Westside Gunn | |
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Background information | |
Birth name | Alvin Lamar Worthy |
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Born | Buffalo, New York, U.S. | July 27, 1982
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Alvin Lamar Worthy (born July 27, 1982), known professionally as Westside Gunn, is an American rapper and fashion designer. 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. [1] 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.
Since 2005, he has released five studio albums in addition to a wide catalog of mixtapes and Extended plays. Gunn was affiliated with Shady Records from 2017 to 2020, but has since returned to independent work.
Westside Gunn released his first mixtape in 2005, however his career was derailed by run-ins with law enforcement. Gunn did not release any music from 2006 to 2011. [2]
In 2012, Westside Gunn co-founded the Griselda Records label with Conway the Machine and Mach-Hommy. [3] Gunn was inspired to revitalize his career by the shooting of his brother Conway that same year, which left him with permanent disabilities, as well as by the 2006 murder of his cousin Machine Gun Black. Gunn's first project for Griselda was the mixtape Hitler Wears Hermes. While the name attracted controversy for its reference to Adolf Hitler, Gunn explained that the name is a play on The Devil Wears Prada . [2]
Over the next few years, Gunn released a steady stream of mixtapes and EPs, including multiple sequels to Hitler Wears Hermes, on the Griselda label. Gunn's official studio album debut was Flygod, released on March 11, 2016.
On March 3, 2017, Griselda Records signed a deal with Eminem's Shady Records, making Westside Gunn and Conway the first rappers from Buffalo to sign with a major label. [3] After signing with Shady, Gunn played at Coachella, Firefly and Governors Ball. [4] On October 2, 2020, Westside Gunn released his Shady Records debut, Who Made the Sunshine , his only solo project with Shady Records.
Shortly after signing with Shady Records, Westside released Flygod Is Good... All the Time, as a collaborative EP with producer Mr. Green. [5] Ambrosia For Heads named 2018's Supreme Blientele one of the best albums of 2018. [6] He also signed with Roc Nation alongside label mate Benny the Butcher on August 6, 2019, under a management deal. [7]
On April 17, 2020, he released his third studio album, Pray for Paris . The album has features from artists such as Tyler, the Creator, Wale, Joey Badass and Freddie Gibbs. [8] On July 3, 2020, Westside Gunn released his tenth mixtape Flygod Is an Awesome God II, the sequel to his July 2019 mixtape Flygod Is an Awesome God. The album features guest appearances by frequent collaborators Benny The Butcher, Keisha Plum, Boldy James, and Daringer. [9]
On November 14, 2020, in an interview with Joe Budden, Gunn announced he had fulfilled his contractual obligations to Shady Records and had become an independent artist. [10]
In 2021, he starred in the film Conflicted, which received mixed reviews. [11]
Also in 2021, he released two songs titled "TV Boy" and "Julia Lang". The song "Julia Lang" was titled after fashion entrepreneur Julia Lang. [12] Both songs would eventually be included in his mixtape Hitler Wears Hermes 8: Side B, released later that year. In 2022, Westside Gunn stated on X that he would be retiring from rap music at the end of 2023. [13]
On October 13, 2023, Westside Gunn released his fifth studio album And Then You Pray For Me with features from AA Rashid, JID, Conway the Machine, Benny the Butcher, Stove God Cooks, Rick Ross, Giggs, Ty Dolla Sign, Keisha Plum, Denzel Curry, Boldy James, EST Gee, Jeezy, Peezy, Rome Streetz, and KayCyy. The album is a sequel to Pray for Paris, with both album's covers created by late American fashion designer Virgil Abloh. Westside Gunn has stated that the album will be his last, though he will continue releasing new music. [14]
Gunn has stated within various interviews that he's a "devout wrestling fan" and often references this within his song lyrics and song titles. He often can be seen in the front-row seats of the audience of Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, Major League Wrestling, WWE and All Elite Wrestling events. He maintains friendships with wrestlers Parker Boudreaux, Lio Rush, Finn Bálor, Bianca Belair, Montez Ford, Montel Vontavious Porter, Sonjay Dutt, Daniel Garcia, and Myron Reed. When asked who were his top 5 wrestlers on fellow rapper Smoke DZA's "Personal Podcast", he stated "It always changes but Hulk Hogan, The Rock, Bret Hart, The Undertaker and Chris Benoit". [15] On the September 7, 2022 edition of AEW Dynamite , Gunn escorted wrestler, close friend and fellow Buffalo native Daniel Garcia to the ring to face Wheeler Yuta in an ROH Pure Championship match, which Garcia won. [16] He later accompanied Swerve Strickland during his AEW World Championship defense at AEW All In 2024 , alongside Bun B, DJ Whoo Kid and Flash Garments, where Strickland lost to Bryan Danielson. [17]
Gunn frequently collaborates with other artists, several of whom are from the 1990s era of hip hop that inspires his own music. Artists such as Conway The Machine, Benny The Butcher, AA Rashid, Keisha Plum, Stove God Cooks, Armani Caesar, Rome Streetz, Boldy James, Estee Nack, as well as producers Daringer, The Alchemist, Conductor Williams, Beat Butcha, DJ Muggs, JR Swiftz, SadhuGold, Camoflauge Monk, and Denny Laflare make up Gunn's go to collaborators. He has also worked with DJ Premier, Pete Rock, Raekwon, Black Star, Busta Rhymes, Slick Rick, Black Thought, Joey Badass, Travis Scott, Freddie Gibbs, JID, Denzel Curry, Tyler, the Creator, and Rick Ross, among others.
Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | ||||
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US [18] | US R&B/HH [19] | US Ind. [20] | AUS [21] | CAN [22] | ||
Flygod |
| — | — | — | — | — |
Supreme Blientele | — | — | 26 | — | — | |
Pray for Paris |
| 67 | 39 | 8 | — | — |
Who Made the Sunshine |
| — | — | — | — | — |
And Then You Pray for Me |
| 29 | 8 | 6 | 81 | 95 |
Title | Mixtape details | Peak chart positions | |
---|---|---|---|
US [18] | US Ind. [26] | ||
Hitler Wears Hermes | — | — | |
Hitler Wears Hermes 2 |
| — | — |
Hitler Wears Hermes 3 |
| — | — |
Hitler Wears Hermes 4 |
| — | — |
Hitler Wears Hermes 5 |
| — | — |
Hitler Wears Hermes 6 |
| — | — |
Flygod is an Awesome God |
| — | 17 |
Hitler Wears Hermes 7 |
| — | 47 |
Flyest Nig@@ in Charge, Vol. 1 |
| — | — |
Flygod is an Awesome God 2 |
| — | — |
Hitler Wears Hermes 8: Sincerely Adolf | — | 34 | |
Hitler Wears Hermes 8: Side B |
| 196 | 34 |
Peace "Fly" God |
| — | — |
10 |
| 183 | 29 |
Still Praying |
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Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
US [33] | US R&B/HH [34] | US Rap [35] | AUS [36] | CAN [37] | WW [38] | |||
"Keep My Spirit Alive" (Kanye West featuring Conway the Machine and Westside Gunn) | 2021 | 59 | 28 | 23 | 41 | 51 | 51 | Donda |
"Lost Forever" (Travis Scott featuring Westside Gunn) | 2023 | 46 | 22 | 20 | 71 | 39 | 47 | Utopia |
As lead artist | ||||
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Year | Album | Title | Director | Featured artist |
2015 | Flygod | Mr. T | One Dream Films | |
2016 | There's God and There's Flygod, Praise Both | Peter Luger | ||
Hitler Wears Hermes 4 | Summerslam 88 | n/c | ||
Flygod | Over Gold | One Dream Films | Meyhem Lauren | |
2020 | Pray For Paris | Euro Step | The Wizard | |
Allah Sent Me | Benny The Butcher, Conway The Machine | |||
2021 | WHO MADE THE SUNSHINE | Liz Loves Luger | Chariot Pictures | Armani Caesar |
Hitler Wears Hermes 8 | Julia Lang | Revenxnt | ||
2022 | 10 | FlyGod Jr | The Daily Gems | Doe Boy, DJ Drama |
Mac Don't Stop & Nigo Louis | n/c | |||
Peppas | The Daily Gems | Black Star | ||
2023 | Super Kick Party | |||
BDP | Rome Streetz, Stove God Cooks |
As featured artist | ||||
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Year | Artist | Title | Director | Other featured artists |
2016 | Conway the Machine | Rex Ryan | Mobile Kitchen Sound | Roc Marciano |
2019 | DJ Premier | Headlines | Jason Goldwatch | Conway The Machine, Benny the Butcher |
2020 | RMR | Welfare | Cameron Dean | |
2021 | Mach-Hommy | Folie à Deux | The Daily Gems | Keisha Plum |
Brady Watt | The Narcissist | Jim Warren & Alexandra Derderian | DJ Premier | |
2022 | Conway The Machine | John Woo Flick | Langston Sessoms | Benny the Butcher |
Meyhem Lauren | Trigger Point Therapy | n/c | ||
2023 | Talib Kweli & Madlib | Richies Part Two | Unjust | Roc Marciano |
DJ Premier | Runway | DJ Premier | Rome Streetz |
Shady Records is an American record label founded by rapper Eminem and his manager Paul Rosenberg in 1999, following the commercially successful release of The Slim Shady LP that same year. The label's name comes from the last name of Eminem's alter ego, Slim Shady.
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.
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.
Griselda Records is an American independent hip hop record label based in Buffalo, New York. It was founded by rapper Westside Gunn, his brother Conway the Machine, and Mach-Hommy in 2012. In addition to the founding members, Benny the Butcher and in-house producer Daringer make up the flagship artists of the Griselda Records roster.
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.
Who Made the Sunshine is the fourth studio album by American rapper Westside Gunn. When it was originally scheduled to be released on August 28, 2020, it was postponed following the death of Griselda Records collaborator DJ Shay from COVID-19. It was finally released on October 2, 2020, through Griselda, Shady, and Interscope.
"Keep My Spirit Alive" is a song by American rapper Kanye West from his tenth studio album, Donda (2021). The song features vocals from fellow American rappers Conway the Machine and Westside Gunn and originally featured additional vocals from KayCyy.
Living Off Xperience is the fourth studio album by American hip hop group The Lox. It was released on August 28, 2020 through D-Block and Roc Nation. The album features guest appearances from Benny the Butcher, Clay Dub, DMX, Dyce Payne, Jeremih, Oswin Benjamin, T-Pain and Westside Gunn.
God Don't Make Mistakes is the second studio album by American rapper Conway the Machine. It was released through Drumwork, Griselda, Shady, and Interscope on February 25, 2022. The album was preceded by two singles, "Piano Love" and "John Woo Flick". It features guest appearances from Beanie Sigel, Rick Ross, Lil Wayne, 7xvethegenius, Jae Skeese, T.I., Novel, Benny the Butcher, Westside Gunn, Wallo267, Jill Scott, and Keisha Plum.
Burden of Proof is the second studio album by American rapper Benny the Butcher. It was released on October 16, 2020, through Griselda/Empire. Produced entirely by Hit-Boy, it features guest appearances from Big Sean, Conway the Machine, Dom Kennedy, Freddie Gibbs, Lil Wayne, Queen Naija, Rick Ross and Westside Gunn. The album was acclaimed by critics and debuted at number 27 on the Billboard 200 with about 19,000 equivalent album units.
Tana Talk 3 is the debut studio album by American rapper Benny the Butcher. It was released on November 23, 2018 through Griselda Records and Black Soprano Family. The album is exclusively produced by The Alchemist and Daringer. It features guest appearances by labelmates Conway the Machine and Westside Gunn and other appearances by Keisha Plum, Meyhem Lauren, Melanie Rutherford and Royce da 5'9".
"Johnny P's Caddy" is a song by American rappers Benny the Butcher and J. Cole. It was released on January 28, 2022 as the lead single from the former's third studio album Tana Talk 4. The song was produced by The Alchemist, and is Benny the Butcher's first song to chart on the Billboard Hot 100. On April 13, 2023 the single was certified GOLD marking the first RIAA certification for both Benny & the Griselda Records label. The song is known as one of the most acknowledged features by J. Cole and is widely considered to be his best feature.
Tana Talk 4 is the third studio album by American rapper Benny the Butcher. It was released on March 11, 2022, through Griselda Records and Black Soprano Family and distributed by Empire Distribution. It is the fourth installment in his Tana Talk series, following up the 2018 album Tana Talk 3. The album was produced by the Alchemist, Daringer and Beat Butcha. It features guest appearances by labelmates Conway the Machine and Westside Gunn and other appearances by J. Cole, Diddy, Stove God Cooks, Boldy James, and 38 Spesh.
Mach-Hommy is an American rapper and record producer. He is known for concealing his real name and face in all public appearances, a practice that has led him to be described as "one of hip-hop's most elusive artists".
"Bang" is a song by American rappers Conway the Machine and Eminem. It was released on July 19, 2019 through Shady Records as a non-album single despite being originally made for Conway's second studio album God Don't Make Mistakes. Production was handled by Beat Butcha and Daringer with Eminem and Luis Resto serving as additional producers. Its remix featuring Benny the Butcher and Westside Gunn appeared on Griselda's WWCD album.
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.
Won't He Do It is the third studio album by American rapper Conway the Machine. It was released through Drumwork Music Group and Empire Distribution on May 5, 2023. The album was preceded by four singles, "Super Bowl", "Brucifix", "Quarters" and "The Chosen". It features notable guest appearances by Benny the Butcher, Dave East, Fabolous, Jozzy, Juicy J and Sauce Walka. It is his first studio album since his official departure from Shady Records and Griselda Records. Critics have characterized Won't He Do It as a highlight in Conway's catalog.
Everybody Can't Go is the fourth studio album by American rapper Benny the Butcher. It was released on January 26, 2024, through 5 to 50 and Def Jam Recordings. The album contains guest appearances from Armani Caesar, Babyface Ray, Conway the Machine, Jadakiss, Kyle Banks, Lil Wayne, Peezy, Rick Hyde, Snoop Dogg, Stove God Cooks, and Westside Gunn. Production was handled by The Alchemist, Corbett, and Hit-Boy.