Across DS4EVER, Gunna’s fourth installment and finale to the Drip Season series, the artist mindlessly coasts on trap beats filled with wasted potential. Released on Jan. 7, renowned producers and features from stars including Future, Young Thug, Lil Baby, and Kodak Black aren’t enough to save the album from how forgettable it is.

More positively, Gunna stays true to his identity, with an undeniably smooth yet bouncy flow that thrives with repetition. Production from Wheezy, Turbo, and Taurus easily meets expectations for a mainstream trap project, even if they are undermined by dull, lifeless choruses. It’s also worth noting that the atmosphere and vibe throughout DS4EVER are immediately prevalent, with nonchalant, softer vocals that seamlessly blend with their tracks, unlike most artists in the industry.

On the other hand, with the hype and high expectations surrounding the album, the release can only be seen as anticlimactic and diluted. Due to this lack of substance, even hardcore fans of Gunna are looking towards the deluxe release for redemption. It might even seem contradictory, but Gunna’s creative decision to stay true to what he’s known for makes many of the songs appear to be uninventive, lacking innovation, or anything of interest.

Gunna’s lyricism is arguably trivial, whether it be obscure slang in “pushin’ P” or excessive sexual remarks in “mop.” To elaborate, “P” is explained by Gunna to be slang for “player or paper” – someone of competitive nature towards financial gain. This repetition of “Pushin’ P” among several tracks is to emphasize Gunna’s mindset and outlook of staying genuine yet ambitious, although this comes off as confusing and irritating to anyone who isn’t aware of its meaning.

In the previous project WUNNA, which was met with mostly positive reactions, the artist diverged from his primary franchises Drip Season and Drip or Drown, despite already being established within the industry. With the general success of WUNNA and DS4EVER being the finale to Gunna’s paramount franchise, it felt right to expect big things from the installment, making its mediocracy painfully apparent, especially when compared to the rest of his discography.