S. Samuel
Southern rapper Shawty Lo has welcomed home the return of fellow Atlanta rapper Gucci Mane after he was released from jail Wednesday morning.
From Lo’s perspective, he understood the trials and tribulations Gucci underwent after serving roughly six months on a parole violation.
“Basically, me and Gucci, when my career started and Gucci’s career started, we was in the struggle. We was blackballed,” Lo said in an interview. “So me and Gucci, we feel like we’re brothers from a different mother. Just to be here, man, it feels good to be here. I been arrested 28 times, and I been convicted four times, so I know how it feels. The hip-hop police got it in [for us]. But at the end of the day, I’m here, thick or thin.” (MTV)
Last January, Shawty talked about Gucci’s time behind bars.
“I talk to him on a regular basis,” Shawty said in an interview. “We keep him posted [on things going on in the industry]. He probably on the phone right now. I ain’t got to give him advice, though. Gucci know what he gotta do — he’s a grown man. You know, he got his head up. He’s ready to come back home…His spirits is up, and he get a lot of mail and get a lot of support from the fans in the streets and, you know, he’s just waiting to come home to reclaim his career.” (VIBE)
Speaking at a press conference immediately after being released, Gucci promised to become a better role model.
“I have made some mistakes in my life that have hurt a lot of people who care about me. I have worked very hard to get past them, but those mistakes have brought me to where I am today, and they will not be repeated. These past six months have been a difficult time, but fortunately I have learned a great deal from my experience. I was able to do a great deal of soul searching; I am coming out with a new attitude towards life…I was forced to miss what should have been one of the proudest moments in my life. This is something that I will make sure never happens again. My time in jail was trying, but I grew from it and am now a stronger and better person. I want to continue on a positive track and truly focus on being a role model to my fans and my community.” (Atlanta Journal Constitution)
He also took the opportunity to inform the media about his new business ventures.
The rapper said he has launched a new label, 1017 Brick Squad Records, in affiliation with Asylum/Warner Brothers Records, and said he’ll be recording with rapper Wacka Flocka Flame in the near future. He said his new album, “The Appeal,” is scheduled for a summer release and that he’ll begin a nationwide tour in July to promote it. (Associated Press)
Check out Gucci Mane’s post-jail conference below:
