Gunna Pushed Himself to the Top

The latest in pop-culture news, recaps, and reviews, plus close reads, profiles, interviews, and more from Vulture.com. [Brand Logo]( PROFILE [Gunna Pushed Himself to the Top]( After a decade making music, the rapper is finally known for his name alone. Photo: BANVOA A couple of hours before [Gunna]( was due for a show at New York’s Irving Plaza, he and his mentor, [Young Thug](, were booted from a private jet. The pilot, named Alex, acted like a “racist prick,” according to Thug, insisting the rap stars and their team exit the plane without reason. Stranded in their city, Atlanta, the two [took to Instagram Live](. Thug turned his phone on Alex, who stood with one hand on his hip, the other resting on the handle of his rolling luggage bag. He stared directly into the camera, performatively unbothered, a meme in the making. “That ain’t P!” Thug declared, a reference to the player-praising lingo that has propelled Gunna’s most ubiquitous new hit. Fans flooded the comments, corroborating Thug’s assessment: This pilot was no player. Within a few hours, “Alex ain’t P” was trending. By the time Gunna hit the stage later that night — they found another jet headed north — the crowd was chanting the phrase. [Read The Story »]( Devour pop culture with us. [Subscribe now](for unlimited access to Vulture and everything New York. The Latest TV Recaps • [The Real Housewives of Miami:]( Wicked Witch of the Kardashian West • [Inventing Anna:]( VIP Is Always Better • [Inventing Anna:]( Someone Needs a Chill Pill in Ibiza • [Inventing Anna:]( Fake It ’Til You Make It • [Inventing Anna:]( How Alan Reed Got His Groove Back • [Inventing Anna:]( With Friends Like These … •[Inventing Anna:]( The Universe Had My Back • [Inventing Anna:]( Scam Culture Is Here to Stay [Learn more about RevenueStripe...]( Stories We Think You’ll Like 1. [Recapping the Olympics Men’s Figure Skating With Yellowjackets’ Kevin Alves The actor who plays Travis, a former figure skater himself, breaks down the performances.]( By Megh Wright 2. [An Ode to the Varsity Blues ‘I Don’t Want Your Life’ Speech A ’90s artifact that has endured the ravages of time.]( By Roxana Hadadi 3. [Inventing Anna Is a Long Con With a Dwindling Payoff In elevating its central scammer into some kind of girlboss champion, this bloated miniseries denies its subject the responsibility of her actions.]( 4. [The Liam Neeson Action Genre Deserves Better Than Blacklight This time, he’s a tormented, obsessive-compulsive FBI agent trying to protect his family while also saving democracy.]( By Bilge Ebiri [Learn more about RevenueStripe...]( 5. [Jazmine Sullivan Has Issa Rae Talking Mess on Her Heaux Tales Deluxe You thought you’d start 2022 unscathed from your feelings?]( By Justin Curto [Learn more about RevenueStripe...]( [Today’s Crossword]( What is it to be square, per Huey Lewis and the News. Photo-Illustration: Vulture; Photos by Getty Images and Adult Swim Vulture Recommends We consume it all so you don’t have to. “Beg for You,” the Charli XCX–Rina Sawayama collaboration. It’s a clubby and poignant message to a leaving lover rooted by a wistful piano riff but culminating in [one of the bigger drops we’ve heard]( off Charli’s upcoming album, so far. [Read more from Vulture]( Next week at Union Hall Vulture’s weekly comedy show, Pretty Major, will be hosted by [Marcia Belsky](, [Jay Jurden](, and [Zach Zimmerman](. [Buy tickets here.]( Tuesdays at 7 p.m. Union Hall, Brooklyn, NY If you enjoyed reading Vulture’s daily newsletter, forward it to a friend. Or dive deeper into the Vulture universe with our other newsletters: • [1.5x Speed](: Podcast recommendations and listening notes from Nick Quah, sent every Wednesday. • [Buffering](: Joe Adalian reports on the streaming industry, sent every Thursday. • [The Housewives Institute Bulletin](: For dedicated students of the Reality TV Arts and Sciences, sent every other Friday. • [Vulture 10x10 Crossword](: A puzzle for pop-culture obsessives sent to your inbox every weekday. • [The Critics](: A weekly dispatch on the cultural discourse, sent Fridays. [logo]( [facebook logo]( [instagram logo]( [twitter logo]( [unsubscribe](param=daily) | [privacy notice]( | [update preferences]( This email was sent to {EMAIL}. Was this email forwarded to you? [Sign up now]( to get this newsletter in your inbox. [View this email in your browser.]( You received this email because you have a subscription to New York. Reach the right online audience with us For advertising information on email newsletters, please contact AdOps@nymag.com Vox Media, LLC 1201 Connecticut Ave. NW, 12th Floor Washington, DC 20036 Copyright © 2022, All rights reserved