Have you ever initially had an opinion about something, then that opinion changes once you are proven wrong? You probably have. Well, that is not the case for former and current, rapper, “Gucci Mane,” fans. Radric Davis, professionally known by his stage name, “Gucci Mane,” pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon on May 13, 2014. He agreed to a plea deal that would result in him being in prison until late 2016. On May 26, 2016, Gucci Mane was released from prison ahead of his scheduled September date. After he was released, it didn’t take long for the attention focused on him to produce the observation that the artist, while in prison, had changed a great deal.
He was so transformed that some fans insist he has been replaced by a clone hired by the government. The rounded belly, face, and limbs of the old Gucci Mane had been replaced with lean, fit counterparts. He released a statement on Snapchat, saying that he denied the allegations that he was a clone, but still fans continue to believe so. When asked about the clone theory, Gucci explained he sees why people came up with it. “In a way, I feel like I grew. I kind of morphed into a different person. Shed some of my old ways. I can say I grew up. I love the person I was, I love the person I am, and I love the person I grew to be. I tried to lose weight, I tried to take care of myself, change my thinking, my environment and associates—the ones that wasn't benefitting me. I guess that's the transformation everybody's saying they can't believe. But I can believe it.”
Despite Gucci Mane’s efforts to prove his identity, fans still believe he was replaced with a clone. One fan tweeted, “Gucci Mane is home. The CIA secretly released a clone that speaks proper English,” via Twitter. Another fan tweeted, “Gucci’s ice cream cone tattoo on his face is now gone, or really well hidden at least – Definitely a clone.” Gucci Mane’s response to the observation is that his tattoo was poorly constructed, and ultimately faded over the years. Now, in 2019, fans are still believing that Gucci Mane is indeed a clone. Whenever Gucci Mane posts a photo on social media, his comments section is flooded with fans presenting new theories about his identity.
This scenario is a prime example of belief perseverance. In social psychology, belief perseverance is the tendency for people to hold their beliefs as true, even when there is ample evidence to discredit the belief. When faced with evidence that contradicts their beliefs, people may choose to discredit, dismiss, misinterpret, or place little significance on the contradictory information. In this case, Gucci Mane’s fans chose to dismiss the evidence presented by him to prove his true identity. As a result, some fans continue to hold onto their beliefs about Gucci Mane being replaced by a government-appointed clone.