Pray for Paris

Pray for Paris is the third studio album by American rapper Westside Gunn. It was released on April 17, 2020 via Griselda Records. Production was handled by ten record producers, including Alchemist, DJ Muggs, DJ Premier and Tyler, the Creator. It features guest appearances from Benny the Butcher, Conway the Machine, Billie Essco, Boldy James, Cartier Williams, Freddie Gibbs, Joyce Wrice, Keisha Plum, Roc Marciano and Wale. The album debuted at number 67 on the Billboard 200.

Pray for Paris
Studio album by
Westside Gunn
ReleasedApril 17, 2020 (2020-04-17)
GenreHip hop
Length41:19
LabelGriselda
Producer
Westside Gunn chronology
Supreme Blientele
(2018)		 Pray for Paris
(2020)		 Flygod Is an Awesome God II
(2020)

Background and development

Westside Gunn announced he was recording a project called Pray for Paris after having attended Virgil Abloh's Off-White Paris fashion show on January 18, 2020.[1] He revealed the album's artwork on April 3, 2020.[2] The cover was created by Virgil Abloh using Caravaggio's David with the Head of Goliath.[3] During the album's recording Westside learned he had contracted COVID-19 and recounted having to do promotion for the album while suffering symptoms from the virus.[4] Before the album's release, Westside Gunn and Virgil Abloh live-streamed the entire project on Twitch.[5]

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Album of the Year77/100[6]
Review scores
SourceRating
And It Don't StopA–[7]
Earmilk[8]
Exclaim!8/10[9]
HipHopDX4.2/5[10]
Pitchfork8/10[11]
The Young Folks7/10[12]
Tom HullB+ ()[13]

Pray for Paris received generally positive reviews from critics. At Album of the Year, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 77 based on six reviews.[6]

Gregory Castel of Earmilk stated "Pray for Paris is a soulful yet, grimey masterpiece. This album is a handpicked selection of high-level artists, in lyricism, soulful production, and visual artwork".[8] Riley Wallace of HipHopDX said, "Pray For Paris seems to show Gunn resisting being boxed-in artistically. For some critics who may have found past offerings more of an acquired taste, this is the camp’s most inviting project to date".[10] Alphonse Pierre of Pitchfork stated "The Buffalo rapper continues his unlikely ascent into hip-hop stardom with an album of feverish excess and the best raps of his career".[11] In his Substack-published "Consumer Guide" column, Robert Christgau said that "this album enjoys old-fashioned hip-hop materialism with dauntless esprit".[7] Exclaim! reviewer A. Harmony said "Though Gunn's vintage sound might not work for everyone, Pray for Paris is a total delight for those who want to reminisce without feeling stuck in the past".[9]

In another positive review, Dylan Green of DJ Booth stated "In the age of streaming and playlists, Pray For Paris further solidifies Westside Gunn as an album artist. He knows how to craft experiences from start to finish, what beats sound best next to each other, which features will yield the wildest results".[14] Ryan Middleton of Magnetic Magazine said, "Despite this album having the sheen of opulence and examining fuck you money at the outset, it remains grounded with an ear to the streets."[15]

In a critical review, Camden Gilreath of The Post stated "The album, sadly, fails to come together as a cohesive portrait of Gunn as an artist. The instrumentals are occasionally refreshing, but the rigid redolence of New York pastiche is exhausted by the end of the project. Gunn himself brings some gritty lyrics but doesn’t have the unique flare or vigorous swagger that a rapper in this style needs, to make this sound necessary in 2020".[16]


Track listing
No.TitleProducer(s)Length
1."400 Million Plus Tax" 1:09
2."No Vacancy"DJ Muggs1:35
3."George Bondo" (featuring Conway the Machine and Benny the Butcher)
  • Beat Butcha
4:44
4."327" (with Joey Bada$$, featuring Tyler, the Creator and Billie Essco)Camoflauge Monk5:49
5."French Toast" (featuring Wale and Joyce Wrice)Camoflauge Monk4:48
6."Euro Step"Conductor Williams1:50
7."Allah Sent Me" (featuring Conway the Machine and Benny the Butcher)Daringer4:50
8."$500 Ounces" (featuring Freddie Gibbs and Roc Marciano)The Alchemist4:13
9."Versace"Jay Versace2:05
10."Claiborne Kick" (featuring Boldy James)The Alchemist3:17
11."Shawn Vs. Flair"DJ Premier2:22
12."Party Wit Pop Smoke" (featuring Keisha Plum)Tyler, the Creator2:14
13."Le Djoliba" (featuring Cartier A Williams)Bohemia Lynch2:23
Total length:41:19

Charts
Chart (2020) Peak
position
US Billboard 200[17] 67
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References
  1. Nelson Jr, Keith (April 16, 2020). "Westside Gunn talks 'Pray For Paris,' Tyler The Creator jumping on a track, and gives update on joint Madlib album". Revolt. Archived from the original on April 22, 2020. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
  2. Findlay, Mitch (April 3, 2020). "Westside Gunn Shares Virgil Abloh Designed "Pray For Paris" Cover". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
  3. Goble, Corbin (April 17, 2020). "Westside Gunn and Virgil Abloh Talk About Their Shared History, Coming Back from Coronavirus, and Being the "Best in Class"". GQ. Archived from the original on April 21, 2020. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
  4. Droke, Carolyn (April 13, 2020). "Westside Gunn Announced That He Has Recovered From Coronavirus After Keeping His Diagnosis Under Wraps". Uproxx. Archived from the original on April 18, 2020. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
  5. Shifferaw, Abel (April 16, 2020). "Westside Gunn Drops 'Pray for Paris' Album f/ Tyler the Creator, Freddie Gibbs, and More". Complex. Archived from the original on April 21, 2020. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
  6. "Westside Gunn - Pray for Paris". Album of the Year. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
  7. Christgau, Robert (June 10, 2020). "Consumer Guide: June, 2020". And It Don't Stop. Substack. Retrieved July 15, 2020.
  8. Castel, Gregory (April 21, 2020). "Album Review: Westside Gunn — Pray for Paris". Earmilk. Archived from the original on May 10, 2020. Retrieved April 30, 2020.
  9. Harmony, A. (May 15, 2020). "Westside Gunn Owns His '90s Throwback Style on 'Pray for Paris'". Exclaim!. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
  10. Wallace, Riley (April 21, 2020). "Review: Westside Gunn's 'Pray For Paris' Is His Most Inviting LP To Date". HipHopDX. Archived from the original on April 28, 2020. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
  11. Pierre, Alphonse (April 21, 2020). "Westside Gunn Pray For Paris". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on April 25, 2020. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
  12. Ramlogun, Khushi (May 21, 2020). "Album Review: Westside Gunn explores new sounds on "Pray for Paris" | | The Young Folks". www.theyoungfolks.com. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
  13. Hull, Tom (June 15, 2020). "Music Week". Tom Hull – on the Web. Retrieved July 18, 2020.
  14. Green, Dylan (April 16, 2020). "Read Our 1 Listen Review of Westside Gunn's 'Pray For Paris' Album". DJ Booth. Archived from the original on May 1, 2020. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
  15. Middleton, Ryan (April 17, 2020). "Album Review: Westside Gunn - Pray For Paris". Magnetic Magazine. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
  16. Gilreath, Camden (April 22, 2020). "Album Review: Westside Gunn's 'Pray for Paris' is a 41-minute long slog". The Post. Archived from the original on April 26, 2020. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
  17. "Westside Gunn Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
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