Gucci Mane’s voice might be more familiar in the 2020s, but B.G. often outshines him on *Choppers & Bricks*. On tracks like “Guwop & Gizzle,” B.G.’s flow is slick and nimble, while Gucci’s delivery feels more restrained. B.G. brings a musicality to his voice, not necessarily singing, but infusing a melodiousness into hooks like those on “Idiots Worst Nightmare.” Where Gucci maintains a steady pace, B.G. twists his tongue in unexpected directions, playfully toying with the beat. On “Run A Bag Up,” B.G. is firmly in the pocket, breaking into a quick sprint of a delivery.
The album takes an emotional turn on “Project Baby,” where hearing C-Murder, still fighting for his freedom behind bars, adds a layer of poignancy. B.G. and Gucci may have regained their freedom, but they haven’t forgotten those still struggling. The track gestures toward a future where C-Murder might also return to reclaim his rightful crown, offering a glimmer of hope amid the heavy beats and menacing flows.
While *Choppers & Bricks* showcases B.G.’s resilience, it falters when he’s placed over more conventional trap beats instead of the futuristic Mannie Fresh compositions that defined his early career. Despite this, B.G. sounds fresh, with a newfound depth shaped by the years and miles he’s endured. Over dusty boom bap drums on “Paperwork,” he reflects on the precariousness of his life: “Every time I look around, hood buryin’ a G/ Wonderin’ if the next week, they gon’ be buryin’ me.” The album captures B.G. fully back on his grind, but the weight of the years spent in a cell is unmistakable, as he grimly acknowledges the perpetual heat that Black men in America face.