Very often it’s the case that it takes a rapper to break from his group or pairing to be truly recognised as a great solo lyricist. It worked for Busta Rhymes, Q-Tip and countless others, so its no surprise that Pusha T of the highly acclaimed Clipse duo is now causing goosebumps on solo joints. With his brother Malice currently finding favour in more religious grounds, the younger of the two Thornton brothers has upped his stakes as a premier emcee.
Pushing label chief Kanye West on ‘Runaway’ aswell as sending chills on ‘So Appalled’, Pusha T now has the world’s full attention and with the Fear Of God mixtape creating assumptive waves of high expectation, the Virginia boy can reaffirm any skeptics of his lyrical prowess going beyond more than two hot verses.
A mixtape named in reference to his elder brother’s current walk with God, Pusha T opens Fear Of God with a sermon for the streets on ‘My God’. The military drums, eccentric organ keys and slow march feel add to Pusha’s raw narrations.
If ‘My God’ provided strong material for the ears, the following track ‘I Still Wanna’ cooks up something which will be hard to stomach for many. Pusha T, Rick Ross and Ab Liva, for all the fame and fortune acquired from rapping, still declare their desire for the criminal life. It’s anything but a surprise, considering the Clipse’s impeccable sophomore album Hell Hath No Fury was a 60 minute ‘glorification’ of the drug trade.
Whilst numerous freestyles over Lil Wayne’s ‘Money On My Mind’, Bun B’s ‘Put It Down’ and Jigga’s ‘Can I Live’ contain notable verses, ultimately it’s the original tracks which many are clamouring for. G.O.O.D Music’s son produces his most creative and intriguing work when dabbling in the darker and more personal side of life; ‘Open Your Eyes’ spews more crack tales on a sinister track sampling Queen’s ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ and the closing ‘Alone In Vegas’ is an icy confessional offering.
Pusha is a fearsome rapper, whose provocative tales are told with much conviction which makes such tracks inviting. When donning the braggish, womanising character, the intensity in his lyrics drops and lands in mediocre territory – as found on the Kanye West featured ‘Touch It’. Even on the piano bashing ‘Raid’ with Pharrell and 50 Cent, its dire chorus brings down what should be a fairly decent single.
Although a full length album will be the grounds for which to fully judge his solo credentials, Fear Of God is an appeasing offering for fans of one half of the Clipse duo. Whilst it doesn’t reach the levels which Rick Ross’ Albert Anastasia EP reached (in regards to the quality on hand), here Pusha for the most part delivers solid bars on various conflicts within his personal life and the flashy attributes which come with the fame. Whilst Fear Of God may not fully push him out of ‘underrated’ territory, there are enough signs are on hand to show Pusha T’s potential of eventually breaking into Hip Hop’s top ten.
DOWNLOAD: Pusha T – Fear Of God