And Then You Pray for Me | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | October 13, 2023 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 75:17 | |||
Label | ||||
Producer |
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Westside Gunn chronology | ||||
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And Then You Pray for Me is the fifth studio album by American rapper Westside Gunn, released on October 13, 2023, by Griselda Records and Empire. [3] [4] [5] The album is a sequel to Gunn's 2020 album Pray for Paris . [1] [6] With guest appearances from AA Rashid, JID, Conway The Machine, Cartier A Williams, Benny the Butcher, DJ Drama, Stove God Cooks, Rick Ross, Estee Nack, Trap-A-Holics, Giggs, Ty Dolla Sign, Keisha Plum, Denzel Curry, Boldy James, EST Gee, Jeezy, DJ Swamp Izzo, DJ Holiday, Peezy, Rome Streetz, and KayCyy, the album features a shift in sound from Gunn's signature boom bap style, incorporating trap elements reminiscent of the late 2000s and 2010s. The album debuted at number 29 on the Billboard 200, making it Gunn's highest commercial debut on the chart.
In April 2023, Westside Gunn announced that the album was to be released on June 23, 2023, but it was later delayed. [7] [8] The album's title refers to a lyric in the song "Eric B" by Westside Gunn, where he raps: "Pray for Paris, then you pray for me." [9] The album's cover was designed by Virgil Abloh using Caravaggio's depiction of The Entombment of Christ. [10] [11]
Aggregate scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
Metacritic | 74/100 [12] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [2] |
Clash | 7/10 [5] |
HipHopDX | 3.8/5 [13] |
Pitchfork | 6.9/10 [1] |
According to the review aggregator Metacritic , And Then You Pray for Me received "generally favorable reviews" based on a weighted average score of 74 out of 100 from 4 critic scores. [12]
Writing for Pitchfork , Matthew Strauss described the album as a "symbiosis between the trap and boom-bap genres" and a "broad, loud, and messy exploration of Gunn's vision for rap and art." [1] Philip Cluff of Clash praised the album's themes writing: "It's not just another gangster rap album but essentially a commentary on the psychological fatigue accompanying ruthlessness of the question young black men inherited from Gil Scott Heron; "Who will survive in America?" [5] AllMusic's review described the album as "sometimes overly familiar if still satisfying." [2] HipHopDX's Riley Wallace described the album as a "mixed bag that relies on the listener's ability to go with the flow." [13]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "Flygod Did" (featuring AA Rashid) |
| Mr. Green | 1:56 |
2. | "Mamas PrimeTime" (featuring JID, Conway the Machine and Cartier A Williams) |
| 4:59 | |
3. | "Kostas" (featuring Benny the Butcher and Conway the Machine) |
| 5:33 | |
4. | "1989" (featuring DJ Drama and Stove God Cooks) |
| Miguel the Plug | 4:11 |
5. | "Suicide in Selfridges" (featuring DJ Drama) |
| Conductor Williams | 2:51 |
6. | "Kitchen Lights" (featuring Stove God Cooks) |
| DJ Benoit | 5:00 |
7. | "Flygod 2x" | Worthy | Dxpe Mikie Beats | 1:47 |
8. | "DunnHill" (featuring Rick Ross) |
| Miguel the Plug | 3:59 |
9. | "House of Glory" (featuring Stove God Cooks) |
| RZA | 3:12 |
10. | "JD Wrist" (featuring Stove God Cooks, Estee Nack and DJ Trap-A-Holics) |
| FlyGod Jr. | 6:19 |
11. | "Disgusting" (featuring Giggs) |
| Miguel the Plug | 4:01 |
12. | "Chloe" (featuring Ty Dolla Sign) |
| Denny LAflare | 3:51 |
13. | "LL Bool Gunn" | Worthy | Miguel the Plug | 2:12 |
14. | "Babylon Bis" (featuring Stove God Cooks) |
|
| 5:04 |
15. | "Ultra GriZelda" (featuring Denzel Curry) |
| Miguel the Plug | 2:28 |
16. | "Jalen Rose" (featuring Boldy James) |
| Daringer | 3:15 |
17. | "Steve and Jony" (featuring EST Gee) |
|
| 2:56 |
18. | "Mr Everything" (featuring Jeezy and DJ Swamp Izzo) |
|
| 2:45 |
19. | "Freddy Js" (featuring DJ Holiday and Peezy) |
| Miguel the Plug | 2:46 |
20. | "The Revenge of Flips Leg" (featuring Rome Streetz) |
| Conductor Williams | 2:40 |
21. | "And Then You Pray for Me" (featuring KayCyy) |
|
| 3:32 |
Total length: | 75:17 |
Notes
Chart (2023) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australian Albums (ARIA) [14] | 81 |
Canadian Albums (Billboard) [15] | 95 |
US Billboard 200 [16] | 29 |
US Independent Albums (Billboard) [17] | 6 |
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard) [18] | 8 |
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