By Rose Miami 
HangupsMusic.com – Westside Gunn, a figure whose influence extends far beyond the sonic landscape of hip-hop, is meticulously orchestrating his departure from the rap game. As a label impresario and a force of creative entrepreneurship, Gunn sees it as his imperative to diversify and enrich the cultural tapestry before he ultimately steps away. His journey, marked by a distinct vision and an unyielding commitment to cross-cultural pollination, has cemented his status as a unique entity in today’s music industry. Co-founding Griselda Records alongside Benny The Butcher and Conway The Machine, Gunn transformed Buffalo, New York, a city previously recognized for its football prowess and culinary staples, into a vital hub for some of the decade’s most lauded lyricists. Beyond rap, he has consistently championed the integration of hip-hop with art forms often considered disparate, a mission he pursues with unwavering conviction.
From his formative years in Buffalo’s East Side, fashion served as Westside Gunn’s initial creative sanctuary. While he professes no ambition to be recognized as the preeminent rapper, his inherent skill and artistic innovation in the lyrical domain have earned him widespread respect. His discography boasts collaborations with a diverse spectrum of artists, from foundational figures like DMX and MF Doom to contemporary titans such as Travis Scott and Tyler, the Creator. His business acumen is evident in significant distribution agreements with industry giants like Jay-Z and Eminem, all while diligently nurturing the nascent careers of artists like Stove God Cooks and Armani Caesar. A cursory exploration of Gunn’s extensive catalog can offer a starkly vivid education in the realities of the global drug trade, yet the 43-year-old Griselda frontman is equally adept at schooling hip-hop aficionados on the cutting edge of Parisian haute couture or the intricate dynamics of professional wrestling.
Fresh off a critically acclaimed year that saw the release of his most lauded studio album, 12, a string of high-profile collaborations with fashion houses like Corteiz and Saucony, and a potent mixtape series designed to amplify his burgeoning professional wrestling venture, Fourth Rope, Westside Gunn remains focused on expanding his already considerable legacy throughout 2026. However, he is resolute in his intention to conclude his career with grace and dignity. As he prepares for his inaugural international tour to commence the year, Westside Gunn shared his insights on his musical trajectory, his profound passion for professional wrestling, and his meticulously planned exit from the rap arena.
Reflecting on his mindset heading into 2026, Gunn describes a palpable shift in his spirit. "I just have a different spirit about me lately," he explains. "It just sounds like I’m extra hungry, and I’m in a great space. I think I’m just more mature. I look at life differently. I’ve been focusing on my family, health and just my legacy. Right now, I’m just pushing the art as much as I can while I have the energy."
The universal acclaim for his 2025 album, 12, was a significant moment, though it arrived under poignant circumstances. "It’s crazy because I was supposed to have been dropping Awesome God 3 last year, and my brother Infinite got killed, Big Dump," Gunn reveals. "It was kind of like I was just not wanting to do sht anymore, for real, but then something just came over me. I just wanted to do a classic. A modern-day classic, which I felt 12* was. It’s phenomenal from top to bottom."
Following the release of 12, a substantial portion of the year was dedicated to the Heels Have Eyes mixtape series. " Heels is just a mixtape series to me," Gunn clarifies. "I’m just going in there, dumping and just having fun. It’s no expectations. I have my Fourth Rope company, Black-owned, independent wrestling that’s going crazy. Our shows are called Heels Have Eyes. It was just one of those things where I wanted to co-brand with Griselda Records and Fourth Rope, putting a lot of people onto Fourth Rope that wasn’t familiar yet. I figured, let me just start a new series."
Looking ahead, Gunn expresses a deep sense of gratitude and anticipation. "It’s already a blessed year. I just got to pray to God I could wake up to just experience it," he states. "My fashion is about to go crazy in ’26, Fourth Rope is about to go crazy in ’26. I’m excited for a few things. I’m excited for Awesome God 3 to finally come out in March. It’s two projects in my mind that I know I’m going to do, and that’s Awesome God 3, and that’s Michelle Records, Me and Stove God Cooks together."
His upcoming international tour marks a significant milestone. "I’m about to go on my first international tour. Paris Fashion Week is the first show in Paris and then I go from there. I’ve been doing this for 13 years and never did one tour. So, I know the energy is going to be crazy. This might be the only time y’all see me. I don’t see myself rushing back. I’m not saying that because I don’t want to see them. I’m saying that because I’m also the CEO of Fourth Rope."
The genesis of Fourth Rope stems from a deeply personal connection to professional wrestling. "I came up with that name because that’s just me being in the front row," Gunn explains. "I said, ‘It’s three ropes on the ring. I’m the fourth rope. It’s like I’m a part of it. It’s an escape for me. It’s therapy for me. It keeps the kid in me alive and everybody needs that.’" His dedication extended to meticulous study and relationship building within the wrestling community. "I was spending six figures a year alone just to sit front row, but I was studying. I was analyzing. I was going backstage, meeting the wrestlers, and I started building real relationships." An initial investment in House of Glory wrestling with Master P was disrupted by the pandemic, but the vision persisted. "I always had a vision and one day, I just said, ‘You know what? Let’s do it.’ My partner is Smoke DZA."
Gunn’s involvement in Fourth Rope extends to its creative direction. "Yeah, me and Smoke DZA," he confirms when asked about writing storylines. "Once I decided to make it a promotion, I brought bro in because this is where he lives as well, and his pen is sharp. Ever since, we’ve been just knocking out home runs consistently on every show. I know with me and him [DZA] together; we could literally have the best promotion in the game." He emphasizes the company’s commitment to delivering compelling content. "Even if you don’t know the wrestlers—you might be coming just because you know Griselda, you know Smoke DZA—but when you leave, you’re a Fourth Rope fan for sure, 100 percent. We make sure every match is giving you something. We don’t have no fillers. I treat Fourth Rope the same as I do Griselda. It’s just giving the fans and supporters what they want. We live in a wicked world. So, if I can bring you art, if I can bring you something to smile about, have fun in life, that’s what I’m here for."
The future of Griselda Records is also on Gunn’s mind. "We have an artist, Brother Tom Sos, and that’s another thing I’m looking forward to in 2026, is pushing him because he’s super dope, super talented," he states. "I’ll finish up with Awesome God 3, finish that series up. Then, it’s just Michelle Records with Stove God, and then, I can get in the studio and cook with Jay Worthy or do Liz 3 with Armani Caesar." His ultimate goal is to leave no stone unturned artistically. "I want to put my art out there as much as possible because I know if I do those two [projects] this year, then after that, I might come back together with Conway [the Machine] and Benny [the Butcher]. Then, I feel like I would have nothing else to do. Nothing else to prove and shut everybody up about us never coming back together. Just shut them completely up."
Addressing the persistent narrative of internal strife within Griselda, Gunn offers a pragmatic perspective. "Because they just don’t see us together," he explains. "You know how that goes. We all grown men. We all living life. Conway got Drumwork. He been going on tours. He working on his album. He been making his bag. He doing what he doing. He working on his album. He living his life. Benny, the same thing. He got BSF [Black Soprano Family]. He got a crew. He working on his shit. Westside Gunn, I’m on my run. I always took a step back and focused more on curation. I had to do that."
Gunn laments the current state of A&R in the music industry. "F**k yeah," he exclaims when asked if it’s a lost art. "Nobody controlling this shit no more. It’s one of the main issues. A lot of situations right now is just the blind lead in the blind. It’s so wicked, but at least I did my part."
He reiterates his intention to step away after a few more key projects. "I honestly feel Awesome God 3 will be my last album," Gunn declares. "After that, let me focus on art. Let me focus on fashion. Let me focus on making other people better. Respectfully, I don’t want to be the 50-year-old rapper. I don’t know how much longer I’m going to do this because I came into the game with a mission. My vision is coming true, so it’s a blessing." He acknowledges the resurgence of older artists in hip-hop. "It’s been a great year for the old heads. I love that because Griselda came in already older, and I feel like I’m a part of that resurgence of the old head being cool again. Now, everybody that we respect is dropping again, which is great for hip-hop. We having our run right now. Everybody having fun, getting their check and taking care of their babies, but let’s be honest. I know this is a young guy’s sport. It’s just a different game. We got to respect it."
Despite his significant achievements, Westside Gunn admits to a persistent drive fueled by a sense of being undervalued. "All of it. All of the above," he states when asked if he carries a chip on his shoulder or possesses a natural competitive spirit. "I definitely feel like me having the best resume I’ve ever seen on paper, I do feel slighted. I know how many people I influence. I know how many people stole my shit. I know how many people that I give that helping hand to, and I’ve never gotten that in return." He cites instances where his contributions have gone unacknowledged. "Some of the biggest people that you could think of in this game have used me. I’m too real to be like, ‘Y’all do know this whole album roll out is my idea. Y’all do know that this, that on his album is because I made that happen. Y’all never know. Y’all never knew. Y’all still don’t know.’ When a lot of opportunities they had to be like, ‘Yo, shout out to Westside Gunn.’ They didn’t do it."
Ultimately, Gunn feels a profound sense of vindication. "I’m blessed to already say everything I ever wanted to do, I did," he asserts. "When I came in this game, I never thought I’d be doing it this long. But once the fans started growing, and I’m seeing three-year-olds going, ‘Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom.’ When the merch line is around the block twice and it’s kids that got their 65-year-old grandmother out there with them. That does something for me."
His next frontier is cinema. "Movies," he declares when asked about the next art form he aims to conquer. "I’m not going to say I haven’t touched into it yet because I got the Adolf movie starring Rome Streetz that I premiered at Art Basel. We got Conflicted on Tubi, but I think me tapping into film is putting my mind on paper; writing and starring in it. That’s one of the reasons why I’m getting my look together, getting healthy, too. So, all my sex scenes, I got to look super. You know when I’m going to write the movie, I’m going to have about four sex scenes in the first 30 minutes."
As his career draws to a close, Westside Gunn hopes his legacy will be one of transformative impact. "He changed the game. It’s no other Westside Gunn," he states definitively. "I want to be on my Michael Jordan shit. Let me sit in the box, let me watch my team and let me just do what I do. I still got my different brands. I’m still a legend. I’m still respected."