[junkie-dropcap]W[/junkie-dropcap]estside Gunn’s “Supreme Clientele” is the album that introduced me to Griselda. A fantastic record that I love to this day. But the album that showed me what Griselda can produce at it’s absolute best was Benny The Butcher’s “The Plugs I Met”. I only knew Benny from a few features when that project came out.
My jaw hit the floor as I listened to Benny hold his own on songs with Black Thought, Jadakiss, Pusha T. Personal favorite rappers of mine that I consider top-tier. It seemed like Benny was unstoppable. As I’ve remained a fan, that feeling has never gone away. Benny remains my favorite Griselda member and he is the undeniable highlight of any song he’s featured on.
So I’ve listened to Benny absolutely dominate dozens of songs on dozens of albums. All the while praying for the day he’d follow up “Plugs I Met”. A day that has finally arrived to my great joy. “Burden Of Proof” is here. Let’s dive in.
You wouldn’t figure anything could make me any more excited about “Burden Of Proof” than I already was. But there’s one substantial factor that did just that. The announcement it was being entirely produced by Hit-Boy. I’ve spent this entire godforsaken year listening to Hit-Boy outdo himself every time he produces for someone. Nas, Big Sean, Conway. He produced one of the only redeemable songs on KYLE’s disappointment of an album. I can’t help but feel like it’s built up to this. He brings his best beats to the table on this album and few people do great beats justice like Benny The Butcher.
DOM KENNEDY – Rap N Roll, Album Review
Like with 21 Savage and Metro Boomin on their recent collab or Freddie Gibbs and The Alchemist on “Alfredo”, it’s deeper than bars and beats. There is a genuine relationship between rapper and producer being displayed here. A mutual respect. A camaraderie, even. The artistic benefits of which are insurmountable. A common trend of Hit-Boy is to push rappers out of their comfort zones. To mostly positive effect, with only a few notable misfires. None of which are found on “Burden Of Proof”. Be it the infectious groove of the title track or the glamorous Jay-Z influenced “Famous”, Benny is up for any challenge. He conquers every single one without fail.
Benny has a pretty clear lane lyrically, too. When it comes to mafioso cocaine bars, I have no issue already placing Benny among the greats. He’s proven himself by rapping alongside quite a few. Such as Rick Ross or Freddie Gibbs on this very album. That side of him is in top form on this album. “Sly Green”, “One Way Flight” and “Timeless” among others are some of the slickest most confident performances I’ve ever heard from Benny.
But along with that comes a willingness to open up a little more. Even if it’s just an anecdote about struggling with asthma on “Where Would I Go”. But as the album goes on, he brings more and more to the light. “Famous”, as it may imply, is a reflection on newfound success in relation to how he got there. To bring up Hov again, Benny’s confessional rap style on “Famous” brings “4:44” to mind. Benny already sounds like he’s rapping from a veteran’s perspective. Giving even more validation to his claims of already being a legend on the aptly named closing track, “Legend”.
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“New Streets”, “Trade It All” and “Thank God I Made It” bring with them more raw honesty than I’ve ever heard from Benny. “New Streets” has a Madlib-esque soul sample backing it as Benny elaborates the harsh realities of what other rappers glorify. “Trust me there’s two sides. One glamorous, other scandalous. These symptoms of abandonment, we suffer damages. I was you, not comprehending or understanding it. Losses turn into pain then they become advantages.”
“Trade It All” hits even harder by taking a more personal turn. “Sold my story to the world so everything I afford came from me losing my brother and all the pain I absorbed”. Benny’s never been the guy to get the waterworks going but damn it I got real close. Benny is more than capable of making a song (and for that matter an album) great all on his own. So when a Benny song has a feature, you just hope they don’t distract or take anything away from whatever Benny’s doing. The features on “Burden Of Proof” are few and well placed when they’re present.
Freddie Gibbs said he wasn’t gonna do a verse on “One Way Flight” but man, am I glad he did. His short verse is packed with hilarious lines. “Bought some ugly white girl, when I whip it it’s Miss Universe. Control my bitches’ OnlyFans, I got computer work.” Lil Wayne and Big Sean both bring their A-game to “Timeless”. I was especially impressed with Wayne. His flow and rhyme schemes were solid all the way through.
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Every Griselda project needs at least one song where the Big 3 link up and “War Paint” lives up to the standard set by previous tracks like “George Bondo” or “Spurs 3”. Westside Gunn’s delivery makes him a great hook man and Conway delivers an outstanding guest verse. As tired as I am of rappers rhyming “Beyonce” with “fiance”, Conway made it work in the context of the verse. Plus that closing bar. “Sell it raw. I don’t step on the crack like I’m superstitious”. Disgusting.
The only feature that was a little questionable was Dom Kennedy on “Over The Limit”. He only does the hook and it’s not a bad hook at all. I just don’t see why it needed Dom specifically. I’m perfectly fine with it. It just evokes curiosity. Overall, “Burden Of Proof” is everything I wanted it to be. Maybe more. Benny’s got nothing to prove to anyone but he still raps with the vigor of starvation. He retains his place as my favorite Griselda member and one of my favorite rappers currently working in general. It’s like he can do no wrong.
I can easily say the same about Hit-Boy. The title track, “Sly Green”, “New Streets”, “Trade It All”. All of those songs are among the best beats he’s ever made. His chemistry with Benny shines from start to finish. They’re a musical match made in heaven. “Burden Of Proof” already stands with “Plugs I Met” and “From King To A God” as one of the best projects to ever come out of Griselda. At less than an hour and a consistent level of top-tier quality, the replay value on it is going to be insane.
