Few artists other than the Buffalo MC Westside Gunn are still putting out albums to represent the East Coast rap scene. Even fewer are putting out albums at the volume that Gunn is. His latest release, “12,” is an 11 track project that continues Gunn’s attempts to reinvent his music and style. The album is chocked full of features and unique production choices, flushing out the album as a completely new experience.
“12” sounds very different from melodic and smooth beats that mainstream audiences know Gunn for. Where 2020’s “Pray for Paris” and 2023’s “And Then You Pray For Me” used more classical and melodic elements in the production, “12” draws inspiration from a wider range of musical styles. The trap influences on “BOSWELL” starts the album off with a sinister tone. The soul sample used on “055” blends with the harsh vocals to create an interesting contrast between the two. The electronic sound of “VEERT” goes along with vocoder vocals to set up a unique sound.
“I really liked the sound and production of ‘055’,” said Cyrus Lariz, a rap listener at ERHS. “The sample was really interesting.”
As far as lyricism goes, Gunn’s focus has never strayed from flaunting his success and asserting his domination over the Buffalo rap scene. At one point in “BOSWELL,” Gunn even says that his competition hasn’t been able to reach him since “Pray for Paris.” The only song that is without any features is “OUTLANDER,” which is perhaps the most textbook example of Gunn’s ability to relentlessly rap over a beat for three whole minutes. Another aspect of the album is the iconic adlibs, which on this particular release make up 13% of the total lyrics.
Collaboration and features have been a staple of Gunn’s projects for as long as he’s been putting out music. Most of his feature’s boil down to members of the Griselda Records Collective, of which he is the leader. “12” is no exception, with the likes of Estee Nack and Stove God Cooks appearing on multiple tracks throughout the album. Nack’s cadence for rapping is slightly slower than his counterparts, drawing out verses. Cooks on the other hand, speaks with a faster rhythm, which flushes out tracks and creates transitions so to speak in-between verses.
“Normally I wouldn’t listen to Westside Gunn,” said Lariz. “But I think the album was pretty decent.”
“12” might not be a genre-defining album, or be the best that Gunn has to offer, but it demonstrates that he can make albums and maintain a decent quality to them. “12” is an indication that Gunn has no intent to stop making music anytime soon. It’s a reminder of his position on top of Buffalo, and perhaps even larger, the East Coast rap scene.
