[5] He signed with Young Thug's YSL Records, an imprint of 300 Entertainment in 2016,[6] and rose to fame with his third mixtape, Drip Season 3 (2018).

[7] It moderately entered the Billboard 200, while his collaborative mixtape with fellow Georgia rapper Lil Baby, Drip Harder (2018), peaked at number four on the chart.

Its lead single, "Drip Too Hard" peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100, received diamond certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and was nominated for Best Rap/Sung Performance at the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards.

On May 11, 2022, Gunna was arrested two days after alleged co-conspirator Young Thug in a 56-count RICO indictment against the YSL record label.

[18] Gunna was introduced to rapper Young Thug through Keith "King" Troup, a mutual friend and community figure who died in December 2015.

He was later featured alongside rappers Travis Scott and Gucci Mane on Thug's song, "Floyd Mayweather", from his commercial mixtape Jeffery.

[25] On April 17, 2018, Gunna released a single titled "Sold Out Dates" featuring Lil Baby, a close friend and frequent collaborator.

Six days later, on April 2, 2020, he released a collaborative track with producer Turbo and Young Thug, titled "Quarantine Clean", referencing the COVID-19 pandemic.

[30] On July 24, 2020, he released the deluxe edition, with eight more songs, featuring additional guest appearances from Yak Gotti, Future, Nav, and Lil Uzi Vert.

On August 14, 2020, Gunna and hip hop collective and record label Internet Money released the single "Lemonade", featuring Don Toliver and Nav.

The track would proceed to be one of the biggest hits of 2020, peaking at number six on the Billboard Hot 100, and was eventually certified 4× platinum by the RIAA.

[32] The record featured guest appearances from Travis Scott, Drake, Rowdy Rebel, Lil Baby, Lil Uzi Vert, Coi Leray, Big Sean, Nav, Skepta, Future, YNW Melly, Yung Bleu, Sheck Wes, Kid Cudi, and Meek Mill, and debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 albums chart, moving 113,000 album-equivalent units in its first week.

The album features guest appearances from Future, Young Thug, 21 Savage, Drake, Kodak Black, Chlöe, Lil Baby, G Herbo, Nechie, Chris Brown, Yung Bleu, and Roddy Ricch.

[40] Following the release of the song "Prada Dem", featuring Offset, Gunna announced the title of his fifth studio album in April, 2024.

The album features guest appearances from Offset, Normani, Leon Bridges, and Roddy Ricch and debuted at number two on the US Billboard 200.

[43] On May 14, 2024, Gunna was featured alongside Jamaican rapper Skillibeng on the song "Jump" off of South African singer Tyla's debut album.

[44][45] In February 2022, Gunna teamed up with sustainable food waste management and hunger relief company Goodr to open a free grocery store at Ronald E. McNair Middle School, which he attended as a teenager.

[46] In May 2022, Gunna and Young Thug were among 28 persons associated with YSL Records who were charged in a 56-count RICO Act indictment filed by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis.