Pray for Paris | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | April 17, 2020 | |||
Recorded | 2020 | |||
Genre | Hip hop | |||
Length | 41:19 | |||
Label | ||||
Producer |
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Westside Gunn chronology | ||||
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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 | |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
Alan Daniel Maman, known professionally as The Alchemist, is an American record producer and DJ. Critically acclaimed for his sample-heavy production style, he is regarded as one of the most influential producers in modern hip hop and underground rap. His frequent collaborators include Prodigy, Eminem, Action Bronson, Freddie Gibbs, Roc Marciano, ScHoolboy Q, Conway the Machine, Westside Gunn, Boldy James, and Earl Sweatshirt.
Fredrick Jamel Tipton, better known by his stage name Freddie Gibbs, is an American rapper. He signed with Interscope Records in 2006 and recorded his debut album for the label; however, its release was cancelled and he was dropped from the label due to executive shakeups. Gibbs later signed with Young Jeezy's CTE World in 2011 and released a number of mixtapes through the label, including his highly acclaimed Baby Face Killa (2012).
Tyler Gregory Okonma, known professionally as Tyler, The Creator, is an American rapper, singer, and record producer. He has been cited as an influential figure in alternative hip hop during the 2010s.
HipHopDX is an online magazine of hip hop music criticism and news. HipHopDX has over 3.5M monthly readers, the website encompassing hip hop news, interviews, music, and reviews. The website's founder and CEO is Sharath Cherian and the Head of Content is Jerry L. Barrow. HipHopDX is the flagship publication of Cheri Media Group. HipHopDX can be found on X, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
Alvin Lamar Worthy, known professionally as Westside Gunn, is an American rapper and fashion designer from New York City. He co-founded the hip-hop record label Griselda Records in 2012 with his paternal half-brother Conway the Machine and their cousin and fellow rapper Benny the Butcher. Gunn is recognized as one of the faces of the underground 2010s grimey boom bap resurgence, juxtaposing vivid narratives of street life, high fashion, and sample-heavy production.
17 year old self
Bandana is the second collaborative studio album by American rapper Freddie Gibbs and record producer Madlib. It was released on June 28, 2019, by ESGN, Keep Cool Records, Madlib Invazion, and RCA Records. Entirely produced by Madlib, it is the follow-up to their critically acclaimed 2014 album Piñata, and their sixth overall project as a duo. The album features guest appearances from Pusha T, Killer Mike, Anderson .Paak, Yasiin Bey, and Black Thought.
Demond Price, known professionally as Conway the Machine, or simply Conway, is an American rapper and co-founder of the hip hop label Griselda Records, alongside his paternal half-brother Westside Gunn. Acclaimed for his 1990s inspired, dark and gritty lyricism, he rose to prominence following his mixtape Reject 2 (2015) and debut studio album From King to a God (2020). His second album, God Don't Make Mistakes (2022), was released by Shady Records and met with universal acclaim.
Jeremie Damon Pennick, known professionally as Benny the Butcher, or simply Benny, is an American rapper and songwriter. 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 '90s inspired rap songs and is often credited with leading a revival of the so called 'grimy' and 'gritty' hip hop music, influenced by mafioso and drug dealing themes.
This article summarizes the events, album releases, and album release dates in hip hop music for the year 2020.
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This article summarizes the events, album releases, and album release dates in hip hop music for the year 2021.
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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. The album is a sequel to Gunn's 2020 album Pray for Paris. 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.
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