FIRE.
I could end the whole review with that single word. King Push is not playing.
His latest project, The Darkest Before Dawn: The Prelude, sees the Virginia native embracing his unique brand of melancholic, dark and reflective hip-hop. He manages to stride down the streets of dope-dealer rap and socially aware hip-hop, without being frivolous or cliché.Big name features are all over this project, but Pusha T holds his own and manages to weave stars like; Timbaland, The Dream, Kanye West, A$AP Rocky, Beanie Sigel and Jill Scott into this masterpiece without allowing them to impose themselves too much on his creation.
The result is a rich and relentless collection of moody bangers, that will force impromptu screw-faced head bobbing accompanied by big pimpin’ arm dances.Got ‘Em Covered, featuring Ab-Liva and produced by Timbaland is a major standout track, with its clunky, raw beat, lending itself well to Pusha’s greasy flow and precision-guided punch lines. Ab Liva is hot too, offering laid-back rolling-flow that compliments the track perfectly. Other favourites on this LP include M.F.T.R (More Famous Than Rich), M.P.A (Money Pussy Alcohol) with Kanye, A$AP Rocky, The Dream and produced by none other than J. COLE – Yeah it’s big. We also loved Keep Dealing with rap vet Beanie Sigel, who recorded this while recovering from being shot (he had a lung removed), giving real weight to one of the last lines in his verse:
You watched me go through hell, now watch me walk up out it…”
If that ain’t hard, we don’t know what is. The album has heat throughout and ends with Sunshine, featuring the sultry jazz tones of Jill Scott. Pusha speaks on his anger and frustrations with the murdering of black people by police officers in the states. Push raps with purpose and punch, without being preachy. It’s a powerful note to end his album on, and shows where he’s at, as an artist and as a human.
Pusha’s influences, Biggie, Jay-Z, NAS are literally and audibly paid homage on this album that stands out in a landscape of me-too rappers whose lyrics are as difficult to decipher as is the secret to their chart success. Pusha T has had a few derailed projects before getting to this point, which must have been frustrating for him as an artist, but we’re glad he managed to put The Darkest Before Dawn: The Prelude together and get it released. It seems to be an increasing problem in the music industry, where we here snippets of greatness only to have it shelved, never to bless our ears. Thankfully this prelude to the long-awaited King Push album, is a welcomed breath of flavourful and fresh air.
This is undeniably his finest work yet. Somebody give this guy a crown already! If you want to catch Push live in London at the Electric Brixton, tickets are currently on sale via Ticketweb (link below).
SJM PRESENTS
PUSHA T
plus very special guests TBA
27 April 2016
7 -11pm
Tickets available now:
http://www.ticketweb.co.uk/
