Atlanta rap superstar Gunna wraps up 2024 with a new single, “Got Damn,” released via Young Stoner Life Records/300 Entertainment. Produced by Aviator Keyz, Bloublood, J Kari, and Timpani Beatz, the track showcases Gunna’s signature melodic flow over a synth-heavy beat with an infectious hook.
Fans first heard a snippet of “Got Damn” at the end of his “HIM ALL ALONG” music video, sparking excitement for its release. The single reaffirms Gunna’s prowess as a rapper and songwriter, solidifying his place in hip-hop as the year closes.
Gunna has taken lots of hits in the last year. The rapper has done an excellent job of keeping his head down and dropping music that his fans love, though. Gunna serves up consistent music to vibe out to, whether it’s an aggressive vibe or a mellowed out one. “GOT DAMN,” his new single, falls in the second camp. The title may suggest a wild trap anthem, but the song is actually one of the more laid back and contemplative releases Gunna has dropped in quite a while.
The instrumental is minimal and relaxing. It’s catchy in a subtle way. A kick drum coming in and out are pretty much the only variations we get, but it works. Gunna, meanwhile, reflects on his life and the ways in which it can be psychologically draining. The chorus is both catchy and indicative of how exhausted he has been since becoming a star. “On and off the jet, god damn (Damn),” he raps. “I don’t get no rest, god damn (Damn). I want my respect, god damn, I been running up a check, yeah, yeah (Up a check).” Gunna doesn’t drop any dense bars, but he treats fans to cogent bars and a sneaky catchy chorus. We’re eager to see where the rapper goes in 2025.
Let us know what you think of this brand-new track, in the comments section down below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the music world. We will continue to keep you informed on all of your favorite artists and their upcoming projects.
Gunna Details His Exhausting Lifestyle On New Song
Quotable Lyrics:
Karats in my ear and they clear (Glass) I been rockin’ shades, lights been blurred (Blur) Fashion everyday, put her in couture (Couture) Put in work, make that p**sy purr (Purr, purr)
Gunna may have had a pretty triumphant last couple of years, but it seems he still doesn’t feel he’s gotten everything he’s owed. In his moody new single “Got Damn,” Gunna sounds quite exasperated — as illustrated by the repeated declarations of the titular phrase — hum-rapping on the chorus: “On and off the jet, got damn / I don’t get no rest, got damn / I want my respect, got damn / I been running up a check.”
It’d make plenty of sense why he’d feel such a way. Despite the successes of his last two albums, A Gift & A Curse and One Of Wun, as well as their accompanying tours, some of his peers and former friends seem to still resent him for accepting a plea deal in the racketeering case against his label/crew YSL. It seems that despite requesting an exception to his probation agreement to allow contact with Gunna, Young Thug might not want to continue any relationship besides business and Drip Harder collaborator Lil Baby recently told Charlamagne The God that his own contact with Gunna was also limited.
With all that being said, though, Gunna has been the one pushing through while Young Thug was on trial and Lil Baby was lying low after lukewarm reception to his own last album. Perhaps, with the New Year looming, they can all make a resolution to resolve their various issues — and maybe finish Super Slimey 2 while they’re at it. We ain’t forget.
Lil Baby and Gunna used to be a musical dynamic duo. Drip Harder was a collaborative album that did wonders to boost both of their careers in 2018. The fallout of the Young Thug trial, however, has done damage to their relationship. Lil Baby and Gunna used to be close, but they have not worked together since it was rumored that Gunna snitched on their mutual mentor. Baby discussed the idea of rappers who “snitch” during a recent podcast appearance. He didn’t mention anybody by name, but made it clear he didn’t support them.
Lil Baby’s revelation came about on the A Safe Place Podcast. He told Lil Yachty that he makes a point to not work with rappers who have been deemed “snitches” by the industry. His reasoning? Lil Baby claims he has nothing in common with people who would sell out their own. “Those kinds of morals [are] never going to leave,” he asserted. “I’m always gonna look at certain stuff a certain way.” When asked to give additional context, Lil Baby boiled it down to subject matter. “It boils down to what we rapping about… We can’t rap about that if you did that,” he stated. “If I was making Christmas music, then I don’t give a damn what you did.”
Lil Baby Prides Himself On Authenticity In His Music
Lil Baby explains why he doesn’t work with rappers who snitch
“It boils down to what we rapping about… We can’t rap about that if you did that. If I was making Christmas music, then I don’t give a damn what you did.” pic.twitter.com/JNnmFm8Nt3
Lil Baby was steadfast in his convictions. He did, however, note that he would never out an artist for being a snitch. “I don’t even speak on n**gas,” he explained. “Even if it was in the streets, you wouldn’t put up posters saying he’s a snitch.” The rapper went on to make broader observations about hip hop and the ways in which lyrics have gotten certain artists in trouble. Lil Baby believes that rappers who brag about the crimes they’ve committed in song are ruining the genre as a whole.
“Rapping in these songs,” the rapper noted. “Talking about murders, and who you killed. That sh*t f*cking up the whole program.” Lil Baby believes this trend is not only impacting the business side of things but the personal as well. Artists are unable to promote and capitalize on their music if they’re locked up, and younger generations are emulating what they see. Lil Baby has not publicly called out Gunna, but the falling out between the two men suggests the former believes the rumor that Gunna snitched.
Kevin Durant has been one of the best players in the NBA basically since he arrived in the league in 2008, but due to his overlap with Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and Stephen Curry, he hasn’t ever really gotten to carry the title of being the face of the league. For that reason, Durant isn’t quite as ubiquitous a figure when it comes to references in music and pop culture as the others, despite his immense talent and the way he changed the game.
That said, there was a period of time when Durant had a claim to being the best basketball player on the planet. That stretch from 2012-2019 saw him get name-dropped pretty frequently in rap lyrics, particularly after he joined the Warriors budding dynasty in 2016. Here, we’ll look at a dozen of the biggest tracks that reference Durant (most frequently as KD, as that’s much easier to rhyme).
“Pop That” — French Montana ft. Rick Ross, Drake, and Lil Wayne (2012)
Gettin cheddar packs like K.D., OKC that’s player s**t
Drake is always good for a few sports references on a song, and in his feature on the 2012 smash hit “Pop That” he shouts out KD while he was on the Thunder.
“Crown” — Jay-Z ft. Travis Scott (2013)
Scott Boras, you over baby/Robinson Cano, you coming with me/These n****s like rotary phones/It’s a new day, hit up KD
After launching his own sports agency in 2013, Jay-Z boasted about his growing client list on “Crown” (taking a shot at baseball superagent Scott Boras along the way), highlighting how Roc Nation Sports had already landed Robinson Cano and Kevin Durant (KD would leave Roc Nation in 2019).
“F**k KD” — Lil B (2014)
F**k Kevin Durant/F**k Kevin Durant/F**k Kevin Durant/F**k Kevin Durant
That is the entire chorus for this song, which has a lengthy backstory. After Durant tweeted about not liking Lil B’s music, TheBasedGod placed a curse on KD in 2011 and even dropped a whole diss track on the then-Thunder star in 2014. For awhile, there was compelling evidence that the curse was working as Durant and the Thunder couldn’t get over the hump to win a title, with KD ultimately breaking through after joining the Warriors — which is, ironically, Lil B’s favorite team.
“White Iverson” — Post Malone (2015)
Double OT like I’m KD, smokin’ OG
Post Malone had a ton of hoops references on his breakout hit (before his pivot to pop and, most recently, pivot to country), including this KD line — also, if this came out in 2019, this could’ve worked for a double-entendre about OG Anunoby.
“Good Drank” — 2 Chainz ft. Quavo and Gucci Mane (2016)
Oh, you in a slump/I’m headed to Oakland like Kevin Durant/What is your point?/Square with the stamp, for Kevin Durant
One of Gucci’s first features after his release from prison, the Atlanta rapper doubles up on his Durant references, both to Durant’s move to the Warriors and as a fill in for the number 35.
“Draco” — Future (2017)
35 b**ches at the St. Reg/Fall back shoot it like KD/Back in the kitchen with the Curry
This song is Future at the height of his powers, deftly pulling together Durant’s number 35 into a line about his fadeaway jumper and continues it with a nod to Durant’s then-Warriors teammate Stephen Curry.
“Save Me” — Meek Mill (2017)
I see n****s switchin’ sides like they KD/I can’t let it kill my vibe ’cause I’m too wavy
Durant’s move from the Thunder to the Warriors made him the poster boy for bailing on your team and switching sides, as Meek Mill references in this 2017 song.
“Ganja Burn” — Nicki Minaj (2018)
Still every team’s number one pick in the draft/You could bring anybody, weatherman, pick a day/I’m Kobe, KD, Kyrie, pick a K
Nicki Minaj uses this line about KD (along with Kobe Bryant and Kyrie Irving) to hammer home her place as the best woman in the rap game, which doubles as a reference to a famous Jay-Z line about a few guys named Mike.
“My Name Is” — Cordae (2018)
The best thing from PG since Kevin Durant
In Cordae’s first single, rapping over the beat from Eminem’s iconic “My Name Is”, he shouts out his fellow Prince George County native.
“Gold Roses” — Rick Ross ft. Drake (2019)
All smiles, Kevin Durant trials/Had to blow it on the court, I must have blew a milli’/I’m walkin’ on all charges, that’s my new Achilles
Drake references Durant and his torn Achilles in the 2019 Finals (suffered against Drake’s beloved Raptors) in this track with Rick Ross that released a month after the fact.
“Burner” — Lil Wayne (2020)
I keep a burner like Kevin Durant/I keep a burner like Kevin Durant
Lil Wayne might be the king of sports references in tracks, and in this 2020 song, he makes note of Durant’s infamous Twitter burner accounts in the chorus.
“go crazy” — Gunna (2023)
I been talking to my accountant a lot, tryna make what I got stack tall like KD
For decades, rappers have been comparing their stacks to the height of NBA big men — Shaq and Yao Ming are the gold standards for this in rap — but in this 2023 track Gunna uses KD. That’s a good choice, because KD is tall as hell, but it’s also a bit funny because Durant has been fighting the visual evidence that he’s actually a 7-footer his whole career, as he didn’t want to be a big man when he came into the league.
2024 has been a very combative year for hip-hop, that almost goes without saying. The number of beefs that us and fans are witnessing is quite remarkable, but also kind of saddening. Sure, the competitive nature of it all is something that has helped revitalized the genre after a down year in 2023 in some respects. However, wishing for a more exciting stretch has come with some drawbacks for sure. The loss of fantastic duos is probably the most glaring of them all. Drake being up against well over a dozen MCs and adjacent acts has stripped away a lot of potential collabs. Once some of his closest pals in Metro Boomin and Future are now mortal enemies.
We could go on and on about the rest, but we now have to shift our focus to Gunna and Young Thug. There are the most recent to be at odds thanks to a tweet and delete from the YSL boss. “Gunna stop acting like we friends on the internet, I don’t know u my guy,” he tweeted days after his release from the RICO trial. Gunna has yet to speak on the matter, but we are almost 100% positive he’s on that same energy. It’s got us reminiscing on tracks between Gunna and Young Thug like “Lesbian,” which seem like a relic of the past now. It may be a Metro Boomin track, but the way they were able to match each other’s energy was special anytime the worked together was special. Time usually heals most things, so hopefully, that’s all that’s required.
I might start coppin’ gold like I’m Mr. T (What?) I wan’ ride the new Rolls or that Bentley B (That Bentley B) Yeah we gon’ cop some Chanel, the double C (That double C) I done bought her a bag, got her lovin’ me (Yeah) I’ma pop, I’ma flex like I’m Double D (Flex, wet) I’ma hop on the jet, hit another city (‘Nother city)
Overall, 2024 has been another solid year for Atlanta rapper and crooner, Gunna. Since his involvement in the YSL RICO trial, he’s been doing well to maintain a loyal fanbase amid the relentless “rat” and “snitch” labels. Of course, there’s always going to be some that will hold a grudge, but his streams and standing within the game are still very high. He’s still pulling in well over hundreds of millions of plays on songs, with 37.3 million monthly listeners rallying around him. One of Wun is his latest LP this time around, and once again there remain to be a nice collection of hits. Tracks like “prada dem,” “on one tonight,” and the title cut are arguably the main ones to list. However, Gunna has not been clear of obstacles entirely.
Right now, it seems like Young Thug is turning on his YSL brethren. That’s despite making sure he was one of the few from his crew he could work alongside and remain in communication with. A tweet and delete let us know how Thugger is supposedly really feeling. Wunna still hasn’t broke his silence on their relationship, so we are hoping these two are working things out. However, that could possibly not be the case, as a lot of the themes on One of Wun preached self-growth. Gunna preached more of the same on “HIM ALL ALONG,” his most recent release. “They was tryna stunt my growth, I been steady chasin’ my goals / N****, why you watchin’? I’m grown, n**** can’t take my throne,” he spits melodically on the chorus.
That confidence-boosting single now has a music video to go along with it and it’s a nice fit. Him and producer of the record Turbo are enjoying the finer things in life thanks in part to their hard work. Despite the opulent visuals, Gunna’s also possibly prepping fans for more. After the song concludes, a teaser of a moodier snippet plays as he hops on a private jet. Billboard and fans agree with our speculation and hopefully, it drops soon.
Gunna has officially released the music video for his single “Him All Along,” bringing fans an immersive visual experience that complements the track’s boastful lyrics. In the video, Gunna takes on scenes different from the ones we are used to seeing the rapper. Gunna hits the barns with horses and the golf courses with the baddies but still makes it back to Atlanta for the community. All the while he keeps a baddie with him. Catch him pull out the Porsche in the video below.
YSL frontrunner Gunna drops his first video after the plea deal release of Young Thug, which is aptly titled “Him All Along” on the Young Stoner Life / 300 Entertainment imprint. With the track produced by Turbo and Yung Bleu, the visual takes the viewer on a day in the life of one of the most controversial figures in Hip Hop’s current landscape.
Filmed in Sanlúcar de Berrameda, the Marbella Country Club in Malaga, Spain, Van Nuys, California and all the way back to his hometown of ATL, Gunna shows his international connects that collectively all lead back to his ATLien roots.
Meanwhile, 2024 saw Gunna topple the charts with One of Wun—which crashed the Billboard 200 at #2 and emerged as his fifth Top 5 debut and set the stage for his massive THE BITTERSWEET TOUR. With more music and major moves on the horizon, Gunna will continue to change the culture forever.
It looks like Gunna is branching out in his video for “Him All Along.” The single, which has been out for a few weeks, focuses on Gunna’s pursuit of his goals. In the new clip, which dropped earlier today, Gunna details just what that looks like. Rather than simply flexing and flossing his way through another showcase of his material wealth, “Him All Along” finds Gunna indulging in new experiences, from hitting the links to work on his golf stroke to taking in a display of equestrian excellence. The video ends with Gunna putting on a community day for the kids of Atlanta, complete with carnival games and a supersized inflatable slide.
