And Then You Pray for Me
2023 studio album by Westside Gunn
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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 $ign, Keisha Plum, Denzel Curry, Boldy James, EST Gee, Jeezy, DJ Swamp Izzo, DJ Holiday, Peezy, Rome Streetz, and KayCyy, the album features Gunn's signature boom bap style alongside trap elements. The album debuted at number 29 on the Billboard 200, making it Gunn's highest commercial debut on the chart.
| And Then You Pray for Me | ||||
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| Released | October 13, 2023 | |||
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| Length | 75:17 | |||
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Background
In April 2023, Westside Gunn announced that And Then You Pray for Me was to be released on June 23, 2023, in line with Paris Fashion Week.[1] The album is a sequel to his 2020 album Pray for Paris[2] and its title refers to a lyric in Gunn's song "Eric B", where he raps: "Pray for Paris, then you pray for me."[3] The album's cover was designed by Virgil Abloh using Caravaggio's The Entombment of Christ.[4][5] Gunn began production of the album in January 2023.[6] For several months, Gunn traveled across multiple countries, including Greece, Germany, United Kingdom, Egypt, and France, and recorded in numerous studios.[6] A song featuring Doe Boy was recorded but was not included in the album after the session files were lost.[6] The album released on October 13, 2023, with Gunn stating that it was his final solo studio album.[6][7]
Composition
And Then You Pray for Me contains elements of boom bap and trap production.[8] The album's lyrics reference themes of fashion, mysticism, and psychosis.[9] Westside Gunn raps under the alter ego Super Flygod on the album.[5]
The album's opening track, "Flygod Did", features AA Rashid.[10] "Mamas PrimeTime" features Conway the Machine, a tap dancing interlude by Cartier A Williams, and a verse by JID with "slick verbosity".[10][2] "Kostas", named after a Greek restaurant in Buffalo,[11] was produced by Tay Keith and features Benny the Butcher and Conway the Machine.[10] "Kitchen Lights", produced by DJ Benoit, features minimalistic production with strings, piano, and an unobtrusive bassline.[8] Gunn and Stove God Cooks rap about "poverty, hustling, and material wealth" on the song.[8] "Flygod 2x" features a jazzy instrumental.[10] "DunnHill" is a trap song produced by Miguel the Plug with "skittering hi-hats", a "staid bassline", and a "rudimentary piano melody" and features Rick Ross.[2][12] "House of Glory", produced by RZA, samples Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and features Stove God Cooks.[9][10]
"JD Wrist" is a trap song with "reverb programmed keys".[9] "Disgusting" features British rapper Giggs and samples low ringing church bells over a drum beat.[9] "Ultra GriZelda" was produced by Miguel the Plug and features a rap verse by Denzel Curry.[10] "Jalen Rose" features Boldy James.[8] "Steve and Jony" is a trap song produced by Tay Keith and Deats, and features EST Gee.[10] "Mr Everything" features Gunn and Jeezy trading bars.[10] "The Revenge of Flips Leg" was produced by Conductor Williams and features Rome Streetz.[10] The album's closing track, "And Then You Pray for Me", has elements of R&B production and an introspective rap verse by Gunn.[9]
Critical reception
According to the review aggregator Metacritic, And Then You Pray for Me received "generally favorable reviews" based on a weighted average score of 74 out of 100 from 4 critic scores.[13]
Writing for Pitchfork, Matthew Strauss described the album as a "symbiosis between the trap and boom-bap genres" and a "broad, loud, and messy exploration of Gunn's vision for rap and art."[2] Philip Cluff of Clash praised the album's themes writing: "It's not just another gangster rap album but essentially a commentary on the psychological fatigue accompanying ruthlessness of the question young black men inherited from Gil Scott Heron; "Who will survive in America?"[9] AllMusic's review described the album as "sometimes overly familiar if still satisfying."[8] HipHopDX's Riley Wallace described the album as a "mixed bag that relies on the listener's ability to go with the flow."[10] Damien Scott of Billboard wrote that the album "mixes Griselda's beloved warm soul samples lovingly chopped to support coldhearted coke capers with more of-the-moment trends" and was Gunn's "best solo effort".[14] Marc Antonio Griffin of Vibe wrote that "Gunn's signature catchphrases and eclectic persona work to fit each diverse track into a unified project."[11] Writing for HotNewHipHop, Caroline Fisher wrote that the album "strikes a balance between grandiosity and sincerity, falling back on his signature sound while still incorporating enough new elements for the album to stand out in his discography".[15]
Accolades
| Publication | List | Rank | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Billboard | The 20 Best Rap Albums of 2023: Staff Picks | 15 |
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| BrooklynVegan | 25 Best Rap Albums of 2023 | 18 |
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| HotNewHipHop | 25 Best Rap Albums of 2023 | 20 |
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| Rolling Stone | The 10 Best Rap Albums of 2023 | 9 |
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| Vibe | The 20 Best Hip-Hop Albums of 2023 | 13 |
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Flygod Did" (featuring AA Rashid) |
| Mr. Green | 1:56 |
| 2. | "Mamas PrimeTime" (featuring JID, Conway the Machine and Cartier A Williams) |
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| 4:59 |
| 3. | "Kostas" (featuring Benny the Butcher and Conway the Machine) |
| 5:33 | |
| 4. | "1989" (featuring DJ Drama and Stove God Cooks) |
| Miguel the Plug | 4:11 |
| 5. | "Suicide in Selfridges" (featuring DJ Drama) |
| Conductor Williams | 2:51 |
| 6. | "Kitchen Lights" (featuring Stove God Cooks) |
| DJ Benoit | 5:00 |
| 7. | "Flygod 2x" | Worthy | Dxpe Mikie Beats | 1:47 |
| 8. | "DunnHill" (featuring Rick Ross) | Miguel the Plug | 3:59 | |
| 9. | "House of Glory" (featuring Stove God Cooks) |
| RZA | 3:12 |
| 10. | "JD Wrist" (featuring Stove God Cooks, Estee Nack and Trap-A-Holics) |
| FlyGod Jr. | 6:19 |
| 11. | "Disgusting" (featuring Giggs) |
| Miguel the Plug | 4:01 |
| 12. | "Chloe" (featuring Ty Dolla $ign) |
| Denny LaFlare | 3:51 |
| 13. | "LL Bool Gunn" | Worthy | Miguel the Plug | 2:12 |
| 14. | "Babylon Bis" (featuring Stove God Cooks and Keisha Plum) |
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| 5:04 |
| 15. | "Ultra GriZelda" (featuring Denzel Curry) |
| Miguel the Plug | 2:28 |
| 16. | "Jalen Rose" (featuring Boldy James) |
| Daringer | 3:15 |
| 17. | "Steve and Jony" (featuring EST Gee) |
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| 2:56 |
| 18. | "Mr Everything" (featuring Jeezy and DJ Swamp Izzo) |
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| 2:45 |
| 19. | "Freddy Js" (featuring DJ Holiday and Peezy) |
| Miguel the Plug | 2:46 |
| 20. | "The Revenge of Flips Leg" (featuring Rome Streetz) |
| Conductor Williams | 2:40 |
| 21. | "And Then You Pray for Me" (featuring KayCyy) |
| 3:32 | |
| Total length: | 75:17 | |||
Notes
- "House of Glory" samples Swan Lake I. Scene (Swan's Theme) by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.[9]
Charts
| Chart (2023) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums (ARIA)[17] | 81 |
| Canadian Albums (Billboard)[18] | 95 |
| US Billboard 200[19] | 29 |
| US Independent Albums (Billboard)[20] | 6 |
| US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[21] | 8 |