Westside Gunn has long declared himself to be an orchestrator, taking great pride in his abilities as a curator and visionary. And while he has been in the midst of a truly prolific hip-hop run, his imminent retirement has left the Griselda rapper's future uncertain. Though given everything he has accomplished, don't be surprised to see Gunn continue to make his presence felt in various ways.
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Though some have predicted a Kanye-esque transition to fashion, it would appear that Westside has his sights set on a more ambitious industry position. Taking to Twitter to muse aloud, Gunn proceeded to toss his hat in the Def Jam CEO race, claiming that he's the best man for the job. "I WANNA RUN @defjam and I’m actually OVER qualified," he writes, prompting a wave of support from his loyal fans.
Given everything he has helped build, alongside his Griselda compatriots Conway The Machine and Benny The Butcher, perhaps it's not entirely impossible to see Gunn slide into a high-ranking label position. After all, the Buffalo-based label has elevated to the point where its artists are breaking bread with the likes of Eminem and Jay-Z, proof that his vision can manifest results over time. And given how quickly his merchandise tends to sell out, it's fair to call him a tastemaker as well.
While it's entirely possible that Gunn is simply flexing, who knows -- he's bound to do something after he retires next year, so why not pursue this possibility a little further?