The State vs. Radric Davis

The State vs. Radric Davis
Studio album by Gucci Mane
Released	December 8, 2009
Genre	Hip hop, southern hip hop
Length	73:38 (regular edition) 104:29 (iTunes deluxe edition)
Label	1017 Brick Squad, Asylum, Warner Bros.
Producer	Radric "Gucci Mane" Davis (exec.) Fatboi, Polow da Don, Drumma Boy, Bangladesh, Shawty Redd, Scott Storch, Zaytoven, Jazze Pha, J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League, Mannie Fresh
Gucci Mane chronology
Murder Was the Case (2009) The State vs. Radric Davis (2009) The Appeal: Georgia's Most Wanted (2010)
Singles from The State vs. Radric Davis
"Wasted" Released: July 7, 2009 "Spotlight" Released: October 19, 2009 "Lemonade" Released: December 7, 2009 "Bingo" Released: January 12, 2010

The State vs. Radric Davis is the sixth studio album by American rapper Gucci Mane. It was released on December 8, 2009.^[1] The State vs. Radric Davis comes after a slew of independent releases, mixtapes, and features over the past few years. Productions from Polow da Don, Drumma Boy, Mannie Fresh, among others. Featured artists includes, Usher, Plies, Lil Wayne, Cam'ron, Soulja Boy, Rick Ross, Bun B, OJ da Juiceman, Wooh da Kid, Waka Flocka Flame, and Nicki Minaj. The iTunes deluxe version contains the EP, Wasted: The Prequel.

The album debuted at number 10 on the US Billboard 200 selling 89,000 copies in its first week.^[2] The album was met with generally favorable reviews from music critics. As of August 19, 2012, the album has sold an estimated 424,000 copies.^[3] With the success of The State vs. Radric Davis, Gucci Mane announced that his next two albums will be parts of a trilogy. The second, and third album will be called The Appeal: Georgia's Most Wanted due for release September 28, 2010, and The State vs. Radric Davis: The Verdict, respectively.^[4] However he later decided to break the trilogy and change the third album's title.

Singles

"Wasted" featuring Plies was released as the lead single on September 26, 2009. It peaked at number thirty-six in the Billboard Hot 100, and number three on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, making it his first top five on the chart. "Spotlight" featuring Usher was released as the second single on October 19, 2009, and peaked at number forty-two in the US as well as reaching number fifteen on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. "Lemonade" was released as the third single on December 7, 2009, and peaked at number fifty-three in the US, number fifteen on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop songs chart, as well as number eight on the Rap songs chart. The song's subject matter involves the proceeds from the illegal sale of codeine-infused lemonade, all of which the artist describes as yellow or lemon-colored. "Bingo" featuring Soulja Boy and Waka Flocka Flame was released as the fourth single on January 12, 2010, and peaked at number seventy-five on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop chart.

"Worst Enemy" was released as the first promotional single on November 12, 2009.^[5] The song revisits Gucci Mane's past, how it led to his fame, and how he's moving on in life despite his struggles. Young Jeezy and T.I. are referenced in the song. A music video for the song was released on December 8, 2009.^[6] "Heavy" was released as the second promotional single on November 25, 2009.^[7]

Videos

The videos for the deluxe edition tracks "Bricks" featuring Yung Ralph and Yo Gotti, "Photoshoot", and "She Got a Friend" featuring Juelz Santana and Big Boi were released on October 20 on iTunes.^[8][9][10] A music video was also filmed for "All About the Money" featuring Rick Ross.^[11] "Bricks", and "Photoshoot" both managed to peak, respectively, at number nineteen, and number eighteen on the US Billboard Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Singles chart. "I'm a Dog", which featured DG Yola, and "Sex in Crazy Places" featuring singer Bobby V and rappers Nicki Minaj and Trina, debuted on the same chart at number eight, and number twenty-two, respectively, due to digital sales.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	66/100[12]
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[13]
The A.V. Club	C+[14]
The Guardian	[15]
NME	2/10[16]
NOW	[17]
Pitchfork Media	8.0/10[18]
RapReviews	6.5/10[19]
Rolling Stone	[20]
Spin	[21]
XXL	[22]

The State vs. Radric Davis received generally favorable reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 66, based on 11 reviews.^[12]

Joshua Errett of NOW gave the album high praise for its "loveable simplicity" on the typical hip-hop clichés and said that its cast of guest artists and producers combined with Gucci's performance would turn the record into "rap's album of the year."^[17] Gregory Heaney of AllMusic praised the producers and guest artists for creating an album that's a culmination of the Dirty South sound and Gucci for straddling the line between excessive and contemplative, saying that, "At the end of the day, The State vs. Radric Davis delivers the full spectrum of Gucci Mane, showing both the cash and yellow diamond-loving side, as well as his more reflective (or at least more self-aware) side."^[13] Rob Markman of XXL also credited the album for having the producers supply it with great sounds and for giving Gucci some guests artists he can trade lines with, concluding that "musically, The State vs. Radric Davis has proven the rapper's case beyond a reasonable doubt. So when rap fans ask if he is now a bankable hip-hop star, let the record show that Gucci mane is guilty as charged."^[22]

Michaelangelo Matos of The A.V. Club credited Gucci for compensating his rap delivery over "tinny keyboards and booming drum machines" with "sharp wordplay" but found that formula for the album lacking and suggested listening to his free mixtapes.^[14] Paul MacInnes of The Guardian found the album disappointing, calling the Dirty South sound "by the numbers", the producers' contributions unengaging and Gucci's mumbling delivery hard to listen to.^[15] Rob Boffard of NME criticized Gucci's flow and lyricism for being monotonous and irritating and the producers and guest artists for not offering anything worthy to the album, concluding that "'…Radric Davis' is deeply flawed, and ultimately Gucci has committed the worst crime in rap: he’s boring."^[16]

Track listing

Sample credits

• "Lemonade" - Contains a samples of "Keep It Warm" by Flo & Eddie
• "Kush Is My Cologne" - Contains a samples of "I Got Em" by Drumma Boy featuring Gucci Mane & J Money

Charts

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/Sales
United States (RIAA)[29]	Gold	500,000

See also

• List of number-one rap albums of 2009 (U.S.)
• List of number-one rap albums of 2010 (U.S.)

References