Last night marked the release of Westside Gunn’s brand new solo album Pray For Paris, the culmination of a long-paved road lined with countless projects. Taking pride in his creative vision above all else, Gunn’s desire to create transcendental art has imbued his work, and that of his fellow Griselda rappers, with an unwavering sense of confidence.
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Determined to intercross the disparate realms of grimy boom-bap and haute couture, West brought out the big guns on his most ambitious release thus far. Cameos ranged from cover designer Virgil Abloh, to Tyler The Creator, Alchemist, DJ Premier and Jay Versace behind the boards. Guest verses from Freddie Gibbs, Wale, Tyler, Benny The Butcher, Conway, and Joey Bada$$ served to entrench the album as a celebration of the culture, one delivered with not only integrity but elite tier skill.
It’s no wonder that, despite being only mere hours old, Pray For Paris has already been earning heavy acclaim from rappers, producers, and fans alike. We took to social media to round up some of the notable reactions and memes surrounding the release of Pray For Paris, a hashtag that admittedly caused alarm to briefly flare up — given the connotations. In any case, the buzz surrounding Westside’s latest continues to build, and will likely do so until he inevitably comes through with the next Griselda effort. After all, these albums are all but chapters in his long-running story.
