If you have yet to understand the impact of Westside Gunn's vision, look no further than his brand new album Pray For Paris. Inspired by the high art that lines his walls, Gunn's approach to crafting a project mirrors that of a painter eying a canvas. Who else would ever dream of bringing Virgil Abloh's designs to boom-bap? Yet here we are, thanks to Westside's unqiue approach to curation, a Midas touch that has led to a full-blown bar-heavy collaboration between himself, Joey Bada$$, Tyler, The Creator, and Billie Essco on the hook.
Taking to some smooth production from Camo Monk, West sets it off with an effortless verse; though he's quick to praise his fellow groupmates as the superior emcees, there's no denying that Gunn's swagger carries over into his delivery. As such, he's capable of hanging with any of the younger generation's finest lyricists, including the Badmon himself. "That's way back when we used to cypher Arizonas,
now I'm in that Maybach, I'm with Puff and Hova," boasts Joey, sparking further hype for his next release.
And while both he and West put in work on their respective verses, there's something undeniably welcome about hearing Tyler, The Creator bar out like the good old days. Given his stylistic swerve into melodic territory, it's easy to forget his clever wit and made-for-rapping voice make for a deadly combination. "Glitter on my neck match the glitter on my fingernails, n*** always got something to say, well fuck 'em," raps Tyler. "Same guys was Mighty til they got to Duckin."
Check out the highlight track now, and peep the whole Pray For Paris album right here.
QUOTABLE LYRICS
A n***'ll try to kill you for your recipe
My shooter nasal drip flowin heavily, duckin my third felony
Take his shine, two for five, me and mines
Runnin' from suit and ties, you say you the flyest then who am I?
Balenciaga with the heel, lemonade a popular drink still
VLONE jean jacket rockin, so be real
Over pots, I'm too exquisite
