So Icy Christmas

Gucci Mane’s Somber ‘Long Live Dolph’ Video Implores The Streets To Stop The Violence

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While some of Young Dolph‘s fellow Memphis rappers have overlooked the Paper Route Empire founder’s recent death to continue performing diss tracks they recorded against him in spite of fan backlash, other rappers have gone the other direction, making tracks to praise him and remember his legacy. Gucci Mane is one of those rappers, saluting his fallen friend and imploring fans to stop the violence on “Long Live Dolph,” from his newly released compilation album, So Icy Christmas.

The video cuts together clips of Gucci performing the Zaytoven-produced song in a black suit with photos and archival footage of Dolph running the streets, rapping for fans, and raising his kids, along with scenes from Dolph’s recent public memorial service in Memphis. “Don’t take your life for granted, could be gone in seconds,” Gucci rhymes. “R.I.P. to Dolph, long, long live the legend.”

Young Dolph was shot and killed in November while buying cookies by two masked assailants who opened fire with automatic weapons through the window of the bakery Dolph frequented. His death prompted the city to rename a street in his honor. However, his rival rappers, such as Blac Youngsta have continued to throw lyrical slights at him through performances of old diss tracks and sly references in their own music videos.

Watch Gucci Mane’s “Long Live Dolph” video above.

Gucci Mane Slides 1017’s ‘So Icy Christmas’ Compilation Into Rap Fans’ Stockings

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Well, half his label is going to be locked up come Christmas, but somehow that still hasn’t stopped Gucci Mane from feeling the holiday spirit and continuing his longstanding season 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, like his October 2021 release So Icy Boyz, a compilation project showcasing the talents of his 1017 signees such as Bic Fizzle, Big Scarr, BigWalkDog, Enchanting, and Hot Boy Wes.

Unfortunately, two of the label’s biggest stars, Foogiano and Pooh Shiesty, are not on the compilation despite being the consensus standouts of last year’s So Icy Summer and having massive breakouts earlier this year as a result. Both rappers are locked up facing various federal charges after a series of shootings; Foogiano, in custody for skipping bail to attend a funeral a state away from his native Georgia, 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 (but forgetting to collect all his cash in the getaway).

Apparently, Gucci won’t let their dilemmas bring down the rest of the team, slinking down rap fans’ collective chimneys and dropping off this 17-track celebration of the season. While only a handful of the tracks seem to be actually about Christmas — namely, the ones Gucci himself is on — it’s still a worthwhile addition to his quasi-annual tradition, bringing some cheer to a December capping a year that desperately needs it.

So Icy Christmas is out now via Atlantic. Get it here.