Even though half of his label will be closed for the holidays, Gucci Mane hasn’t let that stop him from getting into the holiday mood and continuing his long-standing tradition of releasing a holiday-themed compilation album. While previous years have seen new iterations of the trap pioneer’s East Atlanta Santa mixtapes (most recently in 2019), this year’s project is a compilation project showcasing the talents of his 1017 signees like Bic Fizzle, Big Scarr, BigWalkDog, Enchanting, and Hot Boy Wes, similar to his October 2021 release So Icy Boyz.
Unfortunately, two of the label’s greatest talents, Foogiano and Pooh Shiesty, aren’t included in the collection, despite being unanimous standouts on last year’s So Icy Summer and having enormous breakouts earlier this year as a result. Both rappers are in custody after a series of shootings; Foogiano was indicted for a South Carolina club shootout that left two dead, while Pooh was accused of not only shooting a security guard at a Miami club but also playing Grinch during a driveway sneaker sale, shooting the seller in the buttocks and stealing the shoes, while Foogiano was in custody for skipping bail to attend a funeral a state away from his native Georgia (but forgetting to collect all his cash in the getaway).
Gucci isn’t letting their problems get in the way of the rest of the team, slinking down rap fans’ collective chimneys and delivering this 17-track season celebration. While just a few of the songs appear to be about Christmas — specifically, the ones Gucci himself is on — it’s still a worthwhile addition to his quasi-annual ritual, providing some brightness to a December that desperately needs it.
