When speaking of southern hip-hop, overlooking the impact of Gucci Mane would be a travesty of the highest order. Born Radric Davis, the Alabama born-ATL representative has done more in a decade than many artists accomplish in an entire career. He's released an endless stream of new material, discovered and cultivated talent and kept rap fans entertained with his random acts of stunting and his charming, albeit goonish ways. Making his first big splash with his 2005 Jeezy-assisted single, "Icy," Gucci quickly caught on with rap fans below the Mason-Dixon line, solidifying his standing as one of the regions most promising newcomers with his debut album, Trap House.

But just when things were looking rosy for Mr. La Flare, bad business dealings and a murder rap, allegedly due to beef with former costar-turned-rival Jeezy, threw Gucci's momentum off pace. However, after being exonerated on the murder charge, the rapper's street cred would rise to astronomical levels. Plus his appeal with fans outside of the south, who soon got privy to the stylings of Gucci, would further establish him as one of the most popular mouth-pieces in hip-hop.

Despite all of Gucci Mane's success, controversy and prison sentences have kept him from fully capitalizing on his growing fanfare. One of the most prolific rappers in terms of output, Guwop has churned out more material from behind the wall than many of your favorite rappers that live in the studio could even fathom, which has kept his name a mainstay on the lips of rap enthusiasts.

Now that his long-awaited release from the penitentiary has come and gone -- he became a free man this week -- the rap game is about to get even more interesting. There's already footage of him recording tracks only hours after his release, which we can only hope means Gucci can finally enjoy the fruits of his labor and evolve into the mainstream star we've envisioned him as for some years. With nine studio albums and even more digital projects, collabos and mixtapes to his name, it's hard to keep up with all of the music he's dropped over the years. But we've got you covered when it comes to his solo efforts. In celebration of Gucci Mane's release, we've selected 25 of his most essential cuts for your listening pleasure.