A Glamorous Return to Form: “2000” by Joey Bada$$ reviewed

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by Giovanni Recinos

It’s crazy to think that ten years ago much of the world was first exposed to the witty wordplay of Joey Bada$$ and the Pro Era crew through his cult-classic debut project, 1999. It is even more wild to think that it has been five years since we saw Joey drop an album with 2017’s All-AmeriKKKan Bada$$. All-AmeriKKKan Bada$$ introduced us to Joey’s venture into more radio-friendly singles and his stray away from much of his boom-bap inspired rhymes. While Joey’s fascination for catchier tracks initially made me fear his artistic direction for the future, 2000 is in no way a miss. 2000 is in many ways a mixture of these two projects, with it being a return to his 1999 form, while also acknowledging the major changes of Joey’s lifestyle, sound and the changes in the genre over those years.

If 1999 is Joey’s Ready to Die, then 2000 is his Life After Death, in the sense that Joey’s hunger really shines on 1999, whereas on 2000 Joey loses a lot of that hunger and instead recognizes a much more comfortable rap space that he can call his own. Songs such as “Make Me Feel” and “Zipcodes” really showcase the strengths of most of the project, as the individual songs often stand on their own as aux-cord friendly with its fly style and smooth instrumentation. Many of the songs include co-signs from artists like Nas, and Diddy that at first felt a bit forced, but I have grown to appreciate them. Considering Joey was only 17 when he dropped 1999, it gives the album a nice coming-of-age feel.

Another highlight on the album for me was the song “Brand New 911”. After hearing Joey’s contributions on Westside Gunn’s, “327” I had hoped Joey would nod more to the new Griselda style as it suits him well. This song definitely recognizes some of those changes in the New York style and the two do the song justice.

While the project sounds great, beyond that surface level it can feel a bit disappointing. The album may strive in Joey's captivating style, but its greatest weakness in my eyes is its noticeable feel of lacking true heart in its lyricism. What made 1999 a repeat listen to many fans was its complex lyricism with layers of double and triple entendres, whereas with this project the lack of substance (or even character) makes me less compelled to do a deep dive into Joey’s lyrics.

Ironically, a new “era” has definitely arrived for Joey with the project noticeably lacking any of the Beast Coast or Pro Era crew (outside of production) and that also swipes a lot of my personal interest. A new era may not be a bad thing, but Joey has lost a lot of his brand personality with the loss of the Beast Coast momentum, and friendly competition brought in the past by peers like Meechy Darko, Nyck Caution or Kirk Knight. “Survivors Guilt” is a definite highlight and exception, being the one song that really compels me to follow its lyricism. Other than that most of the album just feels like a collection of songs of braggadocio and glamour. While this is not necessarily a negative in its own, when compared to the level of lyricism on the predecessor, 1999, it could definitely disappoint some of Joey’s fanbase.

Overall the project is super solid, especially when hearing it in pieces. But the real disappointment is Joey taking too long to drop new music. In the future, hopefully Joey will drop music more consistently even if it means less wordplay or depth involved in the projects. Joey’s bold claim, “who the best emcees? Kenny, Joey and Cole” may not be wrong, but he hasn’t dropped enough music to the public to prove that claim. Considering the relationship between Westside Gunn and Joey Bada$$, I have high hopes that Joey could drop more projects. Maybe even a Westside Gunn curated, Joey Bada$$ album at some point. I definitely would recommend this project, but it would be hard to call it my favorite of his.

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Giovanni Recinos is a staff writer.

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Enter the Sensei’s of Rap: How Wu-Tang Definitively Influenced Hip-Hop

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by Giovanni Recinos

Both off the mic and on, the group of nine New Yorkers known as the Wu-Tang Clan would each bring their own different backgrounds, styles and influences to hip-hop culture. Wu-Tang would hit the scene in ‘93 with lyrics about chess, street slang, and marvel comics, all of this while sampling kung-fu flicks. Though these were not common themes in hip-hop at that time, for every reason that the Wu-Tang Clan should not have worked, was another reason that it did. On November 9th, 1993, hip-hop would be changed forever with the release of Wu-Tang’s debut album, Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers).

Before the album’s release, the group’s formation would be as chaotic as you would probably expect from a group of that size. With Ghostface Killah and Raekwon initially starting as street rivals, or RZA and U-God recently leaving incarceration, and members such as Method Man just narrowly escaping death, getting them all into the studio had to be some sort of fate at work. One of the members, RZA, would play a great role in this formation. After being dropped from the label Tommy Boy, he would swear to no longer succumb to the industry’s standards of “hit-making” and would begin producing music that he believed in. The next step in achieving this goal would be bringing together the superpower team to rap over these beats. RZA started in the family, with his cousins, the GZA and Ol’ Dirty Bastard.

The album plays out as a sort of calculated chaos, with no member sounding like another. Though this is the case, they are able to find chemistry through their obvious competitive hunger to deliver the best verse for each track. Whether it was Ghostface Killah’s blunt delivery, Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s sporadic personality or Inspectah Deck’s street knowledge, the groups' varying archetypes were able to find orchestration through the RZA’s guiding direction. While on paper the many topics on the project together could be seen as nonsensical, each members’ ability to bounce energy off one another turns it from just a bunch of ingredients, to a dish. With the Wu-Tang’s choices of themes and styles playing the critical “spices and flavors” that made their “dish” stand out from the rest. It should also be noted that a large percentage of the album’s success should be accounted towards Wu-Tang’s style and branding. With their grimy and low budget music videos, the iconic “W” logo, and chants including the famous, “SUUUU.”

Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) would be an instant hit launching the careers of every member exponentially. Many labels including Def Jam Records would aim to sign the nine piece, but many of them would fail as they wanted to sign the group as solo members along with the group deal. RZA, who played the main role in deal making, would not allow this to happen as he wanted to infect the Wu-Tang brand through the entire industry, not just through one label. The group would eventually sign a group deal with Loud Records, with that solo deal freedom included. Method Man would be first, signing to Def Jam Records.

The Wu-Tang debut album would mark the beginning of Wu-Tang and RZA’s powerful streak of solo and group projects. With Method Man’s catchy Tical, following in 1994. Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s grimy and oddball personality on Return to the 36 Chambers: The Dirty Version, Raekwon’s mafioso movie inspired, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx…, and GZA’s lyrical masterpiece, Liquid Swords in 1995. Ghostface Killah would bring back his back-and-fourths with Raekwon on  his debut, Ironman in 1996. Lastly, ending with Wu-Tang’s more mature follow up project Wu-Tang Forever in 1997. A majority of these projects would be almost solely produced by RZA. All of this does not even include the great list of features provided by the members to classic albums including Moment of Truth by Gang Starr, All Eyez on Me by 2Pac and even newer records all the way up to the recent release of Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers by Kendrick Lamar.

The Wu-Tang debut set the groundwork to inspire generations with each of these projects further creating their own sub-genres and sounds. For example, RZA would be one of the first, if not the first, to adopt the “chipmunk samples” that would become a staple to early Kanye West production. Ghostface Killah would also adopt the persona Tony Starks or “Ironman” which would inspire artists such as MF DOOM or CZARFACE to adopt their own comic book inspired identities. Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s chaotic sound would open the floodgates to many experimental rappers including Mos Def, Danny Brown, JPEGMAFIA and others. Raekwon would help establish mafioso rap in New York and beyond, which would be carried into classic albums like Jay-Z’s, Reasonable Doubt, Notorious B.I.G.‘s, Life After Death and Pusha T’s, DAYTONA. The Wu-Tang Clan were not lying when they said they were for the children, as they would become strong idols and influencers to all kinds of future artists, whether they were from the East or West.

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Giovanni Recinos is a staff writer.

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Curating Consistently Remarkable Raps: “Peace ‘Fly’ God” by Westside Gunn reviewed

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by Luke Modugno

The role of a curator is that of immense importance. They are tasked with manifesting a feeling, manufacturing a profound message and fashioning a space, project or exhibition to radiate a specific cognitive sensation. 

Westside Gunn embodies what it means to be a distinguished curator of rap music, something that was made palpably clear on his latest record Peace “Fly” God. 

The Griselda boss’ rapid output has slowed to halt in 2022, with the majority of his focus likely on his forthcoming studio album Michelle Records, set to be released at some point this year. Before the arrival of Michelle Records, Gunn has decided to bless fans by digging into the vault to unleash some loosies. 

Peace “Fly” God is a classic Westside Gunn experience. A star-studded lineup of producers assisting him in locating his signature grimey, rugged sonic palette, grandiose raps that are personified by esoteric luxury and streetwear brand flexes, and who can forget the famed Westside Gunn adlibs?

Juxtaposing flipping packs on the corner with now “looking like a Margiela model at the Guggenheim,” perhaps the track “Big Ass Bracelet” is the quintessential model of a flawless Gunn record. Pushed along by a dusty 70’s soul sample that suits his eccentric delivery, wordplay and adlibs swimmingly, “Big Ass Bracelet” is a clear standout on Peace “Fly” God. The song is also vastly benefited by its guests, Keisha Plum and Griselda newcomer Stove God Cooks. 

Appearing on four of the ten tracks, Stove God continually shows throughout Peace “Fly” God that he is undoubtedly destined for underground stardom. On the Madlib-produced “Horses on Sunset,” Stove God’s menacing, drably delivered hook drapes smoothly over the gloomy piano and drum loop. His tone injects energy on “Derrick Boleman,” sprucing up Madlib’s drumless, contorted violin loop. Stove and Gunn have evidently formed a chemistry, as their pairing across this record produces excellence. In some instances, Stove God completely steals the show (“Horses on Sunset”). Along with Peace “Fly” God being a thrilling preview for Michelle Records, it simultaneously acts as yet another reason to keep your eye on Stove God Cooks. 

With Peace “Fly” God, it seems that Gunn has found a fortuitous balance of experimentation and consistency. While he’s keeping his foot on the pedal, moving the needle in terms of molding the sound of the underground on tracks like “Danhausen,” Gunn also understands and plays to his strong suits on songs like “Big Ass Bracelet.” 

Perhaps the only two reasons to be a detractor of Peace “Fly” God comes with the project’s opening tracks. “Jesus Crack” is a bloated mess made worse by a subpar feature from Estee Nack that spans three minutes. “Ritz Barlton’s” stumbling piano sample paired with Nack’s off-beat delivery fits like a square peg in a round hole, creating a nearly unlistenable song.

Additionally, in favor of fast-tracking the release of the project, Gunn elected to forgo mixing and mastering Peace “Fly” God. While this is abundantly clear during the forever-humorous Cussing Pastor’s outro on “Derrick Boleman'' and “Flip V. Phil,”  Gunn doesn’t sacrifice much here by skipping that part of the process. After all, Griselda has built an empire on that same trademarked jagged-edged sound. 

For now, Westside Gunn has presented yet another quality body of opulent coke rap music with Peace “Fly” God. Defined by its peaks and valleys that ultimately restrain it from being considered among elite Gunn projects, if Peace “Fly” God, is constructed of the throw-aways of Michelle Records, we are in for a treat when Gunn chooses to drop it.

favorite tracks:

Big Ass Bracelet (feat. Keisha Plum & Stove God Cooks)

Horses on Sunset (feat. Stove God Cooks)

Derrick Boleman (feat. Stove God Cooks)

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Luke Modugno is the editor-in-chief.

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Boldy James is strictly business on new album “Killing Nothing”

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by Sydney Fluker

Boldy James does not waste time. 

Six months after dropping “Super Tecmo Bo” with frequent producer The Alchemist, James is back with the full length project “Killing Nothing.” Produced entirely by Los Angeles clothing and production collective Real Bad Man, “Killing Nothing” shows that even after over a decade in the underground game, James is still continuing to rise. 

While James’s most notable works come from The Alchemist, “Killing Nothing” is his second project with Real Bad Man after finishing out his four-project run in 2020 with “Real Bad Boldy.”

“Lyrically, a lot of rappers are so caught up in what everything thinks they’re supposed to be doing, that they don’t kill records anymore,” James said on his new record. “I feel like even though I don’t make the biggest energy records, or club records, for girls to shake their ass too, I feel like I got the most consistent flow in the game… There are others who try their hardest, but they ain’t killing nothing or letting nothing die.”

Everything he said can be felt through the record.

Echoing D.J. Premier’s production on “N.Y. State of Mind” on opening track “Water Under the Bridge,” James wastes no time setting up the album for what he’s known for — tight, almost punch-like bars about drug trade. Despite lacking the vocal range found in rappers like Childish Gambino and Drake, James’s monotonous vocals are still notable. 

No time is wasted throughout the album  — James keeps it short and sweet, ending songs early when the story is told and relying on lyrical flow to deliver his message. Staying true to himself, there are no overly flashy choruses or background beats, making his music feel personal to him and with each song taking the listener on a journey through various successful drug trade experiences.  

While there are no outright earworms, some tracks are catchier than what one would expect from a previous James album. “All the Way Out,” one of the two singles from the project, feels more upbeat than a normal Boldy beat, but he holds it down with bars like “Airing shit out only way I know how to vent.” On “Ain’t No Bon Jovi,” James tackles it alone, spitting over the soulful Madlib-esque beat with a smooth flow that’s riddled with hip hop references. 

“Medellin” features an unexpectedly catchy chorus and jazzy background instrumentals, with CRIMEAPPLE almost outshining James with his Spanglish feature. “We the Medellín, while these n***** just be medellin,’” will probably get stuck in your head for hours, but the subtle reference to the Medellín Cartel led by famous drug lord Pablo Escobar is a true Boldy move.  

On “Cash Transactions,” the chorus is catchy but simple and just about sums up James’s entire discography — “I’ll probably never love this rap shit more than these cash transactions/I got a passion for sellin’ drugs.” James leaves no room for confusion about what he does, owning the good, bad and ugly that comes with drug trade. 

The second half of the album brings it back to Boldy, where he goes solo for the final six tracks. Real Bad Man’s diverse production keeps it lively, providing steady beats for Boldy to body alone. Despite not having a ton of records out, Real Bad Man and Boldy James have apparent chemistry that will hopefully return in the future. The mysterious beat on “Sig Sauer” is the perfect background for James to deliver sharp bars about his version of success, with “Amiri denim with the clip hanging/See the strap pokin’ in my Chrome Heart.”

“Killing Nothing” shows the beauty of Boldy James — despite the rate at which he releases mixtapes and albums, nothing ever feels repetitive or reused. Throughout his discography, he holds his own against impressive features and notable producers, building a name for himself as an active rapper addicted to the game. Forever original, James will continue to surprise and thrive in the underground. 

favorite tracks:

Medellin (feat. CRIMEAPPLE)

Cash Transactions (feat. Knowledge The Pirate)

Sig Sauer

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Sydney Fluker is a staff writer.

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Continuation of Excellence or Lack of Innovation? “It’s Almost Dry” Review

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by Asher Ali

Pusha T’s status as one of the most preeminent figures in “cocaine rap” has been in the work since he went under the moniker of Terrar as one half of the duo Clipse. Layered over beats almost exclusively produced by none other than Pharrell Williams, Terrance Thorton and his brother Gene slang bars like they were on a street corner.  

Push then caught the eye of Kanye West, and after signing with GOOD Music label in 2010, Thorton was promoted to company president two years later, and has been guided by Ye’s production and industry insight to a fruitful solo career. Push’s “DAYTONA” in 2018 was an elaborate composition arranged by West that took Push’s sound to new heights far and above what other coke rappers were doing then.  

Now, the duality of Push’s past career has conjoined on his newest project “It’s Almost Dry,” featuring six songs produced by Pharrell and six songs produced by West. The two hip hop maestros go toe to toe bringing some of the most solid beats heard this year, but outside of a few of tracks, this album doesn’t advance Push’s sound, much less the sound of contemporary coke rap.  

Pharrell immediately kicks it back to the Clipse days with “It’s Almost Dry’s” first track “Brambleton.” A smooth kick drum driven beat comes with Push’s malfeasance bars that cover his young life in Brambleton, Virginia where his mother worked and his adverse feelings toward ex-Clipse manager Anthony Gonzalez, who aired some dirty laundry with Push in a recent interview Gonzalez did with VladTV.   

Push immediately jumps onto another, more bombastic Pharrell beat with “Let The Smokers Shine The Coupes” where Push paints himself as the “coke game’s Dr. Seuss.” 

The first Ye backed track is introduced third on the track list with “Dreamin Of The Past” which is both lifted and brought down by Kanye. The track soars thanks to a well-pulled sample from Donny Hathaway’s “Jealous Guy” that lifts Push’s fluid drug-laced bars to a euphoric plane. As Push’s final verse fades, listeners are bombarded with an unwelcome verse from West, an awkwardly mixed 30 second feature the West rounds out with an uncomfortable line about how his family is currently unsafe.

Ye once again manages to be the greatest advocate and detriment for Push on “Rock N Roll” the alleged final song with Kid Cudi and West. Once again, a beautifully assembled beat on Ye’s end comes with a heinous guest verse from him, this one sounding more like the nonsensical bars that Kanye gave on the first rendition of DONDA 2. Cudi’s hook sounds muffled and over-produced as well, while Push delivers some strong verses about his premiere status at the top of the rap and the drug-dealing game.  

At his best on this album, Pusha T is elaborating on the narrative of authenticity, or lack thereof, in a world of glamor and fame. The two singles on the project, “Neck & Wrist” and “Diet Coke” address the lengths that people will go to fabricate a glamorous drug lifestyle in order to avoid actual hardships.  

“Neck & Wrist” sees Push and feature Jay-Z spitting over a whining synth and sharp piano key beat while they boast about a lifestyle they live but others pretend to have. HOV’s cutthroat line, “y’all spend real money on fake watches shockingly,” getting to the core of the absurd lengths people will go to construct facades.  

“Diet Coke” then expands on why people aspire to have a certain kind of life but aren’t willing to assume the risks.  

It seems on the latter portion of this project that Thorton lost motivation to push any boundaries however, which is disappointing when listeners come to expect that from him and his pen constantly. Not only did Push lose interest, but it appears Pharrell did too on “Call My Bluff” which is completely dry of energy and motivation.  

“Scrape It Off” is definitely this album’s attempt at a top charting club banger, featuring Don Toliver on the hook and Lil Uzi Vert. Toliver is as reliable as ever giving an ethereal hook, but Uzi phones in his verse and Push doesn’t bring an interesting flow to spice up the track on its back end.  

The final three songs on the albums are decent in their own right, but all come off as watered-down versions of more innovative cuts Push had earlier on the album. Even the final track “I Pray For You” doesn’t do much despite a beautiful intro and a Malice feature to rekindle a Clipse cut.  

“It’s Almost Dry” comes out strong to show that Push is still among the one of the most elite in the game, but a weak back half of the project doesn’t propel him to the new heights that people wanted to see. 

Favorite tracks: 

Just So You Remember 

Neck & Wrist (feat. JAY-Z & Pharrell Williams)

Dreamin Of The Past (feat. Kanye West)

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Asher Ali is a staff writer. Follow him on Twitter.

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We Can't be Stopped: Geto Boys' Influence Permeates Through Modern Rap

by Giovanni Recinos

The Geto Boys is a Houston hip-hop group that is most commonly recognized for their smash hit “Mind Playin Tricks on Me,” released in 1991. However, their true impact on hip-hop culture is often overlooked.

Geto Boys' music laid a lot of groundwork for sub-genres and common topics in hip-hop today such as: horrorcore, mental health topics and mafioso raps. While these topics are much more normalized in today’s hip-hop scene, at the time, Geto Boys were threatened by censorship for their detailed and hardcore lyricism. Despite these challenges, the Geto Boys would be the first to propel Southern artists into hip-hop conversations.

Courtesy of USA Today.

While the group had received many changes to its lineup over the years, the most notable members are Scarface, Bushwick Bill and Willie D. While those names may not click right away, you most likely have encountered all three of these rappers. Scarface, first known as Akshen, is often regarded as one of the greatest rappers of all time. Scarface has offered features to many classic records by rappers including Freddie Gibbs, Jay-Z and Gang Starr. His often direct and dirty mafioso raps worked hand in hand with the adoption of his new stage name “Scarface,” which was inspired by the 1983 film. Most recently, Scarface was featured on part 1 of the Jeen-Yuhs documentary, listening to Kanye West’s “Family Business.”

Bushwick Bill on the other hand was immediately a breakthrough for the industry. Standing at 3 feet and 8 inches tall, “Little Billy” was often the most aggressively twisted lyrically and was notable for his often off-beat delivery. Though, Bill’s most recognizable appearance in hip-hop would probably be his appearance on Dr. Dre’s, The Chronic track “Stranded On Death Row” where Bushwick provided vocals for the intro and outro.

Last is Willie D or the “Gangsta of Love,” who’s lyrics were often regarded as extremely misogynistic, but he should also be noted for calling out the music industry's racist double standards. His most notable reference in hip-hop is probably on Ice Cube’s famous N.W.A. diss track, “No Vaseline.” On the track, Ice Cube quotes Willie D’s lyrics saying, “Willie D told me to let a ho be a ho, so.”

No Radio, Talk show or Magazine: Geto Boys Uncensored.

Though the Geto Boys would originally debut in 1988 with their project, Making Trouble. This album would flop, leading to a change in line-up and of content for the group. With the newly added Scarface and Willie D, their lyrics would shift towards more aggressively detailed lyrics about sex, murder and violence on their second project Grip it! On That Other Level. Though at this point, this was nothing new for the hip-hop genre, as N.W.A. was already going through censorship issues for “Fuck The Police” and their supposed “glorified gangsterism.” 2 Live Crew also had members arrested in 1990 for playing their album which was deemed as “obscene” and therefore banned in certain parts of Florida.

Courtesy of Columbus Calling.

The Geto Boys played their own role in the fight against censorship on their self-titled release, which contained both new and remixed tracks with the help of Rick Rubin. While the project was originally supposed to be distributed by Geffen Records, they refused to release the record stating, “I've never been frightened by a record before in my life, but for me the graphic details of the violence were really frightening. Finally we decided that we have a right as a private company to decide what kind of materials we want to be associated with, and this one, we decided, went too far.”

This project would later be released under WEA (now Warner Music) and would be the only WEA project to be released with an Explicit Content sticker along with this text, “Def American Recordings is opposed to censorship. Our manufacturer and distributor, however, do not condone or endorse the content of this recording, which they find violent, sexist, racist, and indecent.”

The Geto Boys would later call out the racism associated with these choices made by many of the music industry's distributors and manufacturers, as other albums with racist content towards minority groups were not given the same treatment. On their next project, We Can’t Be Stopped, they would call out the racism of the industry that they were being challenged by, arguing “It’s on the news every hour, why can’t I talk about it?” The choice to fight against the industry played a huge role in making music a place of free expression for many artists in the future such as: Tyler the Creator and Eminem.

mr. scarface is back.

Courtesy of Vulture

Springboarding off of the gruesome organized crime motifs of the Scarface movie, along with the creation of the mafioso genre often, the Geto Boys played a huge role in setting the foundation of many elements of contemporary rap. Their debut album, Making Trouble, had already used samples from the Scarface film, but what really made the Geto Boys usage of the film stand out was their track “Scarface.” This track solely featured rapper Scarface, who at this point in his career was named Akshen. After the release of this track, Akshen would officially become Scarface and would later drop his debut album, Mr. Scarface is Back.

This project would really push the mafia aesthetic further in ways that were not really done before in hip-hop. The album cover has obvious inspiration from the film with its use of aesthetics and extreme imagery such as shotguns and cocaine.

While rappers from New York pushed the growth of the genre to what it is today, the Geto Boys and Scarface were some of the first artists to go into topics such as detailed murder and violence. These extremities in juxtaposition with the money received from these criminal activities, would become a huge factor in some of the most critical Mafioso projects such as Raekwon’s, Only Built 4 Linx… or Kool G Rap and DJ Polo’s Live and Let Die. The latter of which both Bushwick Bill and Scarface would feature on, emphasizing their influence on these artists. Without the Geto Boys, it is reasonable to question where the careers of rappers such as Freddie Gibbs, Griselda and Pusha T would have landed topically.

with birth comes death.

“Flashes, I get flashes of Jason. Gimme a knife, a million lives I’m wasting,” said Bushwick Bill in 1989. Since then, the horrorcore genre has grown immensely popular, touching artists such as Tyler, the Creator, Eminem and Three 6 Mafia. The group wasn’t just referencing horror movies, but also pairing it with eerie beats, psychotic mindsets and detailed violent content.

One of their most iconic horrorcore tracks is the track “Chuckie” which samples the 1988 film, Child’s Play. This track features Bushwick Bill solely, with him playing on his noticeably short height, stating, “I told you size wasn’t shit, so I murdered your nieces.” The graphic details related to murder and the abstract stream-of-consciousness on the track would affect the genre heavily, with obvious influence on the writing styles of Eminem’s Slim Shady LP and Marshall Mathers LP.

While this was the case, Scarface’s duality in the horrorcore genre should also be recognized. While Scarface was detailing violence and murder, Scarface was also detailing a more reflective side, often detailing his paranoia and depressions that brought these horrors to his mind. This is best showcased on “Mind Playing Tricks on Me,” where Scarface introduced a lot of mental health related topics to hip-hop and how they have brought out certain grim actions to his life. The Geto Boys overall did a ton for hip-hop and should be recognized for their influence on the trajectory of the genre. Rest in Peace Bushwick Bill.

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Giovanni Recinos is a staff writer.

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Day N Vegas Vlog // Kendrick Lamar, Baby Keem, Tyler the Creator, Griselda, Teyana Taylor, & More!

Day N Vegas was undoubtedly one of the best weekends of our lives so we're very excited to bring to you this year's vlog which includes interviews and exclusive concert footage from your favorite artists

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400 Million Dollars Worth of Game: ‘Pray for Paris’ Album Review

By Courtney Fields

Westside Gunn. Photo: Gilbert Carrasquillo/GC Images

The Harlem Renaissance was a black intellectual, social, and artistic explosion in Harlem, Manhattan, New York City, spanning through the 1920s. After four long years of hard work led by Westside Gunn, Benny The Butcher, and Conway, it has become evident to the rap world that Griselda has started their own Renaissance.

On April 17th, 2020 Pray for Paris was released independently through Griselda Records. The Album Art is a story in itself being that it is based on the painting David with the Head of Goliath by Italian painter Caravaggio, who is considered to be “The Second Michelangelo.” Like Caravaggio, Westside Gunn is a product of some of the greats like Raekwon and Ghostface Killah. Said influences are exactly what makes Pray For Paris a gritty, graceful, imaginative, and ambitious album.

The album begins with an intro titled “400 Million Plus Tax'' which is an excerpt from an auction; which is a testament to the confidence of Westside Gunn.

The album then shifts to “No Vacancy”, a track that embodies the true grit and grace that the album’s artwork achieves on its own. The track is an anecdote of Gunn’s drug, crime, designer clothing, luxury car filled life; played over some of the most beautiful keys you’ll ever hear. Nothing is more heartwarming to a rap fan than hearing menacing lyrics over such heavenly production.

Griselda’s big three, Westside Gunn, Benny The Butcher, and Conway take us to “George Bondo”, A track where we see the three men not even try to “acclimate” to their new surroundings. If anything, this track is an explanation for Gunn’s entire career, a man that can say something like “Just shot a nigga on the anklet”, but then go hang out with Virgil Abloh at a fashion show. We even get to hear Benny The Butcher say, “I get you whacked at The Venetian for blasphemous speakin’ ”. Basically, on “George Bondo” we get a glimpse at the intersection point between the streets of Buffalo, NY and the three rappers’ newfound elitist status in the world of music - two worlds that are equally as crooked as they are beautiful.

On “327” Gunn, Joey Bada$$ (it feels good to be able to say we’ve gotten a new Joey verse), and Tyler, The Creator brag about the lifestyles their fame has allowed. I’m sure we can all agree that hearing Gunn brag about keeping a gun in the armrest of his Benz, Joey hanging with Diddy and Jay-Z, and Tyler bragging about his glittery fingernails is pretty worthwhile.

Tracks 8 and on is where we get to see the true grit of Gunn and his friends.

“$500 Ounces'' is a standout track of 2020, let alone the album. In just one verse, Freddie Gibbs sums up what makes him Freddie! He details friends looking out for him, selling drugs, and having trust issues; to then just chalk it up to the way God set his life out to be. Freddie even sneaks in the bar, “Kobe died, I swear a nigga might cry when I watch the Lakers, damn”. I’m not sure if anyone was ready to hear that line. Roc Marciano absolutely destroys the track with his melanin bar, “The MAC-11 hit your melon and crack it” A double entendre that had me pause the track if I’m being honest. Roc’s MAC-11 bullets are cracking skulls (hit your melon and crack it), but the words “melon and” also serve as the word “melanin” insinuating that black don’t crack.

 This review can’t end without mentioning track 10, “Claiborne Kick” which features Boldy James. Boldy sets a scene like no other, hearing him rap about his past is almost like watching a slideshow of his life. Boldy’s lyrics are cold and harsh, you don’t just hear what he’s saying, you feel it. His lyrics literally pop off of your phone as you’re reading the lyrics on Genius.

In its essence, Pray For Paris is, in my opinion, art at its purest form. This album is the truth, really. It perfectly embodies what it’s like to be black in America. We take our past with us everywhere we go, most of the time we try to escape it; but Gunn and the rest of Griselda want us to embrace all avenues of our blackness wherever we are. I mean, he had Virgil Abloh put diamond chains on a painting of David and Goliath. Gunn takes his true self wherever he is, whether it’s at Paris Fashion Week with Virgil Abloh, whacking guys at The Venetian with Benny The Butcher, or listening to Tyler, The Creator choose the next color of glitter for his fingernails.

Favorite Tracks

327 (Feat. Joey Bada$$ & Tyler, The Creator)

$500 Ounces (Feat. Freddie Gibbs & Roc Marciano)

Claiborne Kick (Feat. Boldy James)

Rating: 8.5

Listen to Pray for Paris here:

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