This is a big week for Gucci Mane. On Friday (July 22), the admired Atlanta rhymer will release his new project, Everybody Looking, his first studio album after spending three years in prison. In an exhaustive interview with the New York Times, the “Lemonade” rapper reflects on his stint in prison, his abusive nature while addicted to lean and his newfound sobriety.

In the interview, Gucci recalls his downward spiral due to his addiction to lean or syrup, which is a concoction of cough syrup and soda. The 36-year-old rapper blames his numerous arrests in 2010 and unstable behavior to the medicated drink.

“It’s been tough to be a Gucci fan,” he said about his past run-ins with the law. “It’s been tough to be a Gucci friend, a Gucci sibling, a Gucci girlfriend or a Gucci partner. I done took people through a lot, man.”

“In hindsight I see it for what it was: I was a drug addict,” he continued. “I was naive to the fact that I was numb. I was just numb. You told me that I was doing good or told me I was doing bad, you hated me or loved me, either which way I greeted with nonchalance. It was sincere nonchalance - like, I really didn’t care.”

Gucci credits his three-year prison stint for his newfound sobriety, but it wasnt easy. The Zone 6 leader compared his withdrawal from the drug to death. "Your body just craving lean bad. Stomach tore up, can't think straight," he recalls. "Just mad at the world. Temper so short, so violent, so aggressive. So just rude and toxic."

Now sober and healthy, Gucci is focused and living a healthy lifestyle while on house arrest. The rapper hopes that his lifestyle and work ethic will inspired his fans who look up to him to do the same.

“Anybody can do the stuff Gucci used to do,” he said. “Can y’all copy living how I’m living? [now]” he asked. “Can y’all copy getting y’all life together?”

You can read Gucci Mane's entire interview at nytimes.com.

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