like Bussdown, Bottom and Making of a Murderer has Gucci returning to the colder and more slurred delivery he had over a decade ago. This showcases his diversity and shows that he's willing to go back to the vibe of his older music without having to get into unnecessary trouble in the process.
A couple of poppier sounding tracks such as Love Thru the Computer, a lifeless collaboration with a newly resurrected Justin Bieber, Hands Off, with a repetitive hook from singer Jeremih, and Upgrade, a typical ode to Gucci's wife Keyshia Ka'Oir, drag the album down. Gucci is at his best when he's bragging about his riches and accomplishments, not trying to make another hit to get on the pop charts. Its length at 18 tracks and almost an hour long, can make some tracks bleed together and make it hard to listen from front to back as well.
Overall, the album presents itself as the biggest victory lap yet for a rapper that struggled to fully celebrate his victories even after he was released from his prison sentence over three years ago.
Final score: 7/10
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