Harold Stallworth occasionally writes under the pseudonym Ben Kingsley.
Def Jam’s pussyfooted approach to Gunplay’s post-2011 career has been disappointing at best, negligent at worst. His bio page on the label’s official website has been dormant since last summer, and even fails to mention that he’s since changed his rap moniker to Don Logan, presumably for marketing purposes. Steve Bartel and company are probably holding out for a bona fide street hit, but that ship left port back in 2011 with “Rollin’,” which was long enough ago for Waka Flocka Flame to have been considered a prominent guest feature.
Gunplay’s fabled major label debut, Living Legend, is prime for a soft launch, similar to those of Big Krit, Curren$y, and Vince Staples—but after half a dozen mixtapes, each slightly more off-putting than the one before, Living Legend would seem to be going the way of Detox. With all that said, Gunplay—or rather Don Logan—is still good for the occasional worthwhile loosie, as he’s shown to be content with showcasing his potential rather than realizing it. Last week, he released a thoughtful freestyle over Beanie Sigel’s “Feel It In The Air” instrumental, as well as “Chain Smoking,” a stoner anthem that sounds so much like a Curren$y record that it warranted a Curren$y appearance. Don Logan clearly still has “it,” if not much of anything else.
