Westside Gunn: AND THEN YOU PRAY FOR ME - is just okay (Album Review)

 Westside Gunn, the charismatic and gritty voice of Griselda Records, is back with his latest album, "And Then You Pray for Me." A follow up on the 2020 album “Pray for Paris”. Westside Gunn together with the other Griselda members Benny the Butcher and Conway the Machine, has been a force to be reckoned in the HipHop scene over the last couple of years. Because of this I had to check out the latest project by Gunn. 

While "And Then You Pray for Me" offers glimpses of Westside Gunn's lyrical prowess and ability to craft immersive soundscapes, the project, unfortunately, falls victim to its own ambition. Clocking in with a lengthy tracklist, the album's pacing becomes a bit overwhelming, diluting the impact of the standout tracks. The mixture of more traditional
BoomBap style rap and the more newer Trap sound, just colliedes in a way that the album ends up being a bit all over the place. 

There's no denying the strength of certain songs that capture Gunn's signature flair, However, I believe that the more impressive performances are shown by the guest features, such as JID, Stove god Cooks and Benny the Butcher. But unfortunately the project is burdened with several tracks that fail to meet the high bar set by Griselda's past releases. These weaker moments make the album feel stretched, leaving me longing for a more concise and impactful experience.

In conclusion, "And Then You Pray for Me" is a mixed bag, offering both moments of brilliance and instances where the project loses its focus. While Westside Gunn's authenticity and storytelling ability are undeniable, the album could benefit from a more selective curation of tracks. Despite its shortcomings, there is still some song that are a nice listen, but its a shame that the whole 21 tracklist doesn't deliver the same. This album is just good.