Gunna Receives South Fulton Proclamation In Amazing Post-RICO Turnaround

Gunna turned a Sunday afternoon in Atlanta into something way bigger than just a 5K run, and the city took notice by handing him one of its highest honors.

Mayor Carmalitha Gumbs presented the rapper with a proclamation during the Wunna Run Club 5K along the Beltline, from Westside to Southside Trail, recognizing his work both locally and globally.

The event drew 1,600 runners, joggers, and walkers of all experience levels, with proceeds going directly to Gunna’s Great Giveaway nonprofit that supports Atlanta-area families.

Gumbs made it clear that his contributions extended far beyond music, saying he’s touched families and children throughout South Fulton despite facing serious challenges along the way.

The proclamation came just days before Gunna Day, which the city first recognized back in 2021 to honor his community service and positive influence on young people.

That same year, he opened Drip Closet and Goodr Grocery Store at his former school, Ronald E. McNair Middle School, providing free food, clothing, shoes, and essentials to students and their families.

This moment is significant because of the contrast with where he was just a few years back.

In December 2022, Gunna took an Alford plea to a racketeering charge in the controversial YSL RICO case, which let him maintain his innocence while accepting that the prosecution had enough evidence to convict.

He was sentenced to five years in prison, with one year commuted to time served and four years suspended, effectively letting him walk free.

Running became his outlet during that chaos. He started hitting trails near his Arizona home to clear his head and block out the noise, and it evolved into something that transformed his entire approach to discipline and focus.

“I’m in a good space, a good mental space right now,” he told Men’s Health in a recent feature. “It’s not just because of the music. It’s because of the discipline. It’s because of the journey. I feel like it goes together now. Can’t do one or the other. Fitness and music go together for me.”

He works out five or six days a week, mixing full-body strength training, boxing, and running into his routine.

The Wunna Run movement has expanded globally, with events in Brooklyn, Toronto, Washington D.C., Miami, London, Johannesburg, Houston, and Los Angeles, and according to CBS News Atlanta, Under Armour is now an official sponsor of the initiative.

His fitness journey represents something deeper than aesthetics or performance metrics. It’s about reclaiming his narrative after the legal system tried to define it for him.

The proclamation from South Fulton isn’t just recognition of what he’s built; it’s validation that he’s moved past the darkest chapter of his life and created something meaningful in its place.