Written by: David Williams
Score 8.8/10
The prince of powder, Pusha T, is back with his latest album, It’s Almost Dry. With his fourth full-length solo record, the self-proclaimed “L. Ron Hubbard of the cupboard” is aging like a fine wine. His last album 2018’s Daytona was arguably the hip-hop album of the year.
King Push has been rapping about cocaine and cocaine accessories for over twenty years now, but he always finds a way to put a new spin on the topic. What separates him from any Joe Blow that raps about drugs is his charisma, witty lyrics, and amazing production. He paints vivid pictures of gritty street experiences that feel cinematic. Pusha’s music is like watching New Jack City or Carlito’s Way, his best projects reproducing the vibe of rap’s golden era in the mid-90s.
Is it believable that Pusha T, a forty-four-year-old man going on forty-five, is pushing more kilos of coke than Tony Montana in his heyday? No, of course not, but that’s not the point. Jay-Z once said, “People, stop taking rap so seriously — not everything rappers say is true to life. It’s entertainment, too. If you can watch a movie and see Denzel as a character, you should be able to do the same when you’re listening to rappers.”
It makes the listening experience way more enjoyable when you think of rap music from this perspective. Pusha seems to know this, hence why his albums are such fun to listen to, even when goes dark, as in “I was tryna to get the dope through in yo sister” from the song “Dreamin Of The Past”.
Photo courtesy of Pusha T
Photo courtesy of Pusha T
Pusha T set up his own personal “producers Verzuz battle,” by having half the album produced by Kanye and the other half by Pharrell. Kanye’s production relied on heavy samples accompanied by drums, letting Pusha’s lyrics be the star of the show. Ye produced Pusha’s best solo album, Daytona, so he knows which formula works. Pharrell’s formula with Push is also a proven winner, the duo’s history of successful collaborations dating back 20 years. Eerie, dark synths with thumping bass support the drug-fueled raps. Both styles are killer combos that will have you giving yourself whiplash from bobbing your head to these beats.
“Let The Smokers Shine The Coupes” beat is right in Pusha’s wheelhouse, reminiscent of the Clipse era song, “Ride Around Shining,” from their instant classic album Hell Hath No Fury. The rapper has a memorable line calling himself “Cocaine’s Dr. Seuss.” Could you imagine if Cat in the Hat was on the block moving crack/cocaine? That would be an exciting bedtime story.
If you ever wonder how much sway and respect Pusha T has amongst his peers, look no further than him receiving the coveted Jay-Z feature. Over the last couple of years, Hov features come few and far between, making every time he drops a verse rap feel like an event. Both of them delivered exquisitely on “Neck & Wrist”. “Summertime, Winterfell, I’m the Night King”. Pusha excels at: exactly this: managing to make something like drug dealing sound as entertaining as a frost zombie from Game of Thrones.
Photo courtesy of Pusha T
Photo courtesy of Pusha T
The album’s lead single, “Diet Coke,” is a classic Kanye College Dropout era beat, which flows so well with Push. In “Rock N Roll”, he features Kid Cudi and Kanye. Ye provided the sample from Beyonce’s “1 + 1” and Pharrell added the drums. This is the only song in which both producers worked together, and according to Cudi, this is also the last collab between him and Kanye for the foreseeable future. If this is the case, they went out on top, this one is a banger. “Call My Bluff” is another excellent Pharrell-produced track. Dark sounds with bumping drums, where Pusha raps like a mafia don — just another example of knowing his audience and giving the people what they want.
The lone misfire on this album is “Scrape It Off” featuring Lil Uzi Vert and Don Tolliver. Pharrell cooked up a softer sound that goes against his game plan and sounds out of place. Lil Uzi Vert and Don Tolliver didn’t mesh well into Pusha’s world.
The last song on the album, “I Pray For You,” unites Pusha T with his real-life older brother MALICE. To have Clipse reunite for a new song is always special. Both brothers brought their A-game. MALICE especially killed it, “I know Hellcat, still, paddle when I shift/ Vietnam flashbacks, I get triggered by a sniff,” he raps. After this song, should we have a little hope that maybe the brothers have one more classic album left together? It’s Almost Dry, leaves no doubt that Push is the King of Coke rap.