Gunna appears to be making quiet moves to eclipse Young Thug’s throne as he thrives musically while Thug remains entangled in legal battles
Gunna might not be shouting from the rooftops but his recent moves suggest he’s feeling like the king of Atlanta right now. Snitch labels do not stop a person from taking the crown in 2025.
The same rapper who was publicly dragged through the mud for allegedly cooperating with authorities during the YSL RICO case is now riding high. A new album, crazy streaming numbers and dumb radio rotation. Gunna seems unfazed by the streets’ cold shoulder. He might be quietly taking aim at his former ally and label boss Young Thug.
Check this out: “We was pushin p now I’m pushing the bar, I came out of jail hotter ain’t that ironic/You might as well stayed in the box/You fell through the floor when you got out…Tried to web up Wunna but I’m cutting through spiders, your drip dated while I’m walking the runway…”
And while nothing in his lyrics spells out Young Thug’s name directly, it’s clear clear who he is talking about.
“Rap beefs aren’t what they used to be,” someone wrote me in a DM. “Gone are the days of ‘Ether,’ ‘Takeover’ or ‘’No Vaseline.’ Now we get whispers and vague IG captions.”
I don’t see the wrong in this assessment.
Gunna’s latest track doesn’t throw jabs in the classic diss record style. But we can feel the confidence. He’s rising fast, releasing records that bump in clubs and flood playlists. Young Thug’s comeback hasn’t landed as expected. His latest project, dropped under the weight of ongoing legal pressure. Don’t get it messed up – Thug remains a towering figure in Atlanta’s rap legacy.
The legal cloud still hanging over Young Thug makes a crazy return tougher. He’s still the heart and founder of YSL, still respected, still feared. But we know he’s super legal and law-abiding too. This is the music business! Perception is often more powerful than history.
Meanwhile, Gunna is sliding through chaos with his head high. Not mad at him. He went through a lot too. He’s got a fanbase that hasn’t turned its back on him. Ever since 6ix9ine somehow slithered back into relevancy post-snitch scandal, the idea of “rats” ruining rap careers seems outdated to younger audiences.
This is the content era. Back in the day, it was “snitches get stitches.” But today, a great song gets you back.
Young Thug’s silence is odd. While it is early, he’s yet to respond. Not even an ominous tweet. He might have to chill.
For now, Gunna may be leading in the charts, but the story of Thug-n-Gunna is far from over.
One thing’s for sure: Atlanta is watching.
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