the Assignment
7th November on a Thursday evening; I received a communique from my beloved comrade offering a very complex proposition with a mandate as clear as when the FAR - Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias outlined the primary mission of the MTT - Milicias de Tropas Territoriales. I understood the assignment.
For some time, I have been locked in a reconciliation room with one of my favourite MC’s after he dropped an indifferent project to which I qualified as a “let me down” type of album. The request for a review came about the right time when we had just left the room and absolved him from his missteps, and I was back at proclaiming him the greatest MC again. A masterly crafted piece as his pardon “11” was released on October 31, 2024. For that, he will forever be exonerated. Subsequently, as an intentional illustration of his remission on the 1st Nov 2024, scores were settled. Still praying was released.
“The new moon rode high in the crown of the metropolis, Shinin', like "Who on top of this?" - Mos Def[i]
Enter the Criselda chambers
To understand Westside Gunn, you need to understand New York. You need dive into the essence of what Mos Def’s temporal lobe was vibrating towards. Then you will understand, the Makkah al-Mukarramah of Hip Hop that is New York. New York is to Hip Hop what Makkah is to Islam and Westside Gunn resides in the al-Ka'ba al-Musharrafa.
“…let's describe the inscrutable
The indisputable” – Mos Def[ii]
On the cover of the album is the one known as Sid Vicious, a multi wrestling world champion. For wrestling aficionados, he was an important ally to a much more loved legendary couple of Macho-Man Randy Savage and Miss Elizabeth, to which the couple snippets had over the years created a backdrop commentary on multiple Griselda projects, well my introduction to them were on a tape which later I rated best of Conway i.e. Blakk Tape. I was never that much of a wrestling fanatic however my love for wrestling was unequivocally biased and exclusively for Goldberg. Gritt, brutal, cut-throat, direct, brawly, stillness; it is through him I found stoicism. Goldberg had no time for bullshit and theatrics many wrestlers presented. Little did I know that persona will be one of the integral tools used to help build the person I am. He would later be the one to retire Sid (go argue with your aunt).
For me, Sid was the power bombing monster who had made his name by interrupting wrestling matches leaving the ring totally dilapidated and opponents completely obliterated. This is how he “won” all his championships. It is for this reason; I am convinced Westside chose him as his avatar for the mission at hand. More than anything else, it is the look in his eyes that easily translates Flygod’s intention with this tape.
“…You can't match the raps I create or tracks that I make…” – Conway[iii]
Rap and references
The parallels of wrestling and rap music are well documented, with that said Westside Gunn took it to another stratosphere. I have always seen Westside as Ray Mysterio with all his abilities & dynamism; but to demonstrate the brute-strength and sheer force of his might to rule over this generation of Hip Hop, Sid Vicious had to be a representation. Like when he was on a takeover mission, Hitler had to be his sidekick. I will visit this with more elaborative context when the powers that be affords me an opportunity to do MC profiling, God-willing.
As we delve into this majestic, perfectly crafted rap album. I must first say, no amount of words nor conversations even reviews can best represent any Griselda project let alone Westside Gunn. Having been a Flygod’s disciple for a brief number of years now, I can assure you that this was intentionally designed to be this way for preservation of the art that it is. Griselda in its purest form is a feeling. It is when you listen to the project you get to attain a level of gratification for the masterpiece and truly appreciate what it is.
“187 with Griselda wrote in Arabic
Murder, I'm aware of it 'cause I'm who takin' care of it” – Benny the Butcher[iv]
Grate Raps digging
You are welcomed by the sounds of the architect of Flygod, him being the man behind my all-time favourite Westside Gunn joint; lunchin he is only 2nd to Daringer, his name is Denny Laflare, with his signature usage of horns and the imperfect gritty backdrop music which sets the tone for the album. His style is reminiscent of the Heltah Skeltah – Nocturnal production. From the jump I knew, West ain’t here to play. Only the A+ team was called. No place for Tay Keith, no mediocrity would be allowed here. This is not “…and then you pray for me”. This one is for us.
Denny has been tasked with leading the production team and best capturing what we have known Westside Gunn style to be. The drums on this, oh Lord! The first 4 opening pieces are solely by him. With a legendary introduction by the one & only Justin Roberts, voice many like me who are millennial wrestling fans would surely be accustomed to (good looking out e-tv). Beef Bar sets the tone, now I’m more convinced than ever that I was on the money, my reasons of why Sid Vicious had to be the alter ego in this project were proven to be right. As he proclaims.
“…Can't nobody out here fuck with me…
…Been telling y'all niggas this shit for ten years straight…
…niggas thought I was gon' fall the fuck off or somethin' (undefeated, nigga) …
…Greatest catalogue ever, nigga Who you think these niggas is motherfuckin' idolizin' behind these curtains, nigga? …”[v]
I must say, Westside Gunn finally cracked the code. The recipe attempts finally paid off, Drama found a pocket and stayed on it. His first introduction was tormentingly out of place. I did not agree with his presence but on this one, he is part of the music, unnoticeable. Together with Statik Selektah on the crossfader, they deliver a perfect backdrop to a canvas that only Leonardo would be proud of. There’s another version of the album without DJ Drama, I guess this was in fear of the backlash received on the previous projects, so he tried to accommodate everyone, but it’s not the same with the original as it was conceptualised from the beginning.
By now, it should be very clear that how critical wrestling is to the persona Westside Gunn aka Hall of Hall & Nash fame. Max Caster gets light shone on him, my guess is that Westside will be promoting him as one of his main Wrestler via his Wrestling company Fourth Rope, why would he break the tradition for a newbie? “You better pray, you don't want this beam on your ass 'Chinegun kings, in all black, out the sky like Sting, I live by the ring…Fourth rope master, neck's all in me vs Max Caster”[vi].
On Dr Brit Baker & Bike Air Interlude enters DJ Muggs, being the most trusted affiliate for a long time. No one better than him when it comes to those eerie terrifying sounds to best represent what Westside has duped The Hills Have Eyes so befitting knowing Muggs is the brains behind classic Cypress Hill records. Later, you have Poodie reciting those lines, which reminded me of horrific scenes from the movie The Hills Have Eyes. AA Rashid, it wouldn’t be a Westside Gunn tape without him, however strangely on this one he is introduced later in the project as opposed to the usual first section of the tapes. He delivers another message consistent with what I have already earlier figured out by just dissecting the cover, “…yet again, here we have another profound and extremely intentional display Of both cultural and scientific innovation…” My heart sank a bit with the realisation that I won’t be getting any of Keisha Plum in this project, untraditional. But after her message on “11” I quickly understood why.
Duran Duran knocks Master Splinter out of the sewer and lets him know the underground belongs to Flygod, Lord of all Lords. Westside follows that up with a sucker punch powerful enough to suffocate Yoshi in the multiverse putting an end to any turtle with rodent aspirations. The underground king is finally crowned with Runway Pieces at the Last Super. God-Tier rapping unlocked, that must be the most perfect rap song for 2024.
Hall and Nash reunion baptised by Conductor Williams delivers arguably the best beat of the project on Free Shots. Oh lord, we have a problem. This song is purely meant to be an introduction to the title track, which is my personal favourite on the album, Still praying; this that moment when Avengers came together in Infinity War and as ruthless as the first fight scene in that movie. The Griselda Avengers sit on the table with Westside in the middle like the last supper imagery as they break bread with the King, best served on a dish prepared by Camouflage Monk, it had to be him. Opening the song, is a Hall & Nash classic trademark that was passed down on them by Jadakiss & Styles P. Stove God Cooks just feeds my soul, of all the capos, he is the one. He has to be my next review. The crew shows their Teflon, Griselda aint nuthin to fuck wit. Rome Streetz is a definition of a rapper, this guy raps! Completes the cipher on Underground King. As we have become accustomed to, Free Sly Green enchantment closes the project.
Still Praying is reminiscent of Hitler Wears Hermes 8 – Sincerely Adolf which delivers an ode to MF DOOM. There I go again, another compelling reason on why I need to do MC profiling. All in good time. To an avid rap music listener with basic knowledge of who Wu-Tang Clan is, yet lacking the understanding of a genome make-up of what Wu-Tang really is, would be forgiven for incorrectly thinking this completes the “Praying” Trilogy. However, allow me to pull you out of your novice Griseldaology, this is Hitler Wears Hermes 12.
- just another ol'head
[i] Yassin Bey (Dante Smith), Respiration, Mos Def & Talib Kweli are Black Star (1998) (line 1, verse 1)
[ii] Yassin Bey (Dante Smith), Respiration, Mos Def & Talib Kweli are Black Star (1998) (line 5, verse 1)
[iii] Conway the Machine (Demond Price), Rare Form, Blakk Tape (2018) (line 7, verse 1)
[iv] Benny the Butcher (Jeremie Pennick), Deal or no Deal, Single (2020) (line 1, verse 1)
[v] Westside Gunn (Alvin Worthy), Beef Bar, Still Praying (2024) (monologue)
[vi] Westside Gunn (Alvin Worthy), Max Caster, Still Praying (2024) (line 9, verse 1)
editor's note
It has to get done, we have to publish every Friday at 4am without fail. The dead drop by Just Another Ol’head was on point and it’s a well-crafted redolent mise-en-scene of a Willem Boshoff artwork. ‘I seen it!!!!’, Sharpa would affirm.
Ke 21:03 noulas and way past midnight for motho a robalang le dikgoho(direct translation: someone who sleeps with chickens, meaning: a person who sleeps early). Empa iJob ke spane, it has to be done.
uTata once said, “I like friends who have independent minds because they tend to make you see problems from all angles”. our Company has an internal joke that states that there is clarity in seeing “perpendicular to the square”[i], there is none in our circle and no FAK (Federasie van Afrikaanse Kultuurvereniginge) left.
“Which waay?!” Riky made a call, and the phutheho (congregation) would respond by saying
“This waaaaaay!!!!”
Its 21:51, an odd 48 minutes and 5 drafts later, Done!
[i] The RZA ( Robert Diggs), Triumph, Wu-Tang Forever (1997) (line 2,verse 5)
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