Westside Gunn: The new 4th Rope wrestling company has some serious belts made by the Griselda boss

Excited about the future of wrestling? Look no further than what hip-hop heavyweights Westside Gunn is gearing up to serve to the masses courtesy of his upcoming 4th Rope promotion.

Westside Gunn keeps teasing 4th Rope and it’s all about the belts

While details continue to surface about what’s brewing, Gunn hit up Instagram this past weekend to dish out details behind the thought process for putting together the company’s men and women’s championship belts.

‘🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥I’ve worked so hard and super blessed to be able to say I’ve did everything I’ve said I was gonna do and did it.. and I’m here to tell u now I’m about to make 4TH ROPE one of the biggest movements in the wrestling world, this has been a dream of mine and im dedicated, ppl have seen me front row at every major PPV for the past 6yrs straight, every major company, and at indies!!!

4THROPE is the real forbidden door and I’ve spread culture this whole entire time, but like I said in the beginning of the year MORE WRESTLING!!!!!

I wonder who’s gonna be the first 4TH ROPE MEN & WOMENS CHAMPIONS 🤔?? As u can see the belts are pristine and craftily made… the Woman’s belt is for AUNT MICHELLE this was her fav color 🤲🏽 Tag Team & I have a special belt in the works just think million dollar man 🤫 pics coming soon #4THROPE #CULTURE #ART #Wrestling #ICON 🤘🏽’

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Westside Gunn: The biggest hip-hop wrestling concert goes down next month with Heels Have Eyes

Did you ever doubt how much rap heavyweight Westside Gunn loves this wrestling Culture? Turns out he’s taking his excitement for WrestleMania going down next month and flipping it into a massive hip-hop showcase called Heels Have Eyes.

Westside Gunn’s Heels Have Eyes goes down next month

It’s going to be all types of epic fun just from the details alone. Alchemist and DJ Drama involved? Surprise guests? WrestleMania weekend eve? Oh yes.

‘BIG ANNOUNCEMENT!!!!!! 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

TICKETS ON SALE TOMORROW NOON at @ticketmaster

4THROPE presents “HEELS HAS EYES” 4/5

SOUNDS BY DJ DRAMA ALCHEMIST DARINGER & CONDUCTOR WILLIAMS 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

This is a SUPER PARTY!!!!
WRESTLEMANIA weekend in Philadelphia with SPECIAL GUEST PERFORMANCES and APPEARANCES… I PROMISE YOU the ppl who’s coming and the energy that’s gonna be in the TLA will be a Legendary night for the CULTURE 🦂 ALSO the Merch is kraaazy and I’m a man of the ppl tickets ONLY $40 I want ppl from EVERYWHERE to be here bc this is the energy we all need, fuckin with me u might see Sting in this MF 🤣🤲🏽 #4THROPE #CULTURE #ART#HEELSHAVEEYES #LEGENDARY#WRESTLEMANIA #WRESTLING #VIBES#HIPHOP’

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Westside Gunn: The Griselda boss is officially taking over the wrestling Culture

New York rap heavyweight Westside Gunn knows the wrestling Culture could use a boost. So with music and art in the books, the Buffalo native is gearing up for a massive takeover in the professional wrestling world.

Westside Gunn has something major brewing with wrestling

Gunn hit up his social media pages to get fans geeked out about what’s on deck. Along with referencing his love for catching the biggest premium bouts for both WWE and AEW, Westside dished on taking his love for the sport into his own hands.

‘THROPE is CULTURE!!!! Nobody has been front row as many times as me period.. I’ve been to every WWE major event and AEW front row for the past 5yrs min. I told y’all more ART, Fashion, Music and WRESTLING!!!!!!!!!!! But my next few moves are life changing and just know I’ve built everything brick by brick and what I’m about to do to the wrestling game will be History, thank u @tnawrestling for a SUPER DOPE time last night, the locker room, the staff everybody involved was top tier looking fwd to more!!!! 🤘🏽 All I ask is that y’all Support my next endeavors, I’ve given y’all the best curation in the world for years whether ppl late to the party or not, and so many ppl over the years lost touch with wrestling but I’m heRE to give y’all that feeling back, I mean haven’t I did that already in Hip Hop (GRISELDA) 🤷🏽‍♂️ Love u all 🤲🏽 #SUPERFLYGOD #4THROPE #CULTURE #ART #ICON #GXFR #RFC#JUSTDONGANG #Wrestling #tna’

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Westside Gunn: A full-hour long Apple Music 1 interview with Zane Lowe is a Griselda dream

Westside Gunn has plenty to talk about and a quick radio visit just doesn’t cut it. So what better way to geek out over the newly released And Then You Pray For Me than chopping it up with Apple Music 1’s Zane Lowe?

Westside Gunn chopping it up with Zane Lowe for an hour is purely awesome

More than an hour of awesomeness, it’s all types of tap in vibes for the Gunn day ones. From dishing on recording his entire album overseas to having to make a disconnection to some serious supporters. Peep the highlights and keep scrolling for the full-fledged interview.

Westside Gunn on His New Album ‘And Then You Pray For Me’...

It's a history lesson. It's just different energy right now with me, man. You see, I'm glowing right now. It's just where I'm at in life, you know what I'm saying? I made this whole album overseas, so it was just like… Just country hop and just energy. That's why it just sounds like that. That's staying at Bulgari. That's staying at the Ritz. That's staying at the Waldorf, that's staying at the Four Seasons… it was all intentional. You know what I mean? It was all by design. 

Westside Gunn on Elevating...

I just wanted to do something different. I did what I did for a decade. People might only heard of Griselda maybe the last couple of years, but I've been doing this since 2012. You know what I'm saying. So it was like, now where I'm at in life, just mature, just grown, just being a better man all the way around, now I'm getting the fashion show invites finally. I turned into a super fly guy. You know what I'm saying?

Westside Gunn on Disappointing Diehard Griselda Boom Bap Fans...

I kind of left like a lot of the die-hard, Griselda, Boom Bap fans that felt like they kind of disappointed in me. You know what I'm saying? But that's the thing. It's a selfish way of thinking. It's like, you just want me for just only what you want me for. You only love me for that, so you don't love me as Westside Gunn, the man. You just love me. You know what I'm saying? That's why it's like, if you don't love me as Westside Gunn, the man, why are you a fan? Because there's more to me than just me rapping on Boom Bap. You know what I'm saying? But I'm also doing it for the better. It's a bigger message, and it's a point at the end of all of this. We're just having fun, and we're spreading art. I feel like, if you loved me those whole ten years, I still gave you mama's prime time, just as an example. It's not going nowhere. You can play FLYGOD two times or you could play Babylon Bis, or you could play Kitchen Lights. You can play Jalen Rose with Body. You can play Revenge of Flips Leg with Rome Streets. It's more songs still for y'all better than everybody else out there.

Westside Gunn on Spreading Positivity…

…just wanting to get fly, be a father, and want to do better for yourself, and want to live the right way, not go out here and want to just be devilish and live the wrong way. It's like I really don't even do interviews, and people don't really see a lot of me. People have now, like within like the last week, you know what I'm saying? But it's like now I'm doing these interviews, because I want to just spread a positive message. You know what I'm saying? Man, just, just be yourself, man. It's more to the world. You know what I'm saying? And it's just like, "Man, do better, and try to show your kids the world.” The thing about me is, again, spreading a positive message. Even though Griselda had some of the grimiest lyrics you could think of in the last decade, the hardest beats you could think of in the last decade, there's never no fights at our show. You know what I'm saying? It's never no problems in the popup line. Everybody that come to a Griselda show or come support the popups or just be at a Griselda event, it's always love, it's always positivity.

Westside Gunn on Why He Stopped Reading Comments…

…you know what's crazy? I stopped reading the comments now. You know, sometimes I troll, you know what I mean? And talk trash, you know what I mean? Every now and then, because that's just me. I'm a funny guy, naturally. I'd never take it serious. The internet is just an illusion, but sometimes I just like to spiral on somebody that think they're funny, because I just like to stay sharp. You know what I mean? It's not serious though, but I really kind of like, just stop reading the comments on this one, because I did this one from the heart. I know what I did it for. I know the energy I was in. You can't expect me, again, to sound the same forever. I want to explore. 

Westside Gunn on Why The Story of Griselda is One of the Greatest Stories in Hip Hop…

I'm going to be honest, and I'm not just saying this because it's me, it's probably the greatest story in hip hop once people really like dig deep and really understand the story of us, because it starts all the way from the day we was born, because we're really family. So it starts back from when our mothers was born. When their mothers was born, because they're sisters. You know what I'm saying? So this story goes back to how we got here, is amazing, because we then went through, and mind you. You know, like I say, man, we're from East Side, Buffalo. We really never had nothing. Our city, really, never had light shine on it, but it's a grimy city. So, just the violence. And we're not young, so we lived through the crack era, we lived through the grimy nineties, just all of those different chapters of Hip Hop, you know what I'm saying? Because again, we're not young. I mean, a lot of these artists come up here, they was born in 2000. You know what I'm saying? They don't really know… I remember every part of Hip Hop. And I know a lot of stories in it, and I'm not just saying... I just think... I really feel like our story is amazing.

Westside Gunn on Receiving Support From The Late Virgil Abloh and His Continued Legacy…

He was re-Tweeting my music all the way back since 2016. See what I'm saying? With my Mr. T record or FLYGOD album, he re-Tweeted that one. He been on, you know what I'm saying? He put a lot of other people on. It's so many people that came up to me like, "Virgil put me on. Virgil put me on. Virgil..." Especially if they from Chicago, like the OGs. "Virgil put me on, Virgil put me on." So, it was just like the love, it was very mutual. You know what I'm saying? And I wish we could have done a lot more, but I think he left me with the best gift he could possibly leave me with. And that's how you got And Then You Pray for Me because when I went to fashion week this time, his spirit was there. You see what I'm saying? It was a difference. Yeah. He's too iconic. It's like... You know what I'm saying? And it was still so fresh, so you know how it is, it's just like right now it's the... People are not going to even give me my flowers yet because it's still... We are in real time.

Westside Gunn on What He Respects About Rick Ross…

I respect that man. You know what I'm saying? I've always respected him. I thought even from being in the south, because we all students of the game. Like I said, I've been here since the beginning, you know what I'm saying. And especially being from the south and Miami, how Ross always approached a record... Being from Miami. Let's not forget at that time, it was nobody, especially from the South that approached it the way he did. Because even when TI, was out and Jeezy was out, they didn't approach it like Ross. Ross approached it with more style, more lyrical, you know what I mean? Capabilities with it. Just like...It was like he was from New York, you know what I'm saying? That's how he approached it. He studied the East Coast MCs, like the greats. And was just like put them in a blender and just put his own twist to it, mixed with the trap, because that's the thing. He was talking about the same trap content that TI and Jeezy was rapping about, but he put the New York twist on it…

Westside Gunn on “KITCHEN LIGHTS”…

It only been out five days, but this song is a hip hop classic. That's what I'm saying, it's not even out one week. Five years from now, people going to be playing Kitchen Lights. 10 years from now, people is going to be playing Kitchen Lights. The video is not even out yet. Kitchen Lights is still about to get legs.

Westside Gunn on Opening a Hibachi Restaurant in Buffalo…

I actually have a silent business venture with a restaurant going on right now, but we haven't really spoke on it yet publicly, but it's a hibachi restaurant. Because that's my favorite. It was actually my favorite restaurant, so I said, "Hey ..." Nudged them, like, "Look ..." I wanted to open up one in Buffalo, because we only have one hibachi restaurant in Buffalo. And I had the opportunity to get a ... It went out of business ever since COVID, and nobody really took over the space, because it cost so much a month, but I had the opportunity ...This is how I even got into it. I had the opportunity to get the space. And I was just like, I don't know what I can do with this space, it's too big. What restaurant I'm going to have? Buffalo's a food city, it's in the top 10 cities in the world, National Geographic…Buffalo food is amazing. So I'm like, I'm not in the food business, what can I really do? But I had the opportunity to get this space, so it just made me think, my city do love me, what would I do? Oh, damn, we need a hibachi restaurant.

Westside Gunn on the Possibility of Exploring Film Work…

I feel like that's where we're heading to, without a shadow of a doubt. I think film is the next big thing for me. The last month, maybe month and a half, of me promoting the album, once I put the date out there, people been seeing me a lot more. A lot more, a lot more, a lot more. And I always kind of been reserved. I always love for Benny to do it, and I always loved for Conway to do it, and I always loved for Armani to do it, because she's beautiful, and I always wanted the world to see Armani. But, me, I always kind of wanted to chill. It's like, if you know, you know. I don't have to be on the scene. Like I said, I always approached it differently. I never made music for the money. I never said, "Hey, I need to be on the radio." I never say, "Hey, I needed to be in the club." I never had to sell my soul in this shit. I never had to go out my comfort zone. I always been me in this. Now, I'm just super blessed, people starting to really take notice, now that I've been pushing this album. And it's like, now that I'm here, let me show y'all why people been respecting Westside Gunn for so long, because some people just don't know. 

Westside Gunn on What Fans Can Expect in the Future…

If I want to make a song with Alchemist today, I can. If I want to make a song with Metro Boomin tomorrow, I can. If I want to hit up Pierre, I can. If I want to hit up Sonny Digital, I can. But if I want to hit Pete Rock, I can. So that's what I'm about to give you from now on, and that's what I'm saying. It's not necessarily making whole albums. I'm just about to give you actually more music, because it's like now when I cook it, I'm giving it to you. I'm giving you actually more Westside Gunn, because the energy I have right now, you have to feel it. You have to feel it while it's in me right now, and I want to give the people this energy. You're going to get a Westside Gunn that you've never seen before, and I've already did the impossible at least 100 times.

Westside Gunn: The Griselda boss really flew out to Greece just to have dinner

Big balling much, Westside Gunn? You better believe it. The hip-hop heavyweight has stepped up to let the world know his new Pray For Me album is on the way and in the meantime he’s traveling the world and doing fine dining all the way in Greece.

Westside Gunn randomly having dinner in Greece is epic

Much like his rap persona suggests, Westside is simply living his best life. From the fit to his honest words, it’s all about experiencing all areas of the globe and turning it into signature rap songs.

‘I swear on my Soul I flew to Athens Greece just to eat, well the Soul y’all said I SOLD 😂😂

AND THEN YOU PRAY FOR ME

🦂🐐🤲🏽 #SUPERFLYGOD #GXFR #ICON #ANDTHENYOUPRAYFORME#FOURSEASONS #ATHENS’

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Westside Gunn: The Griselda boss calls Travis Scott's 'UTOPIA' album an incredible piece of art

If there’s someone big on the art world, you already know it’s New York rapper Westside Gunn. The hip-hop veteran steps up to deliver a major salute to fellow rap heavyweight Travis Scott on his new UTOPIA studio album.

Westside Gunn gives Travis Scott a massive ‘UTOPIA’ co-sign

Gunn hit up his Instagram page and didn’t hold back. Instead, Westside saluted Cactus Jack for putting out a more than memorable audio masterpiece.

‘The Hottest Artist in the 🌎 came together and made an incredible piece of ART!!! Salute to the homie @travisscott showing the world EASTSIDE BUFFALO 🤲🏽 from the @dior runway in Paris to a museum… I’m a keep letting the blind lead the blind I keep trynna tell y’all this is another level of exquisiteness, what I’m doing has never been done before AND it was prod by my brother @alanthechemist .. this for the streets and the underground/dogs #SUPERFLYGOD #GXFR #ICON#UTOPIA #CULTURE #LOSTFOREVER @jamesblake’

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Conway The Machine: Injuries have officially sidelined everyone's favorite Buffalo rapper

Get well soon, Conway The Machine. The hip-hop heavyweight comes through with a crushing update on his health revealing injuries have him down for the count and having to reschedule a new tour run.

Conway The Machine keeps it 100 on his injuries

Connie hit up his Instagram page and even shared a snapshot of himself in a hospital bed. He kept things 100 and even promised to make things right with anyone with purchased concert tickets.

‘The results are in 🤦🏿‍♂️ I have a Fractured right tibia, dislocated kneecap, ANNNNND the album of the year tho! 🙌🏾😂

But In all seriousness tho, anyone that knows me knows there’s nothing I love to do more than bein up on that stage! I can’t lie I’m super disappointed that I have to postpone the WHDi tour for a little bit, because I was really looking forward to goin on those stages and rocking this WHDI shit for y’all live. However I am in good spirits and I’m only looking at it as just a minor lil setback for a MAJOR COMEBACK! No stress!!

If u already bought tickets they’ll be honored at the later dates for sure! More updates coming this week. I appreciate all the love and concern for my well-being, love y’all 🙌🏾’

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Conway The Machine: The Buffalo legend goes off-off with Jae Skeese because they're 'The Chosen'

Double team for the win? You better believe it when talking about Conway The Machine and Jae Skeese. The duo connect like Ghostface Killah and Raekwon in their prime on the new ‘The Chosen’ anthem from the upcoming Won’t He Do It studio album.

Conway The Machine’s ‘The Chosen’ really goes off

Con gets everyone into the New Music Friday mood with his latest audio gem. Teaming up with Skeese, the lyrics go hard and clips from ‘Undisputed’ with Shannon Sharpe and Skip Bayless makes it even more priceless.

The road to Conway The Machine’s major label Shady/Interscope Records debut, God Don’t Make Mistakes, was undeniably impactful and incredibly redemptive.  Universally hailed by critics and fans alike, the album was also his commercial breakthrough, as God Don’t Make Mistakes rose to the top of DSP charts and was also his highest-charting Billboard project to date.

While God Don’t Make Mistakes was Conway’s de-facto origin story, it will also serve as the bridge to the next phase of his already decorated career; which begins with his next album Won’t He Do It. 

Now, fans won’t have to wait much longer as Conway has announced that Won’t He Do It will be released on 5-5-23.  In addition to releasing a new single, “The Chosen,” which features his emerging Drumwork Music Group artist Jae Skeese, he also released the album's track-listing.  Won’t He Do It is now available for pre-order at all DSP’s. 
In addition to the release of Won’t He Do It’s second single. Conway also announced the Won’t He Do It Spring Tour featuring Sauce Walka and Jae Skeese, which will touch down in 18 cities starting on 5-26 in Chicago.  You can visit Conway’s digital HQ for all corresponding tour dates.

Conway The Machine’s new solo album, Won’t He Do It, will be released on 5-5-23 via Drumwork Music Group/EMPIRE.

Westside Gunn has the best reason for staying off social media the past 40 days

Sometimes social media needs a break, right? Turns out Griselda’s Westside Gunn had the best reason ever to fall back and get things right behind the scenes.

Westside Gunn took a month off to get right-right

Gunn hit up his Instagram page with his first post in weeks. Westside acknowledged the need to tighten up his fashion-creating goals and music-making sparked his need to go vanish mode.

‘40Days 40 Nights… SUPER FLYGOD has RISEN!!!

For the Past month I’ve been living overseas learning and building becoming the best designer I could possibly be, making my new album “& THEN U PRAY FOR ME” and traveling with my son FLYGOD JR. I haven’t been on social media, I’ve been living a healthy, sucka free life and I just have a new energy.. I wanna thank the fans for there concerns and truthfully I feel better than I ever have… stronger, smarter!!! I can’t wait to show u the new designs, drop the new music, and see the curations I’ve been putting together… GOD IS THE GREATEST 🤲🏽 now it’s “SUPER FLYGOD” WSGUNN doesn’t even exist anymore more 😂😂 I LOVE YALL 🐐🦂⚖️ #PRAISEBOTH #ICON #GXFR #FLYGOD#CURATOR #ART #MASTERMIND
📷 @finflint’

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Westside Gunn brings it all together with his new '10' album

And that’s a wrap for Westside Gunn. The completion of his Hitler Wears Hermés series is locked in with the rollout of his new 10 studio album.

Westside Gunn’s new ‘10’ album is here

It’s more than the album. Gunn comes through with some epic guest features and brings his passion project series full circle.

When Westside Gunn released the first edition of #HWH ten years ago, Griselda was still in its infancy stage.   Now, GXFR is a global brand and he is the industry’s pre-eminent multi-hyphenate; artist/label owner/creative/curator/fashion icon.

With Griselda’s core, Westside Gunn, Benny The Butcher, and Conway The Machine now established stars, The trendsetting label is regenerating, revitalizing, and re-inventing itself.  Westside Gunn has assembled GXFR’s next generation of stars; Stove God Cooks, Armani Caesar, Rome Streetz, Jay Worthy, and his son Flygod JR (all of whom appear on 10).

Every year around this time, as the season's change and fall announces itself, it’s become a reflex of sorts for fans to begin to clamoring and waiting on a new edition of #HWH.  It’s become a tradition and a rite of passage.  For as much of a visionary as Westside Gunn is, he is also a devout traditionalist. 

Last year at this time, Westside Gunn released HWH8 as a double album in two different installments with Side: A (which topped the iTunes Charts) and Side: B. The editions featured Tyler, The Creator, Lil Wayne, Jadakiss, Benny The Butcher, Conway The Machine, Jay Electronica, 2 Chainz, Larry June, Madlib, Stove God Cooks, The Alchemist, Daringer, Sauce Walka, Boldy James, Mach-Hommy, Rome Streetz, AZ, Armani Caesar Jay Worthy, Conductor Williams, Jay Versace, and DJ Green Lantern among others.

Keeping his plans under wraps until the very last moment, Westside Gunn has now released #HWH’s final installment; and to officially memorialize it, he has aptly titled it 10, which not only signifies completion but celebrates what has already been set in motion; and there is no disputing this notorious series will live on and influence for generations.   

That influence is readily apparent on 10’s lead single, “Shootout’s In Soho,” which features A$AP Rocky & Stove God Cooks,

Need to know what Westside thinks about the new album drop?

“It’s only right that we end here.  All special things get a memorial release” Westside Gunn reflects.  “The last double album was going to be the final one, but it felt weird leaving off at nine and not 10.  I had to celebrate this series which has meant so much to fans.  Everything I do sounds nothing like the last thing I did.  That’s the creative in me, and I’m always going to push the culture forward.  I’m ending this on a really special note with 10.”

Rome Streetz's 'Kiss The Ring' album has arrived

Of course there’s a new Griselda album on a New Music Friday. Rap artist Rome Streetz delivers in a big way with the Westside Gunn-executive produced new Kiss The Ring album.

The ‘Kiss The Ring’ album has arrived

With signature Gunn sounds on the LP and ample appearances courtesy of Benny The Butcher, Conway The Machine and even DJ Green Lantern, it’s all non-stop listening goals for the entire weekend.

Something’s in life make too much sense not to happen.  Like Rome Streetz and Griselda/GXFR forming like Voltron.

Ever since Rome’s signing was announced late last year, fans couldn’t wait to hear him spit his grimy and intricate vignettes for the industry’s pre-eminent tastemaker label.

Now, one of NYC’s brightest emcees and writers has officially released his debut Griselda album and masterpiece Kiss The Ring,

“Kiss The Ring is Rome Streetz on steroids.  This album is my deepest thoughts, feelings and experiences.  This is the culmination of all of my hard work and the times people said I couldn’t get lit making this type of music” Rome Streetz explains.  “Fast forward, I blew past them all and now they gotta Kiss The Ring.” 

With his ear always to the streets, Westside Gunn recognized and admired Rome Streetz’s talents and knew he would make the perfect addition to Griselda.  “When I think of NYC and bars, no one’s name comes up first before Rome Streetz.  He’s an emcees emcee and Griselda is a lot stronger with Rome” Westside Gunn confidently asserts.  “We made a classic tape and this is just the beginning.  Rome Streetz is the future; Kiss The Ring.”

Executive produced and exquisitely curated by Westside Gunn, Kiss The Ring, much to fan excitement, is a uniformly GXFR affair and features appearances and production from Benny The Butcher, Conway The Machine, Westside Gunn, Boldy James, Stove God Cooks, Armani Caesar, The Alchemist, Daringer, DJ Green Lantern, Conductor Williams, Camouflage Monk, Denny Laflare, Sadugold & Sovren.

To celebrate the release of Kiss The Ring, Rome Streetz also released the visual for “Non Factor,” which features Westside Gunn.

Rome Streetz’ Kiss The Ring is now available via Griselda/GXFR Records.

Benny The Butcher's Welcome to the States is an emotional eye-opener

New York rapper Benny The Butcher is doing his part to not only remember the victims of the tragic Buffalo mass shooting but also raise money for those impacted. The hip-hop artist’s ‘Welcome to the States’ is eye-opening and doesn’t hold back.

Benny The Butcher’s Welcome to the States is a must-hear and see

The Upstate New York native delivers on all levels with his new tune. The lyrics connect and the visual is even more emotionally and politically-driven.

Today, Benny The Butcher released a new politically-charged single and video, “Welcome To The States,” with the sole aim to raise money for those affected by the tragic mass shooting that took place at the Tops Supermarket in his hometown of Buffalo, NY on May 14th, 2022.

To support the victims of the Buffalo Mass Shooting, Benny is donating 100% of the profits from the sale of a limited edition Pray For Buffalo T-Shirt to the “Buffalo 5-14 Survivors Fund.”  The limited-edition Pray For Buffalo T-Shirt can be purchased here: https://www.blacksopranofamily.com/. 

The “Buffalo Survivors Fund,” established by the National Compassion Fund, in partnership with Top’s Supermarkets, has raised 2.5 million dollars to date; all of which is being paid directly to the victims and survivors of the mass shooting.

Benny The Butcher talks new 'Tana Talk 4' album, linking with J. Cole, Griselda status and more

Griselda’s Benny The Butcher has a lot on his mind these days. To help unload a bunch, he chops it up with hip-hop personality Ebro Darden on Apple Music 1 to run through his new album Tana Talk 4.

Benny tells Apple Music about past criticism of his lyrics, getting J. Cole on the project, being looked at like the Griselda underdog and having to prove himself. He also discusses being compared to Conway The Machine and him leaving the label, misconceptions over who owns Griselda, working with Kanye West and plenty more.

Check out some of the conversation highlights and keep scrolling for the full chop up session.

Benny The Butcher Tells Apple Music About Criticism of His Lyrics…

Man, society or the fans or supporters, they glorify rappers too much. I am not Dr. Martin Luther King. I am not Malcolm X. I'm nobody like that. I'm not like a revolutionist or one of them type of dudes. I'm a rapper. I'm a guy out the hood who made it. You feel what I'm saying? I'm not a role model. I'm an example. I be hearing dudes say, man, I got more money than rappers. Get more money than Jeff Bezos. It's like, I dress better than rappers. Dress better than the fashion model. Why everything is compared to rappers? People are obsessed with rappers.

Benny The Butcher Tells Apple Music About Getting J. Cole on Album Opener “Johnny P’s Caddy” and That It Almost Ended Up on ‘Revenge of the Dreamers III’…

I met him when they was doing the Dreamville thing in Atlanta. I tried to get a slot on there. I laid something crazy. I don't know how I ain't make that album. But no, I mean, he made it right. He made it right. But that's when I first met him. When I was on tour, he was on tour. I went to go chop it up with him. I let my manager Chase know, yo, I need Cole on his record. He got a relationship with his manager and they put that the together. And when me and Cole kicked it, he like a guy who I feel like he had to feel me out. We sat down and we chopped it. Because he been in this for so long and he really don't like doing features, I don't think. Or he's selective when he do them. So I kind of feel like he felt me out and was like, you know, that guy is all right. He one of the members. He's always, every time we sit and kick it, he always like seemed genuine. So I feel like it's something that he wanted to do. And I feel like it was something that he could get off his chest.

Benny The Butcher Tells Apple Music About The Reaction To His Last Album ‘Burden of Proof’…

When that album came out, people loved that album. But the Griselda fans is like, "He's going commercial. He's getting too lit for us. It's not underground no more. Nah." But if you ask the casual listener, they’ll know that, and won’t know the Tana Talks. And they'll be like, "Yo Benny, oh man, that Burden of Proof album." So it was like, that was a gift and a curse too. But it was more about me showing that I'm capable of doing anything. And it was more about Hit-Boy showing that, “I could work with these type of artists too.” So it was like, we both had a lot to prove on that record.

Benny The Butcher Tells Apple Music About Being Looked At Like The Griselda Underdog and Having To Prove Himself…

I be feeling like people look at me as like the Griselda underdog. I'm the mascot or the hanger on or something. When I came in this, there was a lot of situations. I couldn't get a lot of dudes, I asked dudes for beats, dudes who I knew was giving the beats, they try to charge me. When it was time to come do a rap on radio shows, they're like, "Oh, you got Conway with you?" I'm like, "No, man, Conway not with me. It's just me." So I went through a lot of that and this is a business. So I never get caught up on it. I just had to prove myself.

Benny The Butcher Tells Apple Music About Conway The Machine Leaving Griselda and Says Westside Gunn Is the Exclusive Owner of the Label…

"I’m gonna break something down for you… We’re going to always be crew…I don't think Conway is still signed to Griselda, but that's “signed" to Griselda. He's going to always be Griselda. And no, West is the sole owner of that. I think that's one of the big misconceptions is that they own it together. But that's West's baby. Like Conway tell you if West own a building, he did the construction type of thing…”

Benny The Butcher Tells Apple Music About The Track “Tyson Vs. Ali” and Being Compared To Conway The Machine…

Everybody try to compare me to Conway. They do. They try to put us together. You know, these people are devious. That's what they do. It's the same thing. I am of this cloth. It's like comparing your left shoe to your right shoe. It's like, it's a pair. I come up under Westside and Conway. So with that, one of my lines, is like, "While I'm killing it, Conway's rooting for me.”…But I named it Tyson vs. Ali, because you would never see Tyson vs. Ali. We all talk about it. You would never get to see it though. Keep comparing it. Keep imagining, you know what I'm saying?

Benny The Butcher Tells Apple Music About Making His Biggie Tribute “10 More Crack Commandments” As Authentic As Possible…

I got Diddy on the record because I wanted to make it authentic. So I got Diddy speaking his piece on the record and tying it in to where it would land today. Man, shout out Primo. Primo came and got in the video. None of you rappers try to recreate no Biggie stuff. Leave it up to the real guys. So it's like, I had to make this as authentic as I could make it. So I had to send it to Primo like, "What you think?" I had to send it to Diddy like, "Yo, what you think?" Because if I wouldn't have got their blessing on it, you would've heard this record.

Conway The Machine credits rap for saving his life, talks Beanie Sigel and more w/ Apple Music

New York rapper Conway The Machine has plenty of things to talk about with his new God Don’t Make Mistakes studio album officially streaming globally. The hip-hop heavyweight pulls through for a very memorable Apple Music 1 discussion with ‘The Message’ host Ebro Darden.

The duo talk all types of Black excellence, non-stop music grinding and plenty more. Check out some of the biggest chop up session moments and keep scrolling to experience the entire Apple Music 1 conversation.

Conway The Machine Tells Apple Music About Opening His Album with Beanie Sigel on “Lock Load”…

I just wanted to set the tone with something that's just kind of that feel that my fans from before the Shady deal, before any of this shit, when they was enjoying my music for that. That spooky sound and shit me and Daringer do beautifully. I wanted to set the tone of first shit up, knock it out the park on some shit like that. And then I kind of connected with Beans on some other type real shit. You know what I mean? Real n***a time. That's the big homie. Plus I always been a real big Sigel fan, and I respected his pen always. So when we connected, and it was just love. We spent a few days together in the studio and we cooked up a couple things. And I'm just like, "Yo, I got to have you on this joint." Actually, I was just playing the album for him and that's the first song he heard. Like, "Man, shit, load that up." He wanted to get on that, And I just was like, "Man, shit, let's get it.”

Conway The Machine Tells Apple Music About His Recovery After Being Shot in 2012 and How Rap Saved His Life...

I wouldn't go nowhere, and I wouldn't even try to get better or try to walk. My mind was just... I just gave up. And just one day... I really don't remember what day it was, man. I think it was after. Because I had the bullet stuck in my neck for a year and a half maybe. And that shit start moving, so that shit was kind of up here and where my doctor seen that shit. And he had to immediately like, "We got to go get you in surgery.” And so I got the bullet out, and I took a cab from the hospital to DJ Shay's studio..And I'm just like, "Throw a beat on. I just want to see." I had the patch on my shit, blood shit soaking through the patch. And I recorded a song. I forget... Shay got that song, and I was just rapping. It wasn't even no song. It was just a verse. And I heard how it sound, and I was like, "Yo, this shit really ain't that bad.” And I would just start going over there all the time, every day. And that was the shit actually getting me out the house. Rap saved my life, for real.

Conway The Machine Tells Apple Music About Working With The Alchemist…

Al, man, that's just my brother, man. You feel me? He's a big bro. There ain't never a time where I ain't reach out when I'm around his neighborhood, and I got a extra room or a couch to crash on. He always makes sure I'm good, checks on me, pull up to everything, and just been showing Griselda n***a's love from the beginning. He was the first n***a that I know was tweeting and really putting n***s on to this shit. Man, you know what I'm saying? Prodigy played him some shit show. There's some YouTube videos and shit. And he like, “N***a, what the fuck is this" on Twitter. And he ain't even know our Twitter names. He just like... And so people was just tagging us like, “N***a." And it's the Al, so it's a good guy, man. I love Al, man. Shout out to Al and these two that we cooked up on here. It's crazy, crazy records.

Conway The Machine Tells Apple Music About Continuing To Evolve With Age…

It's all about the mentality. It's the mind state, man. And it's like, your life can be changed. Sometimes it's just as simple as a change in your mentality, and you're changing your life. You're moving different. You're eating better. You're sleeping better. You're working harder. You're working smarter. Sometimes just as simple as, "Man, I got to change how I think, because if I'm still on the same dumb shit I was on when I was in my 20s or in my teens, then no matter what I get, I'm going to fuck it up. I'm going to still have the same results." So I just try to keep that in mind. Man, I don't want be the wisest man in the room. You know what I'm saying? If I'm the wisest man in the room, I'm in the wrong room.

Conway The Machine finally drops 'God Don't Make Mistakes'

Griselda heads stand up. Conway The Machine has finally come through in epic fashion with the long-awaited rollout to his new God Don’t Make Mistakes studio album and his formal Shady Records debut.

Conway The Machine’s ‘God Don’t Make Mistakes’ album is here

After mounted anticipation, Conway hit the green light on releasing his new LP Friday (February 25) and the follow-up to 2020’s From King To A GOD.

God Don’t Make Mistakes is not only Conway The Machine’s major-label debut, it’s also his de-facto origin story. To touch souls, you must first reveal your own, and listening to Conway’s God Don’t Make Mistakesis akin to reading entries in his notes app; vulnerable and reflective; questioning decisions, and wrestling with his own demons and inner-turmoil, while simultaneously celebrating life, love, and loss. It’s an autobiographical window into Conway’s soul; the trails, the obstacles, the tribulations, and the trauma from a shooting that resulted in him being shot in the head, and with it, the debilitating Bells Palsy diagnosis that he has suffered from since, which resulted in him having to re-learn how to speak and completely reinventing the way he would rap. It’s a thoroughly captivating timeline, and one that you can’t help but become immersed in; it’s intimately Conway The Machine; because God Don’t Make Mistakes.

It’s all about the fans

Conway has since issued a statement on the importance of getting the new LP out to the masses and - most notably - his true day ones.

“It was tough opening up doors that I haven’t opened up in a while.  This is my story and sharing it all with the world is different for me, but I was happy to do it” Conway states.  “I know fans will love it.”  

The non-stop Griselda grind

In just two years, Conway has remained committed to putting out studio fire and taking his talent to live performance stages and memorable spots on other artists’ studio albums.

The road to Conway The Machine’s Shady Records debut album has been eventful and incredibly redemptive.  His prelude project, From King To A GOD (2020), was universally hailed and received “Best Album Of The Year” accolades from influential outlets such as the New York Times, Complex, Pitchfork, Noisey, Hotnewhiphop & Uproxx among many other esteemed outlets.  Conway and Griselda’s run in 2020 was so epic, they took up acreage on Jay-Z's Yearly Tidal Playlist, Stereogum had to create an entirely separate year-end playlist just to chronicle their greatness and Conway capped off the year with his inventive NPR Tiny Desk Concert.

Building anticipation for God Don’t Make Mistakes, Conway’s 2021 included a rousing performance of “Scatterbrain” on ‘The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon’ featuring J.I.D. and Ludacris, the honor of contributing a verse too, “Hood Blues,” which was selected as the lead-single for DMX’s posthumous album Exodus, a headlining performance at the Jay-Z curated ‘Made In America’ Festival, a collaborative single with Jay-Z and Jadakiss, “King Kong Riddim” (from The Harder They Fall OST) and a standout performance (“Keep My Spirit Alive”) on Kanye West’s DONDA.  

Conway The Machine is heading to Canada super soon

Omicron? Mask up and get shot - plus a negative test or two - and grab tickets to go see Griselda’s own Conway The Machine gracing big Canadian stages in the coming weeks.

Conway The Machine’s heading to Canada

The hip-hop heavyweight has lit up his social media pages to get folks big excited about what’s to come. While he gets non-stop love across the nation, Buffalo’s rap slinger is gearing up for a February and March filled with big performances in major Canada cities.

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