Westside Gunn on Legacy, Wrestling & His Final Rap Chapter | XXL

Westside Gunn, the Buffalo-born rapper and entrepreneur, is entering 2026 with a sharpened focus on legacy, family, and a diversified creative portfolio. Beyond his critically acclaimed music, Gunn is making significant strides in fashion and professional wrestling, all while carefully planning what he describes as a graceful exit from the rap game.

Gunn’s 2025 saw the release of 12, an album he initially approached as a response to personal tragedy. Following the death of his brother, Big Dump, Gunn felt a renewed purpose. “It was kind of like I was just not wanting to do sh*t anymore, for real, but then something just came over me,” he explained. “I just wanted to do a classic. A modern-day classic, which I felt 12 was. It’s phenomenal from top to bottom.” The album’s success provided a foundation for a year marked by collaborations with brands like Corteiz and Saucony, and the launch of his wrestling promotion, Fourth Rope.

The Heels Have Eyes mixtape series emerged as a strategic extension of the Fourth Rope brand. Gunn explained the series as a way to introduce a wider audience to his wrestling venture. “Heels is just a mixtape series to me. 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 to 2026, Gunn has a packed schedule. He’s preparing for his first international tour, kicking off with a show at Paris Fashion Week. This tour, he suggests, may be a singular event. “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.”

Fourth Rope, born from Gunn’s long-held passion for professional wrestling, represents a significant investment of both time and capital. He describes the venture as an escape and a source of therapy. “It’s an escape for me. It’s therapy for me. It keeps the kid in me alive and everybody needs that.” He detailed a history of attending wrestling events, studying the industry, and building relationships with performers. The promotion, co-owned with Smoke DZA, is quickly gaining traction, offering a unique blend of entertainment that appeals to both wrestling fans and followers of the Griselda Records brand.

Gunn and DZA are deeply involved in the creative aspects of Fourth Rope, writing storylines and ensuring a high-quality experience for attendees. “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 importance of delivering a compelling show, even for those unfamiliar with the world of professional wrestling. “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.”

Musically, 2026 will see the release of Awesome God 3 in March, a project Gunn has been developing for some time. He also plans to collaborate with Stove God Cooks on a project titled Michelle Records. Beyond these releases, he hints at potential future collaborations with Conway the Machine and Benny the Butcher, suggesting a possible reunion of the core Griselda lineup. “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 tension between himself, Conway, and Benny, Gunn acknowledged the challenges of maintaining a collective while individual careers flourish. “Because they just don’t see us together. 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. 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.” He emphasized his role in curation and supporting the careers of others, often without receiving due credit.

Gunn expressed frustration with the current state of A&R within the music industry, lamenting the lack of experienced guidance. “F**k yeah. 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.”

Gunn is approaching a point where he envisions stepping back from the demands of being a recording artist. He anticipates Awesome God 3 being his final album, allowing him to focus on his other creative endeavors – art, fashion, and nurturing emerging talent. “I honestly feel Awesome God 3 will be my last album. 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 reflects on the changing landscape of hip-hop, acknowledging the resurgence of veteran artists and the opportunities it presents. “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.”

Gunn’s ambition extends beyond personal success. He wants to be remembered as an innovator who changed the game. “He changed the game. It’s no other Westside Gunn. 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.” He hopes to leave a lasting impact on hip-hop culture, one defined by artistic integrity, entrepreneurial spirit, and a commitment to pushing boundaries.