Brick Squad—also known as 1017 Brick Squad—is a hip-hop record label and collective founded by Gucci Mane in 2007. It became one of the most influential movements in trap music, launching the careers of artists like Waka Flocka Flame, Chief Keef, and Young Thug. The name refers to a housing project in Atlanta where Gucci Mane grew up, and the brick is a symbol of both foundation and hardness. Brick Squad is not just a label; it is a sound, a style, and a cultural moment that defined Atlanta hip-hop in the 2010s.
Definition
Brick Squad (1017 Brick Squad) is a hip-hop record label founded by Gucci Mane in Atlanta, Georgia. It is associated with the trap music subgenre, characterized by heavy bass, aggressive lyrics, and production by artists like Lex Luger and Southside. The collective has been a launching pad for some of the most important rappers of the 2010s.
Why It Matters
Brick Squad matters because it changed the sound of hip-hop. Before Gucci Mane and Waka Flocka Flame, trap music was a regional sound. After them, it was global. The aggressive, stripped-down production—808 drums, rapid hi-hats, shouted hooks—became the template for modern hip-hop and pop. Brick Squad also introduced the world to Chief Keef, who brought drill music from Chicago to the mainstream, and Young Thug, who redefined what a rap vocal could be. The label’s influence is so deep that it is easy to forget how radical it sounded when it first emerged.
Example
A producer in Stockholm, making a beat for a K-pop group, uses 808 drums and rapid hi-hats. They have never been to Atlanta. They have never met Gucci Mane. But they are making Brick Squad music. That is the reach of the sound.
Internet Angle
Online, Brick Squad is a legend. The label’s chaotic history—feuds, arrests, betrayals, and reunions—has been documented in YouTube documentaries, Reddit threads, and Twitter retrospectives. Gucci Mane’s own transformation from wild outlaw to fitness icon and entrepreneur is a narrative that the internet loves. The phrase “Brick Squad” also appears in memes, as a signifier of authenticity in a world of manufactured rap. It is old-school trap, and old-school trap is now classic.
Related Terms
- Gucci Mane — the founder of Brick Squad and a trap music pioneer
- Waka Flocka Flame — the Brick Squad artist who defined the aggressive sound
- Trap music — the genre that Brick Squad popularized
- 808 drums — the signature percussion sound of Brick Squad production
- Chief Keef — the drill rapper who emerged from Brick Squad connections
- Young Thug — the experimental rapper who started with Brick Squad
- Atlanta hip-hop — the regional scene that Brick Squad dominated