On the one year anniversary of his release from prison, Atlanta trapper, Gucci Mane, blessed us with a collaborative mixtape/album with Metro Boomin entitled, Drop Top Wop. At this point, we already know what to expect from Gucci. For years he has been one of the central figures in the Atlanta trap movement, and has dropped numerous albums and mixtapes. He has quite the discography. Normally I don’t get too hyped for new Gucci Mane projects, considering its usually the same thing over and over. Then again I’m also a big fan of Future, who also doesn’t change his game up very much. However, when it was announced that Metro Boomin would be producing the entirety of the tape, I suddenly became anxious to hear it. When it comes to bangers, Metro Boomin never disappoints, and he certainly didn’t on Drop Top Wop. Combined with Gucci’s knack for flow and hooks, Drop Top Wop is a very enjoyable listen.
Before I delve in, I must make clear that I’m judging this album based on what it’s meant for. I certainly don’t expect wordplay and content from Gucci. Therefore, I’m not going grade this album like I would a Kendrick Lamar album or a Brother Ali album. This album was made for bumping in the whip (preferably a drop top if you have one). And it succeeds very well in accomplishing its task.
As I said before, Metro Boomin’s production was my most anticipated aspect of this project, and for the most part, I got what I wanted. Nearly all of the ten tracks, in my opinion, are solid beat-wise. Particular stand outs for me in this aspect were “Finesse the Plug Interlude”, “Bucket List”, “Met Gala” (feat. Offset), and “Tho”. The dark, lurking beat on “Finesse the Plug Interlude” is a sound I’ve come to love from Metro. His beats have always had dark undertones to me. They invoke a sinister vibe that I feel is necessary to have in a good banger. Because that’s what bangers are supposed to be at the end of the day right? Songs that evoke our hidden hedonistic pleasures. And one of the very best at doing this is certainly Gucci.
One of things I definitely have to give Gucci credit for is the fact that he complimented these beats very well, and even made them more entertaining. This project certainly isn’t the first time they collaborated, and you can tell. Compared to Metro’s last collaboration project with 21 Savage, this project has a lot more replay value. And we can thank Gucci for that. One of the problems with Savage Mode was that 21 Savage didn’t always hold up his end of the bargain when it came to rapping. Again, not that I expect bars from 21 Savage, but I do expect energy, flow, hooks, and some charisma. 21 Savage was only able to hold my attention for a few tracks. On the contrary, Gucci brought everything that 21 Savage lacked on Savage Mode. Almost every hook on this project is catchy (especially the one on “Bucket List”) and the raps are much more entertaining. Gucci’s endless braggadocio and narcissism is quite fun to listen to, whether he’s making “5 million a day” or he’s “so arrogant” that he “don’t even want the bitch”.
I had a lot of fun with this one. It’s still bumping in my car nearly a week later, and probably will be throughout the summer. The combination of Metro Boomin and Gucci Mane is a good one, and makes for a project that is a step up from Gucci’s usual work. If you’re looking for bangers for your summer playlist, you may want to add Drop Top Wop.
Grade: B