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On Monday, Gunna released the star-studded music video for “livin wild”, the second visual off his new project. Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you will be aware that YSL’s heir apparent dropped his widely publicized new album, ‘DS4EVER’ last week - already claiming the No. 1 Album spot on Apple Music.
“livin wild” is definitely one of the more sober tracks on ‘DS4EVER’. Elsewhere on the project you can hear about a “private island”, “25K jacket”, and of course learn what “pushin P” means - but on “livin wild”, Gunna discusses his brush with mortality that occurred when he was unexpectedly hospitalized last year with a serious case of pneumonia and/or what sounds like potential organ failure. While it probably isn’t super fun to dive into what are presumably the consequences of “livin wild” (with lines like: “My body and drugs too familiar, so it’s hard to clear my system”) it’s a sad truth that these types of health issues are increasingly common and seldom discussed - especially within the hip hop community. And while that is incredibly unfortunate, it’s fortunate that there are important voices like Gunna’sspeaking about their real-life experience in such a thoughtful way.
Sonically, “livin wild” is a different vibe than we are normally used to from Gunna. Produced by the quietly prolific super-producer and frequent YSL contributor, (RunThatBack) Turbo, Gunna’s signature affected-vocal and finely tuned flow walks over the stripped-down, guitar-led beat and beautifully incorporated sample of Keith Sweat’s 1991 classic, “Why Me Baby?” feat. LL Cool J - with Sweat actually making a surprise cameo in the music video as one of the doctors in the hospital.
The highly produced visual (directed by Spike Jordan) does a great job of capturing the story Gunna is trying to tell (and apparently is inspired by real events… i.e. he really busted out of the hospital before being discharged). It opens with real footage from his hospital stay last summer, before moving to the music video world where he’s being escorted out of the hospital against doctor’s orders by none other than BMF’s Lil Meech and Turbo. In addition to the song, the visual has a heavy R&B-tilt to it as well, most notably the middle scene featuring a pouring indoor rain machine, a floor-length red leather jacket, and Gunna’s outstretched arms.
Overall, “livin wild” is certainly one of the standout moments of ‘DS4EVER’ - and a really interesting choice for the first visual from the album outside of the “Too Easy” Remix featuring Future & Roddy Ricch… on an album full of interesting choices.
Check out the video for “livin wild” below and be sure to check out the rest of Gunna’s widely discussed new album, ‘DS4EVER’ - currently sitting at No. 1 on Apple Music and available everywhere.
