After releasing over 20 solo albums and numerous collaborations with his Griselda teammates, we learned that Westside Gunn can rap. After releasing his self-proclaimed artistic magnum opus “Pray for Paris,” we learned that Westside has the most creative direction and beat selection of any active rapper. What we hadn’t realized is that Westside Gunn may just be the best A&R in rap.
His latest release, “Who Made The Sunshine,” a rhetoric statement he has asked plenty of times in his verses prior, is an album full of life, experimentation, introductions, and in two special cases, reintroduction. With cover art drawn by his daughter, the album appears friendly; but in typical Westside fashion, it only takes a few seconds to hear the signature gun ad-libs. The album begins with an extended vocal intro, which is expected, then hops right into the Buffalo meat. A hard hitting Daringer produced track with the Griselda triple threat (Conway the Machine & Benny the Butcher) preludes the album with enough grit to fill a city. A remarkable connection with the one and only Black Thought begins the questions of how influential Westside Gunn really is in the industry. Black Thought, the ever elusive and rare to rap, impresses with elegant historical references on a grimier beat than he is used to.
Now begins the story of Westside Gunn, the A&R. Westside has proved himself again and again as a rapper and producer, but the construction and feel of this album was that it was designed by the team leader, CEO, or as he would put it “The Boss, Flygod.” It is mind boggling that in the year 2020, a coke rapper from Buffalo would release an album with two (2) Slick Rick features. Seemingly out of his apparent retirement, he returns, back in storytelling form. On another track, “All Praises,” Westside only sings the chorus, leaving the versus to Griselda protégé Boldy James and New York legend Jadakiss. The amount of legendary NY talent on this project is shocking and exciting. Westside features Keisha Plum, the in-house poet for the label, and allows for underground rappers like Stove God Cooks and Flee Lord to showcase their talents over a slower Conductor-made beat that allows the vocals to take the front row. Not to mention, SMOKE DZA is featured on this song. It's like the list never stops. Westside somehow recruited the one and only, the legendary producer, the OG, Just Blaze for the outro, which includes Griselda and their newest member, Armani Caesar. The way her smooth flow and confidence exude over this Just Blaze beat sounds no differently than Lil’ Kim, and to hear Conway and Benny on this song unites the whole NY rap community, new and old.
Westside Gunn’s Shady Records debut was one full of surprises, old names, and refreshing sounds. It was his time to brag, not about clothes and cars like usual, but of the talent of his team, his label, and most importantly, the Griselda family. “Who Made The Sunshine” is a well curated album with numerous impressive songs, great beat selection, and space for his collaborators to feature. As far as Westside’s albums are concerned, this release showed his range as a rapper, producer, recruiter, and perhaps the title of rap's best A&R. 7.1/10