4/5
Crack Music.
Clips of Pusha T's career highlights of underground, urban legend bury you in snow like a Young Jeezy trap in Winter. Whether it's 'Grindin'' with The Neptunes and Clipse brotherhood for all the hip-hop N.E.R.D.'s. Or giving Kanye a G.O.O.D. Friday, week-after-week like it was Easter, before getting down with Mr. West Music's 'Cruel Summer', 'Clique'...clique...clique. But following his brother Malice finding the Lord like Pastor Ma$e, after the long awaited 'Hell Hath No Fury'. Your pusher like Curtis Mayfield has been going solo dolo for almost a decade now, following 2013's 'My Name Is My Name'. King Push's last album 'Daytona' was four years ago. But now in the first quarter of the year he gives us one of 2022's best already with his fourth record and last LP for Def Jam, 'It's Almost Dry'. All as the ink is still wet on the pages of the is rhyme book legends next contract. Yeah...we know that's not what it means, but here's another hip-hop classic worthy of all the mics from the man who made more off cocaine than Joey Crack. Check the sample. Even the Snowman from the ATL couldn't shovel this much white that could break Scarface's desk for all you wannabe Tony Montana's, looking like Hannah, not Miley. But cutting this crack music down the middle are super producer's Pharrell Williams from back in the day AND Kanye West from his one-man career recharged resurgence. Because this jam that is most certainly def also finds itself on the G.O.O.D. Music imprint. And what results isn't a mismatch of styles that go to war over substance, but a product of the twin careers of the solo and group icon who remains "a legend in two games like Pee Wee Kirkland."
It ain't hard to tell from the amazing artwork of an album the same that Basquiat or Jay-Z (he's here too) would be proud of. Even if we thought that infamous Instagram pic of Lana Del Rey would have been the perfect serve. Just wait for the remix down the bannisters like chemtrails over the country club. 'Dry' that leaves the competition Sahara opens with the brilliant 'Brambleton' that is a Neptune's produced prolific classic as Pusha T pushes raps to a tee like, "had a million answers, didn't have a clue/why Michael kissed Fredo in 'Godfather II'." Yeah, we knew it wasn't just us. We still think about that one too. Just like Jack White starting his first of two new albums this year with the raucous buzzsaw of both 'Taking Me Back' and the title track 'Fear Of The Dawn' to begin this month, T doesn't let up like a buzzkill. '(Letting) The Smokers Shine The Coupes' and calling himself the "cocaine Dr. Seuss" with more under the hat as Horton hears this who. But it's 'Dreamin' Of The Past' featuring Donda's own Kanye West sick sampling Donny Hathaway covering Lennon live that will leave everyone who didn't make this record a jealous guy. "Didn't have to reinvent the wheel, just a better design/Critics: "He's out of his mind"; haters: "He's out of his prime" (I began to lose control)/Yet, always where the money's at like lottery signs/Still I climb, rockstar, Third Eye Blind," Pusha raps on the standout for all those 80's babies who grew up with 90's bands like this. Asking you to "pass the champagne to the champion", whilst Kanye's braggadocious raps talk about abilities to buy the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air mansion in the wake of the Will Smith slap. But spoiler alert, he doesn't like the kitchen. No sale!
Sinks, faucets and flambé raps get thrown as this Grammy family rapper spits at you like Will trying to put out that house fire, or the one in his career right now (but forgive a man for his mistakes. Even one so out of order. 10 years?! You kidding me?! You give Weinstein that much, Academy?). 'Neck and Wrist' shining with Pharrell and Jay-Z is obviously the big single that doesn't lie, but how about the B.I.G. lyric on this banger like the fourth of November? "They like,"if BIG was alive, Hov wouldn't be in this position/if BIG had survived, y'all would have got The Commission", Shawn says in yet another lyric to add to his legacy of legendary lines like Jay Electronica's last album. We need new Hov like '4:44' as The Carter mourns and bigs up his brother. All whilst lamenting The Commission and what would have been one of the greatest supergroups of all-time (like his murderous one with Ja Rule and the late, great DMX), let alone the best name for one ever. 'Just So You Remember' like 'Diet Coke' and all the tracks that fizz and bang as soon as they are pulled like the ring. Kiss the finger that wears one as there is a crown to watch on this throne too. You can surely tell the difference between a king and prince. Or what's real and what's Pepsi. Don't misunderstand like Dr. Pepper. But for all the big numbers here, it might be the 'Rock N Roll' with the kids that see ghosts in Kanye and Kid Cudi that really keeps this with music cracking. Or maybe it just really helped me with my last set in the gym. Power bar music like Jeezy, with a great hand on 'Call My Bluff'. Re-upping and getting it for cheap with Chanel expensive raps with Lil Uzi Vert and Don Toliver ('Scrape It Off') and Nigo ('Hear Me Clearly'). But after 'Open Air' airs out the remaining competition like a latched window the final curtain for Def Jam is a classic in the making for all the collaborations here from 'Ye to Jay and Skateboard P in-between. Great British rapper and singer Labrinth bakes up a beautiful chorus like only he can, but on the classic closer 'I Pray For You', Pusha T puts his hands together with his brother Malice one more time. Passing the mic to the pastor. And as Malicious asks, "what did I miss", the chills that go down your spine remind you of the new millennium movie like excitement of rap. The bars that come next in this multiverse, we simply don't want to spoil like a Spider-Man movie. Just heat it up yourselves. They found their way home. In a last contractually obliged album that samples 50 Cent's 'Window Shopper', Rick Ross' 'Free Mason' and Fat Joe's 'Get It Poppin'' amongst some Verzuz verses nothing hits harder on this pure white. If this really is it for Def Jam, how about we push a Clipse reunion for Star Trak? Live long and prosper. It's still not dry. TIM DAVID HARVEY.
Playlist Picks: 'Brambleton', 'Dreamin' Of The Past (Feat. Kanye West)', 'Rock N Roll (Feat. Kanye West & Kid Cudi)'.
No comments:
Post a Comment