WESTSIDE GUNN - & THEN YOU PRAY FOR ME ( ALBUM REVIEW )

AYO, welcome to Westside Gunn's latest and most skit-packed album. This joint is all about fashion, mysticism, and that wild psychosis. Dropped on a Friday the 13th, Gunn's take is that the street's evil comes from paranoid burnout, not a lack of inspiration, but too much hype in a world that couldn't care less. Westside's dark vibes aren't new, but what's poppin' is the features and beats, straight fire.

Gunn sets the stage early, with that "ancestors in our greatness" vibe. But the Stevie Wonder reference on the first track ("God bless the child that's got its own") tells us it's not just about pushing hip-hop, but all of Black music. It's like a remix of hip-hop history, mixing street life and old-school wordplay. Still, there are a few weak rhyme schemes from Conway The Machine, but he adds some brainy flavor, playing the street disciple to Gunn's lyrical mastermind.

The beats in the first half are like a crime movie, taking cues from Alchemist's vibe with artists like Freddie Gibbs and Curren$y. This ain't club bangers or gym jams; it's more like house party tunes where stuff could pop off any minute.

Gunn's mix of style icon swag and street violence is a fresh twist. He ain't acting like he's above the streets now; he's navigating new problems with the same hustle that got him here. It's all about not getting comfy and staying on your grind, just like Pusha T taught us. The spooky lyrics go perfectly with the eerie auto-tuned vocals.

DJ Drama brings that hype, adding a little extra to the beats. Even the track names like 'Suicide in Selfridges' paint a picture of nightmares and the struggle of making music and surviving the hood's attention. It's like the soundtrack to those iconic moments from shows like 'The Wire' and 'Gomorrah.'

The grand piano chords on 'Kitchen Lights' match Stove God's stop-and-start flow. The guest features are here to shake things up, to question the price of hustling and the street life.

Gunn gets militant, like 'Amherst Station.' He's fighting to control, not to escape the streets. It's like he's saying, "I love rap, it changed lives," just like Kendrick Lamar's 'To Pimp A Butterfly.' It speaks to the grind during the Obama and Trump years.

Rick Ross brings a lively feature; it's not his usual laid-back style, it's fight music. The Tchaikovsky sample at the start of 'House of Glory' shifts the vibe to something soulful, taking us back to Mary J Blige's Bad Boy days.

'JD wrist' brings back that trap chaos, perfect for a Saturday 3am jam. Then on Sunday, it's time to repent, as Gunn reminds us. The reference to 50 Cent's 'Window Shopper' shows how rap's changed from flashy to life-or-death.

The track sequencing is on point, proving Earl Sweatshirt wrong about traditional album structures. The brass in the beats is heavy and competitive. Ty Dolla $ign's melodic vibes don't quite fit but give us a break from the heavy lyrics.

When Gunn drops that line, "the same nigga who brought you Pray For Haiti," it's a watershed moment. It reminds us he's not a passing trend; he's an institution.

Even the romantic voices on the album are ready for action. Boldy James drops some head-banging verses, even if they're not his best. The album gets more sexual towards the end but saves the best for second to last with 'The Revenge of Flips Leg.' It's a new sound, and Westside Gunn slays it.

The closing track has some R&B heartbreak vibes, and Gunn gets introspective. "How the hell do I rap on the west side?" he asks, taking us into his creative process.

In just over an hour, Gunn dives into the modern hip-hop nightmares without an ego trip. This ain't just another gangster rap album; it's a commentary on the exhaustion Black men face. Westside's last studio album leaves a mark, showing he's still got that unique vibe without selling out. ✌️💯🔥

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Rating 7/10