Rapper Gucci Mane has announced he is severing ties with his long time music label Atlantic Records.
As Complex points out, Mane posted a now-deleted tweet in which he revealed that he would be leaving Atlantic from July 3. He also accused the label, which is part of Warner Music Group, of being racist.
“Leaving #AtlanticRecords July 3rd these crackers police racist #SolcySummer,” he said.
.@Gucci1017 calls his label “polite racist” in new tweet announcing his departure:
“Leaving #AtlanticRecords July 3rd these crackers polite racist #SolcySummer” pic.twitter.com/aXnfxLMnfw
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) June 12, 2020
In another tweet, that has also been taken down, Gucci Mane called for his fellow artists to go on strike.
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“All artists let’s go on strike fuck these racist ass labels burn then down too #BlackLivesMatter #BlackExecMatter fuck these crackers???”
@gucci1017 wants all artists to go on strike and says ”F*ck these racist ass labels burn them down too.”
— y'all agree with Gucci? pic.twitter.com/jJeCnVnQMg
— No Jumper (@nojumper) June 12, 2020
While it is unclear whether any specific thing triggered Mane’s statements, former Atlantic Records CEO Ben Cook stepped down from his role in 2019 after it emerged he had dressed in blackface as a member of Run DMC several years earlier.
“While my intention was to honour a musical hero, I recognise my appearance was offensive and I made a terrible mistake,” said Cook at the time.
This isn’t the first time that the 40-year-old has been at loggerheads with Atlantic, who he first signed within 2007.
BBC reports the label dropped Mane for a brief period in 2013 over a series of insulting tweets he sent about its representatives. He later apologised for his tweets and claimed he was on codeine at the time, rejoining Atlantic in 2016.
Then in 2017, Mane revealed he would be leaving the label, announcing his intention to go “100 per cent independent and drop a mixtape every other day.”
2018 I’m going 100 percent independent and dropping a mixtape every other day #MrDavisTheAlbum
— Gucci Mane (@gucci1017) September 22, 2017
A year later he remained with Atlantic Records, even signing a $10 million contract extension.
The label has not responded to Gucci Mane’s comments as of this writing.