Pray for Paris | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Studio album by | ||||
Released | April 17, 2020 | |||
Recorded | 2020 | |||
Genre | Hip hop | |||
Length | 41:19 | |||
Label | ||||
Producer |
| |||
Westside Gunn chronology | ||||
|
Pray for Paris is the third studio album by American rapper Westside Gunn. It was released on April 17, 2020 through Griselda Records with distribution by Empire Distribution. The album was produced by Daringer, Beat Butcha, the Alchemist, DJ Muggs, and DJ Premier. It features guest appearances from Benny the Butcher, Conway the Machine, Joey Badass, Tyler, the Creator, Boldy James, Freddie Gibbs, Roc Marciano, Wale, Joyce Wrice, Billie Essco, Keisha Plum, and Cartier Williams. The album debuted at number 67 on the Billboard 200.
Westside Gunn announced he was recording a project called Pray for Paris after having attended Virgil Abloh's Off-White Paris fashion show on January 18, 2020. [1] He revealed the album's artwork on April 3, 2020. [2] The cover was created by Virgil Abloh using Caravaggio's David with the Head of Goliath . [3] During the album's recording Westside learned he had contracted COVID-19 and recounted having to do promotion for the album while suffering symptoms from the virus. [4] "A few days before dropping the album, Westside revealed that he contracted COVID-19 but has since recovered. "I have a confession to Make I’m a Corona Survivor," Westside wrote on IG. "I didn’t want anybody feeling sorry for me I had to thug it out for weeks I didn’t get to see my kids I went to the hospital feeling like I was breathing my last breath the fans and the love I was getting kept me strong." [5] Before the album's release, Westside Gunn and Virgil Abloh live-streamed the entire project on Twitch. [6]
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
And It Don't Stop | A− [7] |
Earmilk | [8] |
Exclaim! | 8/10 [9] |
HipHopDX | 4.2/5 [10] |
Pitchfork | 8/10 [11] |
The Young Folks | 7/10 [12] |
Tom Hull | B+ ( ) [13] |
Pray for Paris received critical acclaim from critics. At Album of the Year, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 77 based on six reviews. [14]
Gregory Castel of Earmilk stated "Pray for Paris is a soulful yet, grimey masterpiece. This album is a handpicked selection of high-level artists, in lyricism, soulful production, and visual artwork". [8] Riley Wallace of HipHopDX said, "Pray For Paris seems to show Gunn resisting being boxed-in artistically. For some critics who may have found past offerings more of an acquired taste, this is the camp’s most inviting project to date". [10] Alphonse Pierre of Pitchfork stated "The Buffalo rapper continues his unlikely ascent into hip-hop stardom with an album of feverish excess and the best raps of his career". [11] In his Substack-published "Consumer Guide" column, Robert Christgau said that "this album enjoys old-fashioned hip-hop materialism with dauntless esprit". [7] Exclaim! reviewer A. Harmony said "Though Gunn's vintage sound might not work for everyone, Pray for Paris is a total delight for those who want to reminisce without feeling stuck in the past". [9]
In another positive review, Dylan Green of DJ Booth stated "In the age of streaming and playlists, Pray For Paris further solidifies Westside Gunn as an album artist. He knows how to craft experiences from start to finish, what beats sound best next to each other, which features will yield the wildest results". [15] Ryan Middleton of Magnetic Magazine said, "Despite this album having the sheen of opulence and examining fuck you money at the outset, it remains grounded with an ear to the streets." [16]
Publication | Accolade | Rank |
---|---|---|
Complex | Top 50 Albums of 2020 – Mid-Year | 5 [17] |
Top 50 Albums of 2020 | 9 [18] | |
Consequence of Sound | Top 50 Albums of 2020 | 41 [19] |
Crack Magazine | Top 50 Albums of 2020 | 41 [20] |
Exclaim! | Top 33 Albums of 2020 – Mid-Year | 26 [21] |
Uproxx | Top 50 Albums of 2020 – Mid-Year | 29 [22] |
Top 50 Albums of 2020 | 40 [23] |
No. | Title | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "400 Million Plus Tax" | 1:09 | |
2. | "No Vacancy" | DJ Muggs | 1:35 |
3. | "George Bondo" (featuring Conway the Machine and Benny the Butcher) | 4:44 | |
4. | "327" (featuring Joey Badass, Tyler, the Creator and Billie Essco) |
| 5:49 |
5. | "French Toast" (featuring Wale and Joyce Wrice) | Camoflauge Monk | 4:48 |
6. | "Euro Step" | Conductor Williams | 1:50 |
7. | "Allah Sent Me" (featuring Conway the Machine and Benny the Butcher) | Daringer | 4:50 |
8. | "$500 Ounces" (featuring Freddie Gibbs and Roc Marciano) | The Alchemist | 4:13 |
9. | "Versace" | Jay Versace | 2:05 |
10. | "Claiborne Kick" (featuring Boldy James) | The Alchemist | 3:17 |
11. | "Shawn Vs. Flair" | DJ Premier | 2:22 |
12. | "Party Wit Pop Smoke" (featuring Keisha Plum) | Tyler, the Creator | 2:14 |
13. | "Le Djoliba" (featuring Cartier Williams) | Bohemia Lynch | 2:23 |
Total length: | 41:19 |
Chart (2020) | Peak position |
---|---|
US Billboard 200 [24] | 67 |
David with the Head of Goliath, dated c. 1600-1601, is a painting by the Italian artist Caravaggio (1571–1610), housed in the Kunsthistorisches Museum Gemäldegalerie, Vienna. Peter Robb believes it was acquired by the conde de Villamediana in Naples between 1611 and 1617, as Giovanni Bellori records Villamediana as having returned to Spain with a half-figure of David by Caravaggio.
Tyler Gregory Okonma, known professionally as Tyler, the Creator, is an American rapper and record producer. He is one of the founding members of the music collective Odd Future. Okonma has won two Grammy Awards, three BET Hip Hop Awards, a BRIT Award, and a MTV Video Music Award.
Alvin Lamar Worthy, known professionally as Westside Gunn, is an American rapper. He is a co-founder of independent hip-hop label Griselda Records. He is the brother of rapper Conway the Machine and cousin of rapper Benny the Butcher, both of whom he frequently collaborates with. Westside Gunn has released five studio albums in addition to an extensive catalog of mixtapes. Gunn was affiliated with Shady Records from 2017 to 2020, but has since returned to independent status.
Virgil Abloh was an American fashion designer and entrepreneur. He began his own line of luxury streetwear clothing, Pyrex Vision, in 2012, and became the chief executive officer of the Milan-based label Off-White, a fashion house he founded in 2013. Abloh was also the artistic director of Louis Vuitton's menswear collection beginning in 2018, and was given increased creative responsibilities across the LVMH brand in early 2021.
Fever is the third and debut commercial mixtape by American rapper Megan Thee Stallion, released on May 17, 2019, via 300 Entertainment and 1501 Certified. Primarily produced by LilJuMadeDaBeat and written by the rapper herself, it also features guest appearances from rappers DaBaby and Juicy J. Fever is a hip hop record driven by minimal bass-heavy trap production. It is widely considered by music critics as Megan Thee Stallion's mainstream breakthrough.
Demond Price, known professionally as Conway the Machine, or simply Conway, is an American rapper. Alongside his paternal half-brother, Westside Gunn, and cousin, Benny the Butcher, Conway was a member of Griselda Records. On February 21, 2022, Conway announced his departure from Griselda Records.
Erys is the second studio album by American rapper Jaden, released on July 5, 2019, through MSFTSMusic and Roc Nation. It is the follow-up to 2017's Syre, and features collaborations with Tyler, the Creator, Trinidad James, ASAP Rocky, Kid Cudi, Lido, and Willow. The lead single "Again" was released on July 2.
Jeremie Damon Pennick, known professionally as Benny the Butcher or simply Benny, is an American rapper and song writer. He came to prominence in 2018 following the release of his debut album Tana Talk 3. Along with his cousins and fellow rappers Westside Gunn and Conway The Machine, with which he forms the collective Griselda, he is known for his 90's inspired rap songs and is often credited with leading a revival of so called 'grimy' and 'gritty' hip hop music, influenced by mafioso and drug dealing themes.
WWCD is the debut studio album by American hip hop group, Griselda. It was released on November 29, 2019, by Griselda, Shady, and Interscope.
This article summarizes the events, album releases, and album release dates in hip hop music for the year 2020.
"Shake the Room" is a song by American rapper Pop Smoke, featuring fellow rapper Quavo, from the former's second mixtape, Meet the Woo 2 (2020). The two artists wrote the song with its producer 808Melo. It was released as the mixtape's second single on March 28, 2020. The song was solely produced by the latter of the three. A drill track, it sees Pop Smoke and Quavo rap about someone who understands the streets.
The Allegory is the eighth studio album by American rapper Royce da 5'9". It was released through eOne Music on February 21, 2020. It features guest appearances from Benny the Butcher, Conway the Machine, KXNG Crooked, Cyhi the Prynce, DJ Premier, Eminem, Grafh, Sy Ari da Kid, T.I., Vince Staples, Westside Gunn, and Cedric the Entertainer among others. Production was handled by Royce da 5'9" himself on all of the album's tracks, making it his first album to be entirely self-produced.
Alfredo is a collaborative studio album by American rapper Freddie Gibbs and American hip hop producer The Alchemist. It was released on May 29, 2020, through Gibbs' own record label ESGN Records, as well as ALC Records and Empire Distribution.
From King to a God is the debut solo studio album by American rapper Conway the Machine. It was released on September 11, 2020, by Griselda Records, Drumwork and Empire Distribution. Production was handled by eleven record producers: Beat Butcha, Daringer, Alchemist, DJ Premier, Erick Sermon, Havoc, Hit-Boy, Khrysis, Murda Beatz, Rockwilder and Signalflow Music. It features guest appearances from Armani Caesar, Benny the Butcher, Dej Loaf, El Camino, Flee Lord, Freddie Gibbs, Havoc, Lloyd Banks, Method Man and Westside Gunn. A deluxe version was released on December 18, 2020.
This article summarizes the events, album releases, and album release dates in hip hop music for the year 2021.
Call Me If You Get Lost is the sixth studio album by American rapper and producer Tyler, the Creator. The album was released on June 25, 2021, through Columbia Records. The album is narrated by DJ Drama and features guest appearances from 42 Dugg, YoungBoy Never Broke Again, Ty Dolla Sign, Lil Wayne, Domo Genesis, Brent Faiyaz, Lil Uzi Vert, Pharrell Williams, Teezo Touchdown, Fana Hues and Daisy World. Tyler produced the album himself, with additional production contributed by Jamie xx and Jay Versace.
Mach-Hommy is a Haitian American rapper and record producer. He is well-known for his reclusive nature, concealing his real name and face in all public appearances. This behavior has led him to be described as "one of hip-hop's most elusive artists".
Pray for Haiti is the twenty-second studio album by Haitian-American rapper Mach-Hommy. It was released on May 21, 2021, through Griselda Records and Daupe! Production was handled by Camoflauge Monk, Conductor Williams, Denny LaFlare, Cee Gee, DJ Green Lantern, Messiah Muzik, Nicholas Craven and Sadhu Gold, with Westside Gunn and Mach-Hommy serving as executive producers. It features guest appearances from Westside Gunn, Keisha Plum, Melanie Charles and Tha God Fahim.
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. The album is a sequel to Gunn's 2020 album Pray for Paris.
Jahlil Gunter, known professionally as Jay Versace, is an American record producer and former internet personality. He began posting comedy videos onto Vine as a teenager and amassed over three million followers on the platform, before turning to music production for the first time in 2018. He has since produced songs on albums such as SOS (2022) by SZA, Call Me If You Get Lost (2021) by Tyler, the Creator, and Scarlet (2023) by Doja Cat.