Pusha T - King Push – Darkest Before Dawn: The Prelude

Pusha T
King Push – Darkest Before Dawn: The Prelude
2015
King Push – Darkest Before Dawn: The Prelude

From the start of this record Pusha T wants you to know that this will not be another average album. He is not going to follow trends or try to make a club banger just for the hell of it. Instead Pusha will be his full authentic self on King Push – Darkest Before Dawn: The Prelude, however bleak looking at that may be. It is no accident that Pusha T mentions the Notorious BIG on the first two tracks from the record; first bringing up Christopher Wallace on "Intro" and then using his voice as the bridge on "Untouchable". Pusha T is looking to take his brand of Hip Hop back to the street just how Biggy got his start. He is holding up a mirror, but not to his listeners but rather to himself and showing the world what He sees. The polish on this record is super well done bringing a level of production and beat selection that is on the Kendrick level of skill. However nothing is contrived, it feels like these thoughts are the ones popping up in his head as he goes rather than specifically going after something with each track. It is also super concise for a rap album at only 10 tracks, something that it really benefits from.

"M.P.A." is the track that has garnered the most attention because it features Kanye, A$AP Rocky and The-Dream. What is really well done on this track is instead of forcing his features in King Pusha just makes a longer track (4:45) to leave room for everyone. His lyrics are also really impressive switching rhyming structure and surprising you any time that He can. There are times where King Push – Darkest Before Dawn: The Prelude can feel a bit dated hearkening back to the old way hip-hop was done rather than giving in to modern styles, but it feels like that was the only way to get the themes Pusha T wanted across. One of those is being the anti-hero, a throne Pusha T is willing to claim more than most. You will find Pusha speaking about Women or Money very rarely but He is more than willing to talk about his selling of cocaine far more in the present than in the past. He celebrates the criminal rather than try to leave it in his past. Even though the intro speaks about uplifting the black community Pusha T quickly disappears into his dealer lifestyle quickly and often. "Keep Dealing" is 100% about never leaving that lifestyle and arguable is one of the best tracks on the record. If this is just the prelude to an eventual King Push than we can all expect something mind blowing in the near future.

8.9 out of 10