Westside Gunn: Pray for Paris (2020) (Hip-hop)

Westside Gunn is a real mothafucka who like many rappers of his cloth, has tasked himself with the continuation of grimy hardcore hip-hop. His voice is distinct, nasally, what I would imagine a sneer or a grimace to be translated in sound. And you can never get away from his constant ad-libs (Ay yo, bo bo bo bo bo booom, rrrrr etc). This and his cold raw delivery on the "trap" have been cornerstones of Westside Gunn's music. This album is no different. The production is laid back, dark yet embellished, handled by producers like The Alchemist and DJ Premier, at times jazzy sometimes more boom-bap inspired, the beats, for the most part, are successful in inducing a twisted but luxurious aesthetic. Though Westside and the guest performances may be cold, there is only so far that his laidback delivery and subject matter can get him. With too many songs sounding similar, the potency of Westside's delivery gets washed out and often feels inconsequential. It is too bad that Westside Gunn does not manage to effectively progress his style past previous efforts and his deliveries seem like he is on auto-pilot. 

Best Tracks: George Bondo, 327, Eurostep, Allah Sent Me, 500$ Ounces

C-

Gangsta Rap/Hardcore Hip-hop/ Jazz Hip-hop