If you take out some time and go and read our review for Hell Hath No Fury you will get the back story of Virginia rapper Pusha T. What I am here to tell you is what he has evolved into today. While Push may have come to GOOD music, he has not completely lost his way. His style is still greatly composed of cocaine raps, as well as arrogant, yet very dense wordplay. Because of his outright, and ridiculously bold cockiness, his immense talent is often lost in the mix. If you listen to his lyrics, however, more times than not you will be thoroughly impressed. Earlier I said Push was a Kanye knock off. That is an easy conclusion to jump to given Push's attitude, but there is a very distinct difference. Kanye West, no matter how big of a fan you are you have to admit, is cocky to hide his own insecurities. He cares what people think, and battles that with irrational proclamations as if he is the second coming. Pusha T on the other hand, thinks he is that fucking good. While completely ludicrous, there is nothing but conviction behind statements implying that he is some sort of a God. Most of you know Pusha T from the point when he murdered the track Runaway, on My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. He has had a long illustrious career that is well worth looking into, but this is his first solo album. A lot of hype has surrounded it, mostly because of how much he himself has promoted it. A few very good singles have set this up to be a great release, and maybe Push can finally live up to his "Clipse" potential. This album is littered with Kanye, and Pharrell production, so all of the pressure lies on the performance of Pusha T. Lyrically he is dope, but without his brother Malice, can he hold the audience's attention for a full length project? Or will this self proclaimed God fail trying?
1. King Push
The opening track is one that I had heard going into this album, and I had already made up my mind about I really love the futuristic beat, and how it accompanies Push's smoothe vocals. The hook on this tracknis extremely simple, but great in the sense that it is catchy, and gets his point across very nicely. He doesn't sing the hook, and comes off as the rugged, coke-selling character he wants to portray. His flow is so simple, but his delivery and word play make it such a way that if his flow were any different it would ruin the effect. This song serves to get across something we were all hoping was true: Push is still that dope rhymer who sold drugs, and made that dirty money to get where he is today. He comes off as an aggressive hood rapper, who still can hold his own lyrically, very reminiscent of his Clipse days. Very promising way to start an album.
2. Numbers On The Boards
This experimental Kanye West, 88-Keys, and Don Cannon beat is one that is far much better than anything on Yeezus. The almost rhythmless drum makes for a very back packer hip-hop effect that I am truly a sucker for. Kanye apparently still has it in him to turn out a masterpiece when he needs to. While thw beat is fucking terrific, it in no way over shadows thw incredibly dense wordplay and lyricism on this track. This is even an impressive display of wordplay for Push, and considering he is known for such style, that is an impressive feat. He is able to lay down a few sick verses, only pausing periodically to let us know he is a baller. This is boasting rap done right in my mind, and the radio could really use a track like this. In my opinion this is one of the best hip-hop singles I have heard in a long time, especially out of the mainstream. Overall very good record that I suggest anyone check out for a good listen.
3. Sweet Serenade
Now this shit just baffles me, to my very intelligent and humble core. Why would Pusha spring for the money it takes to get Breezy on a track, if he was going to water down his voice so much with the different effects on his voice. That could have been a million different people, and even the most dedicated members of Team Breezy would have had no idea that was him, if not for the credited feature. Honestly, in hip-hop, having Brown on a track is a turn off for a large audience, so if you are not using his talent, why have him on the track? Either way, the bass on this track is gnarly, and while this is the average Pusha T song lyrically, there are a few high spots. All of the different "triple-double" lines are clever, and the line about his Ouiji board, and the following lines are all very stand out. The few standout lines are enough to make this song worth a listen, and while it is underwhelming, this shit isn't bad.
4. Hold On (ft. Rick Ross)
While he is not credited on the album (probably out of embarrassment) make no mistakes, that is auto tuned Kanye West singing his little heart out, and unfortunately gets this off to a bad start. If you can however, focus on what Push has to say, this is a very good song. This is more coke rap, but rather than being in a boastful tone, it is an introspective track about his life, as a rapper as well as drug dealer. Surprisingly enough Ross is able to follow up with a verse that is damn near as good as Push's. Both rappers manage to be more introspective without compromising the lyricism we have heard throughout the tape thus far. For the first time in my life I have found myself thoroughly enjoyong a song with Rick Ross.
5. Suicide (ft. Ab-Liva)
This beat is so fucking dope it is ridiculous. It is a Pharrel produced techno influenced beat, that is very bass and snare heavy. I absolutely love it, and all we really get here is some good ass spitting. No real theme here, but rather just flowing over a beat, and Ab-liva does nearly the same thing, only lacking in lyrics slightly conpared to Push. The glaring problem with this track in my opinion is the hook. Some people will like it, but I think it is way too pop for Pusha, and to this point in the album he had been doing a good job avoiding such a hook. Overall not a bad track, but definitely not the type of hook Push should be taking on.
6. 40 Acres (ft. The Dream)
Is it just me, or does The Dream kill this track? The beat is a fairly generic, emotional sounding hip-hop beat, but The Dream opens this track with great vocals that somewhat show up the efforts of our host. This is not to say Push didn't come with a solid performance, and the repeated, unpolished, unapologetic, line was pretty bad ass. The only problem was how generic the theme of the song was. It was a simple "he went through hard times to get where he is now". I don't mind the track, but it lacks a certain creativity. One incredibly interesting part of this track is the first verse. I had never known exactly why The Clipse had stop making music, but he tells the story of how Malice became, No Malice, a born again Christian who strayed from the cocaine lifestyle they were famous for. He mentions that even though he is the rich musician, he will always see his older brother as the winner, because of his righteous lifestyle. It took me a couple of listens to catch on to this, so I urge you to really listen to the lyrics on this track.
7. No Regrets (ft. Jeezy, & Kevin Cossum)
Here is what I call a bust. This album had built so much momentum, and so farI would say every song is above average, but this is not the case here. With a basic trap beat, and a lazy ass hook from an untalented singer, I don't get why this song was added to the album. Push delivered two perfectly fine verses, but then worst of all, we get Jeezy. I don't know who actually likes this guy still, but he is an awful artist. He can't rhyme well, his flow is trash, and worst of all, his voice is almost unbearable. Without Jeezy this is a below average track, but with him it is a bad song that should not be on this album.
8. Let Me Love You (ft. Kelly Rowland)
What the fuck is this? I really like the instrumental on this track, produced by The Dream. It sounds very throw back Clipse, and if you haven't noticed yet, that is a very good thing. This is a basic love track customary for any mainstream album at this point. Unlike every other song, this is lazy lyrically from Push which is a disappointment. I usually hate love ballads, so he was going to have to really bring it to get me to like this track, and rather than doing that he kind of threw a couple of half assed verses at this. Kelly Rowland is fine on the hook I guess, but this isn't my type of track, and even for what it is, it isn't very good.
9. Who I Am (ft. 2 Chainz, & Big Sean)
Well unfortunately for rap, we have seen these two featured artists work together on a few tracks lately, and in my opinion it doesn't work. I really like the Pusha T verse, and think he performed far above the other artists on this track, which while it isn't saying much, is still a compliment. The hook is also very catchy, and the type of hook that I don't mind Push doing himself. The train fell off the tracks when Tity Boi got the mic. Yeah, the guy is hilarious, and I can appreciate that, but am I the only one who thought he went on a few bars too long? 2 Chainz easily loses his charm if you hear him for too long, and the next mc up has no charm to begin with. My hatred for Big Sean has been well documented as of late, but I genuinely don't see the appeal. His verse was easily the worst on the track, and the worst part is that he just sounds like an asshole. At least 2 Chainz has a likeable personality.
10. Nosetalgia (ft. Kendrick Lamar)
This will be almost everyone's favorite track on the album. While not mine, that would be a completely respectable opinion, because this shit is actually really dope. Pusha kills the track, with the ill coke verse (thus the title NOSEtalgia). The beat is so simple, and with the Boogie Down Productions samples littered all over the track, the overall sound is terrific. While Kendrick Lamar is very good, he lacks a certain reality that Push has. Kendrick also keeps using that dumbass raspy, low voice, which is beginning to really piss me off. That small complaint aside this is a very good listen, and because of how he goes blow for blow with Kendrick, this is the type of track that will make more people respect him as an mc.
11. Pain (ft. Future)
People often judge a track right off the bat when the hook master/cancer of the rap game known as Future is listed as a feature, but in this case he is fine. Now, I do have to say l, "fine" is a relative term. You can hardly understand a single word this mother fucker said. It's like he freestyled the hook, and wasn't confident enough in what he was saying to utter more than a mumble, but luckily he is only on the hook. Push delivers yet another coke rap song that all of us Clipse fans have come to love. If you are not a fan of drugs in rap then I will tell you right now, don't touch this album, or anything else Push is apart of. All of the verses on this song are delivered very well with the classic Pusha T flow and delivery. Very comfortable track, but nothing bad at all. For a track with Future I have to call this a success.
12. S.N.I.T.C.H. (ft. Pharrel)
This song (entitled, Sorry N***a I'm Tryna Come Home) fucking sucks. This is not 2006 and the song is not, Hello New World, so Pharrell get the hell off the hook. He sounds like he is suffering through an auto tune machine (I would be too if I had to sing that bullshit hook). Pharrel make look the exact same as he did in the early 2000s, but he has lost the little talent he had on the mic since then. I won't even touch on the verses, because honestly all you will remember is the pile of absolute fuck that was the hook. I'm being serious when I say I have heard this song about five times, and cannot recall a single line from any of the verses. Yeah, that's how fucking bad the hook is.
Rating: 3.5/5
This rating is a bit of a toss up, but I will side favorably with Push at 3.5 rather than a whole three. This is a sound, safe attempt by our host, with only a few attempts to get out of his comfort zone and branch out from his coke rap ways. The production, while at times is astounding, is plagued simply by too many producers. There are so many sounds, some good and some bad, but it is all too much. The features all felt like favors rather than actual collaborative attempts, and also felt forced down my throat. What was promising on this project is how Push is moving as a solo artist towards the potential he always had as one half of The Clipse. Many people wondered if that Pusha T still existed, and I believe that this album answered that with a resounding yes. He is lyrically as good as he has ever been, and continues to make those hardcore coke raps that we all love, while maintaining some variety, or at least enough to keep us entertained. It is obvious that Push has yet to adjust to being the main act, but this album is a leap in the right direction.