Hip-hop is a culture, but thanks to decades of promotion, it has become a viable career path for many. Rapper Westside Gunn can attest to this. From the release of his music to producing for other acts and even entry into acting, the co-founder of the independent record label Griselda Records has seen his share of success. According to the producer, he is ready to hang it all up.
In a series of tweets, the musician shared, “2023 [will] definitely be my last year doing this sh*t.” His reasoning was, “I don’t have nothing else to prove.”
As a proud Buffalo, New York native, he wrote, “I put my team on. I put my city on. I worked with everybody I ever wanted to work with. Plus, m*therf*ckers still don’t even understand 1-10, FLYGOD, Awesome GOD, or Pray for Paris.”
As fans of the genre know, not many rappers genuinely retire from the music industry. But Gunn assures he is serious about his upcoming plans, writing, “I know I say I’m a retire all the time, so people might be like ‘he always says this.’ Seriously, I’ve been through so much with this sh*t behind closed doors that y’all would never know. It’s brought more pain than joy. I’m just so G that I make it look super easy, but I fight these devils every day.” One of those battles included health complications. The other is lack of support.
After listing out his rather extensive professional resume, Gunn stands on his claims of being the greatest rapper of all time, writing, “I only brought y’all the best art. I elevated the Hip-hop culture. I bridged the gap. I showed people how you could make money. I showed people to never change and do it your way. I’ve literally showed you all […] at an elite level, no compromising!”
Gunn closed out the series of tweets by thanking musicians who have supported him, including Roc Marci, Action Bronson, Alchemist, Skyzoo, Danny Brown, and more.
