Welcome to the inaugural “Every-man Review”. Here’s the gist: I love hip hop, but I don’t know shit about music. I lack all rhythm, and the only instrument I’ve ever played is the recorder in the third grade(hot cross buns was my magnum opus). I have essentially no credentials for why my opinion should mean anything to you, I just know that I like how some things sound, and not how other things sound. I’ll be calling these the every-man reviews, because there will be no delusions of grandeur, I just love talking about hip hop.

So let’s talk about Pusha T, formerly of Virginia hip-hop duo Clipse (GRINDIN’). The Guinness world record holder for number of cocaine metaphors he’s spit on tracks over the years. Seriously, I imagine Pusha wakes up every morning, and before peeing, or brushing his teeth or anything, he has to come up with at least five metaphors for selling cocaine. To me, he excels at two things: bars and wacky production. And considering verses and production are like, 85% of what makes a hip hop song awesome, I love Pusha T. So let’s go through track by track at his latest project: *Darkest Before Dawn: The Prelude*

Track One: Intro

Well holy shit; that was amazing. The Spanish-speaking guy from Hell Hath No Fury started talking and I knew we were in for a banger. This is exactly the kind of song Push excels at, crazy beat, crazy verse. This is not only the introduction this project, but our reintroduction to Pusha T on the build up for his upcoming big studio project King Push. “Let em run amok until the king resurface”. He’s let the rap game do it’s thing, but the king is back.

Coke metaphors: 4

Track Two: Untouchable

Two tracks in and I’m already sweating. This song is really just a continuation of the intro, more crazy beats and bars, but this time with an awesome Biggie sample thrown in. Push is still letting us know that he’s back, he’s been in the game a long time, and he’s indestructible. Also, I’m so happy that he threw a *Narcos* reference in verse two, that’s like the most Pusha T thing that’s ever been done. Great track, the prelude is off to quite the start.

Coke metaphors: 8

Track Three: M.F.T.R. (Feat. The Dream)

The sung, featured hooks off of *MNIMY* were arguably the weakest parts of the album, but I really like the Dream on this song. He doesn’t overstay his welcome and kinda half sings-half raps, it’s dope. But my favorite part of this subliminal shot filled song is the beginning of the first verse. Pusha rides the beat, and you can just feel all this energy boiling over. Then it reaches a crescendo, the beat drops, and Pusha spits some crazy cold line. It’s the perfect example of what makes him such a special M.C. 3/3 so far.

Coke metaphors: 4

Track Four: Crutches, Crosses, Caskets

Who would of thought a Pusha song would make me feel guilty and call my mom? But more importantly, towards the end of the song I realized that I had not marked any real coke talk in this song. I thought to myself, “Is this actually going to be a Pusha song with no cocaine metaphors?”

And then, as if Pusha heard me calling out for help: “I’m the L. Ron Hubbard of the cupboard”.

I’M SORRY FOR DOUBTING YOU PUSH

Coke metaphors: 1 (boy did he make it count though)

Track Five: M.P.A. (Feat. Kanye West, A$AP Rocky, The Dream)

Does this production remind anyone else of My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy? It’s the piano and that guitar riff I think. Anyways, this my favorite track and the album but it still disappointed me, which tells you how much potential this track had. Really I’m fine with leaving Kanye on the hook, his guest verses have been real hit or miss for me this year. But I think Rocky would have been great on this beat man. I would also be fine with all them having a verse and this song being like seven minutes. Shout out to Cole on the production for this one.

Coke metaphors: 1

Track Six: Got Em Covered (Feat. Ad Liva)

This was the first track on the album I wasn’t really feeling. The Timbo beat is cool, don’t get me wrong, the verses just lack energy and I really didn’t like the hook. Ab Liva was fine, certainly not bad but the song didn’t blow me away like the first five did.

Coke metaphors: 5

Track Seven: Keep Dealing (Feat. Beanie Sigel)

Man, this track is cold. Hoth cold. Lambo in the playoffs cold. “I think I paid for one too many abortions”. And then Beanie Sigel comes in with this menacing, dark verse. This is the dark Pusha is talking about in the title of the project.

Coke metaphors: 4

Track Eight: Retribution (Feat. Kehlani)

This song would of fit right in with my least favorite songs on *MNIMN*. Still good verses, and the beat is nice, but I wasn’t feeling the hook. Again, it’s not bad, I just already forget basically everything about it and I just listened to it.

Coke metaphors: 4

Track Nine: F.I.F.A.

I have nothing really to say about this one, nice track, sweet Q-Tip production. I think we can all agree that FIFA is the worst though.

Coke Metaphors: 4

Track Ten: Sunshine

This is probably the realest Pusha song I’ve ever heard. Jill Scott at the end, woo man that’s some spiritual shit. I lied to you earlier this is my favorite song on the album. “I’ve seen one time turn sunshine into Freddy Grey”. This what hip hop is all about when it comes down to it, it’s an expression of a way of life, it’s emotion and thought provoking lyricism and soul. Props Push.

Coke Metaphors: 1

Wrap Up:

This is an excellent project. It’s short, it is a prelude after all, but it’s exactly what I want from Pusha T. Great, eccentric production, bars on bars on bars, and he wrapped it up with one of the best songs I’ve heard all year. I don’t think this album hits the peaks of *My Name is My Name* (Nosetalgia and Numbers on the Boards), but it also never hits it’s valleys. This is a project for heads and Clipse fans in particular. I imagine King Push will be a lot more radio friendly, with a lot more big name features. Hopefully it doesn’t try to be too poppy though, because when Push just lets it rip on a track, there are few who can do it better.

Four out of five stars.

Final cocaine metaphor count: 36

Thanks for reading, until next time, have a “YUUGH!” day.