Gucci Mane Leaves Jail Vowing to Focus on Music
Gucci Mane is a free man. The rapper was released from Atlanta’s Fulton County Jail last night at approximately 12:20 a.m. after serving six months of a one-year sentence for violating parole. After his release, Gucci held a quick press release to read a prepared statement about his prison stint, his upcoming album and his regrets. “Unfortunately, my incarceration came at a pivotal point in my career, just as my first major label album was dropping. I was forced to miss what should have been one of the proudest moments of my life,” Gucci told the press. “This is something that I will make sure never happens again. My time in jail was trying, but I grew from it and am now a stronger and better person.”
Prior to leaving prison, The State vs. Radric Davis rapper revealed that he had fired his manager and booking agent, and left So Icey Entertainment in order to start his own label, 1017 Brick Squad Records in affiliation with Asylum/Warner Bros. Records. “I am looking forward to getting back to business and to start making hits. I am extremely excited about my new album, The Appeal, which will be dropping at the end of the summer,” Gucci said of the follow-up to his major-label debut. Mane also announced that he’ll embark on a nationwide tour in July. He has already been confirmed as a performer at this year’s Hot 97 Summer Jam on June 6th at East Rutherford, New Jersey’s New Meadowlands Stadium.
In November 2009, Gucci was sentenced to one year in prison for violating his parole, his second such transgression. Gucci also served six months of a yearlong sentence in starting in September 2008 after failing to complete 600 hours of community service stemming from 2005 assault charges. “These past six months have been a difficult time but fortunately I have learned a great deal from my experience,” Gucci said. “I was able to do a great deal of soul searching; I am coming out with a new attitude towards life.”
Read Gucci Mane’s full statement:
“First and foremost I would like to thank my legal counsel Dwight Thomas and Michael Holmes for their excellent representation, as well as my label Asylum and Warner Brothers Records for sticking with me through my situation and helping me through my time behind bars. Most importantly, I want to thank all of my fans for their support while I have been away. Your letters and your words of encouragement helped me make it through. None of my success would be possible without you.
I have made some mistakes in my life that have hurt a lot of people who care about me. I have worked very hard to get past them, but those mistakes have brought me to where I am today, and they will not be repeated. These past six months have been a difficult time but fortunately I have learned a great deal from my experience. I was able to do a great deal of soul searching; I am coming out with a new attitude towards life.
Unfortunately, my incarceration also came at a pivotal point in my career, just as my first major label album was dropping. I was forced to miss what should have been one of the proudest moments of my life. This is something that I will make sure never happens again. My time in jail was trying, but I grew from it and am now a stronger and better person. I want to continue on a positive track and truly focus on being a role model to my fans and my community. I am looking towards the future with a newfound respect and appreciation for the law and a strong dedication to my music and my career.
With that in mind, I have already begun to make positive strides towards the future. I have launched a new label, 1017 Brick Squad Records in affiliation with Asylum/Warner Bros Records, and I am working with a new team.
I am looking forward to getting back to business and to start making hits. I am extremely excited about my new album, The Appeal, which will be dropping at the end of the summer. Over the course of 2010, 1017 Brick Squad records will also be releasing albums from my artist Wacka Flocka Flame as well as my group Brick Squad, which features Wacka, OJ Da Juiceman and myself. In July, I will be heading out on a nationwide tour, hitting venues across the country and continuing the movement.”