Westside Gunn’s Pray For Paris (along with having absolutely epic album artwork) is a study in mid-90’s hip-hop enunciatioon and flow set in the century of modern musical production elements. For someone who doesn’t listen to a ton of modern hip hop, Westside Gunn provides a convenient portal to the past where hip-hop vocal production was clean and clear, with high EQ, compression, and limited in dynamic range– in other words, all the muddy reverb and delay you tend to hear nowadays was nonexistent. The musical accompaniment was the canvas, and the poetry of rap was the paintbrush that brought everything to life. It’s refreshing as hell.
Speaking of the musical accompaniment– Pray For Paris has an incredible collection of music production, with first-rate beats on every song. One thing that sets this album apart from many of its contemporaries (and those in the hip hop genre as a whole) is how well the whole thing flows from one track to another. There’s a movement to the album that feels organic and cohesive.
Standout Songs: “George Bondo”, “327”, “Shawn vs. Flair”, “$500 Ounces”
