The Autobiography of Gucci Mane

Hip-hop artist Radric Davis, aka Gucci Mane, was born in Alabama and raised under less than optimal conditions in Atlanta. He culled traits from his alcoholic father and lessons learned from dealing drugs during the height of the crack epidemic, parlaying these experiences into a platinum-selling music career. Known as the Godfather of Trap Music (a subgenre of Southern rap characterized by gritty lyrical content, 808 bass, and synthesizer-heavy beats), he is responsible for some of today's most well-known artists, including Waka Flaka Flame, Migos, and Young Thug. Hampered by poor decision-making, a fractured family, and personal and professional relationships fueled by an addiction to prescription cough syrup, Gucci Mane's career has been a roller coaster of resounding successes and failures all detailed in this self-aware autobiography. The title, written with former XXL Magazine music editor Martinez-Belkin, chronicles Mane's disputes with other Southern rappers, stints in rehab, court cases, and incarcerations. Many in the performer's inner circle believe his erratic behavior goes beyond addiction to undiagnosed bipolar disorder, but he attributes his issues to post-traumatic stress disorder from his environment and upbringing.