Music

Who would’ve predicted Gunna giving NFL legend and University of Colorado football coach Deion Sanders a shout-out on his album? He did exactly that while saluting his coaching career. “Every b—h sniff a whole kilo/ I catch a ho like T.O./ N—a ain’t lame or a peon/ Put him on game, I coach him like Deion,” he raps. What trio is Gunna referencing because the last “big three” talk led to rap’s civil war?

No matter where he travels across the globe, Atlanta will always be home for Gunna. A rare beat with a desolate texture compared to the happiness exuded by the YSL rapper throughout One of Wun. Gunna reflects on his come-up, exchanging Chevy Impalas for cars worth $500,000. “My car is half a million dollars/ I came a long way from Impalas/ I still got some snakes and iguanas,” he raps. “Back in the A” holds toward the back of the pack.

Life’s looking different for Gunna these days through his Dior shades. It’s all about growth as the 30-year-old even references being involved in the stock market, which is something he never would’ve given any thought during the Drip Season era.

Per Urban Dictionary, a treesh is a woman who bounces around to a new man every week and is very easy to reach via DMs. Gunna appears to be hesitant to get intimate with “treesh,” but he overcomes his fears and sneaky links with her. Although, he’s not in love and won’t fully trust this romantic partner. It’s amazing that Gunna can take slang words and flip them into a catchy chorus or full-blown song.

Multi-hyphenate Leon Bridges comes to the rescue to helm soothing chorus duties and allow Gunna to focus on crafting his version of a joyous love song. “Runnin’ all through the mansion, we playin’ hide ‘n seek/ Love your smile, when you happy, see all 32 teeth/ New Chanel, double C/ Pushin’ it all year round, puttin’ that shit on to the T/ Bae ass phat, waist down it remind me of a P,” he rhymes with his head in the clouds.

The shortest track on the album is an intoxicating 91-second sprint to the finish line. Gunna picks up the tempo while showing off a $200,000 AP watch purchase and showcases his high taste level while traveling the globe. He paints a luxurious picture of heading from Greece to Spain on a Eurotrip while shrewdly name-dropping the Hatteras yacht company. “Across the sea, huh, Hatteras in Mykonos, Greece, man, they love me in Spain,” he brags.

A guitar riff mixed with hollow drums to cleanse the palate. Gunna isn’t much of a cards player, but he’s ready to go all-in with his hand here. The YSL rapper has his game face on and even when he’s serious about life while running up the millions and focusing on his career, he’s still going to hit listeners with Paris trip boasting and designer outfit flossing.

Long nights lead to early days. Gunna is feeling the paranoia that comes with celebrity life and takes shots at his peers who he feels are hoping to knock him off his pedestal and take his spot in the rap game. “N—-s can’t even tell I’m high as hell, but I feel low/ I ain’t ever sad, I’ma trust the process and I let it all go,” he proclaims while exhaling a deep breath.

A very fitting album opener with Gunna welcoming us into One of Wun. Wunna sets the tone letting fans he ain’t going anywhere anytime soon and declares himself as one of the GOATs. “I’m goin’ against all the odds/ A GOAT, no way I can hide,” he raps. Gunna touches on his body transformation and flexes that he’s dropping $50,000 a year on his trainer. With a slim physique and reinvigorated focus on his career, it’s money well spent.

Gunna has seen the best a life of luxury has to offer and has also spent months trapped inside a jail cell. Dealing with the latter makes him more appreciative of experiencing the wins and losses that come with life. He reminisces on certain times fighting with his girl, counting up millions and joining the mile high club. It’s almost as if he’s venting to a journal or cathartically speaking to a higher power seeking guidance going forward.

Turbo relayed to Billboard that they recorded a chunk of the project on a yacht in the middle of the ocean, which Gunna alludes to here. Surrounded by women on a yacht off the coast of Miami while making music with your homies, it doesn’t get more opulent than that. And as if that isn’t enough, Gunna references times they’d head to Florida’s mainland for a night of making it rain at the famed Tootsie’s gentleman’s club. Wunna’s in a great head space through the album’s first three tracks.

Gunna’s version of “Hakuna Matata” is a bit different than The Lion King‘s interpretation. Regardless, the YSL rapper has his feet kicked up with no worries — word to the 2012 Lil Wayne classic — and brags about counting up millions and chartering private jets to the next cities on tour. “Young Wunna on tour, I BP the charter, living hakuna matata,” he raps. The laid-back track will fall somewhere in the middle of the pack.

An uplifting bop from Gunna with the triumphant “Today I Did Good.” He implores fans to join him on his workout journey. Even if he remains a single bachelor, Wunna lets it be known that he remains a gentleman taking the high road through it all. Gunna is starting to wrap the project up on a high note.

A rare collab on the album with a cameo from Normani. The Fifth Harmony alum uses her voice as an instrument serving as more of a hallucinogenic aide to put listeners at ease. Gunna and Normani exchanged features recently and it appears he got the better of the trade-off.

Offset was one of the first rappers to publicly embrace Gunna and work with him after coming home from prison. Many were hesitant following his Alford Plea deal reached in December 2022 in the YSL trial, but that didn’t stop the Migos rapper from reuniting with his Atlanta comrade. Set and Gunna take liftoff for an infectious collab while flexing the piles of designer garments in their wardrobe. Between the pair of fashionable rappers, the money they’ve spent on designer clothes could match a small country’s GDP.

The woozy “Still Prevail” went viral upon its release when fans speculated that Gunna was sniping at Drake when referencing others having cosmetic surgery to get their abs. “I clear all the tabs
They pay for their abs,” he raps while leaving the target up for interpretation. Kendrick accused Drake of going under the knife for a six-pack on the scathing “Euphoria” during their boiling feud.

Hard-hitting production courtesy of Turbo prodigy Kenny Stuntin, Gunna gets in a zone and opens up about how fun his last year’s been. Looking at himself as a sex symbol of sorts, Gunna jumps from memories of an orgy with white women to bragging about being the best-dressed at the Met Gala. Hitting the weights isn’t the only workout he’s getting while reflecting on a sex session in between sets at the gym.

Still, Gunna is always gonna look to motivate listeners as he recalls going from a shoe box full of cash to becoming a millionaire. “2018, ‘came a millionaire, made a career, n—-s thought I’d be dead,” the YSL rapper flexes. “One of Wun” makes him 2/2 on the project.

The cinematic “Whatsapp (Wassam)” arrived as a potent single last week ahead of the album. For those that don’t know, “wassam” is Atlanta slang for basically saying, “What’s up?” or “What’s happening?” My translation lesson is now over — back to the record. Turbo decoded the single for Billboard when explaining that it was inspired by a time when Gunna was wired six figures by foreigners who wanted him to give a brief performance at a private party. Good business results in a good song.

It’s been a minute since Roddy Ricch has delivered an impactful verse but he understood the assignment and candidly comes through in the clutch on “Let It Breathe.” While landing haymakers on the competition, Gunna compares his boxing training to Creed, but there’s a deeper connection to the Michael B. Jordan-starring 2015 blockbuster than he thinks. Rocky (Sylvester Stallone) gets through to Adonis during a moving scene with a powerful mantra that can be applied to Gunna’s One of Wun. “One Step At A Time. One Punch At A Time. One Round At A Time.” Gunna’s overcome the odds to come out on top once again.

Gunna saves a pair of potent missiles for the final round with the two-part “Time Reveals, Be Careful What You Wish for” serving as a worthy album closer. “Time Reveals” is Wunna’s “Marvin’s Room.” He wants to be the provider in a relationship moving like a boss but realizes it’s better if they go their separate ways. Time heals all.