Gucci Mane has explained his approach to running a business after Joe Budden faulted the Southern rapper’s judgement regarding the artists he signed to his label.
During a recent interview with The Morning Hustle, the 43-year-old was asked about the podcaster’s comments and taking responsibility for the artists he signs to New 1017 Records given some of their criminal backgrounds.
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“I think that’s unfair, y’know what I’m saying, for him to say that, but I guess he’s entitled to his opinion,” he said. “But to me, who else gon’ give them a chance, y’know what I’m saying?
“Like, I’m not tryin’ to sign the guys who don’t need no help; I’m signing the guys who don’t nobody wanna sign. Who saying like, ‘Ooh, you got a criminal record, we gon’ stay away from you’ — them the guys I’m giving a chance.”
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He added: “If they were to run my background and my criminal shit, I won’t have had no deal, y’feel what I’m saying? So my whole thing is, I wanna help — this my way of giving back. I always wanna give back.
“I’m tellin’ them to not get in trouble. I’m not signing them and saying ‘It’s cool’ — I’m tryna be the example that’s saying, ‘Look what I’m doing, see how I’m taking all this stuff serious and being professional.’ I’m leading by example.”
Earlier this year, Budden raised skepticism about Gucci Mane’s A&R talents after a slew of his imprint signees were either dropped, locked up or, in one instance, killed.
The former Slaughterhouse MC discussed the topic on his podcast in early January, during which he spoke about the arrest of Mac Critter, who was charged with first-degree murder in relation to a fatal shooting in December 2022.
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After some back and forth with his co-hosts about Gucci and 1017’s cultural impact on Atlanta Hip Hop, the New York native theorized that maybe Gucci’s skills and discretion as a label executive shouldn’t be as revered as they are.
“Y’all sound nuts to me,” he bit back at his co-host’s praise for Guwop. “Who people are signing, how people are signing them, and why people are signing them needs to be under thorough examination I think from all parties involved in the music business.”
Budden continued by comparing the rap industry to sports, and how signing tactics have changed amidst a slew of injured players a decade ago.
“The same thing has happened in rap in the last decade where we have never seen this many people die,” he said. “We have never seen this many shootings, stabbings, clique beef, arrests, RICOs. I have never seen it in Hip Hop.”
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“That conversation runs concurrent with, for me and the rest of the musicians, the death of the A&R. The death of musicianship. Those are together for me,” he added.
“So when I say Gucci Mane’s scouting needs to be under examination, it’s because this is now, what? 8, 9, 10? I don’t know. A whole roster that is just suffering from the different strokes curse, and I don’t think it’s a coincidence anymore.”
