Album Review: It's Almost Dry - Pusha T

New York native and skillful rapper Pusha T cemented his spot as one of the hardest-hitting and aggressively passionate rappers alive in 2018 with the release of his critically-acclaimed album DAYTONA. Part of Kanye West’s legendary run of producing albums for other artists, Daytona’s lightning-in-a-bottle production saw Pusha T delivering ruthless bars over powerful instrumental beats. Luckily for fans of DAYTONA, Pusha T’s newest album also enlists Mr. West’s production skills while also calling upon Neptunes legend Pharrell Williams to make beats for the project. Pusha has given fans exactly what they wanted from this project, which is a slightly more playful but still impressive cropping of songs that stay true to the rest of his discography.

The album’s opening track “Brambleton” utilizes a bouncy trap instrumental and lets Pusha air out grievances about his previous manager Geezy. Pusha T has never been one to avoid confrontation or conflict, and by setting the tone so directly as early as track one, he’s reminding his colleagues to never forgot who they’re dealing with when interacting with him. Pharrell’s production is immediately recognizable on this track with his signature sonics again making an appearance. The next track, “Let The Smokers Shine The Coupes”, takes inspiration from the sounds of classic rap tracks from the likes of RZA and the Wu-Tang Clan. Notoriously known for his many references to cocaine, Pusha T brings out one of his funniest drug-related bars yet as he calls himself “Cocaine’s Dr. Seuss.” “Dreamin Of The Past (feat. Kanye West)” is one of my favorite songs on the project, as it uses a soulful sample flip similar to those found earlier on in Kanye’s discography. braggadocious and the furthest thing from humble, this track lets Pusha and Kanye emulate the self-important energy that fueled the confident DAYTONA four years ago.

“Neck & Wrist (feat. JAY-Z and Pharrell)” uses its features extremely well, and lines like “Summertime, Winterfell / I’m the Night King” demonstrate Pusha T’s occasional tendency to work in niche pop culture references into his verses. I’m also a sucker for JAY-Z features, as he’s consistently able to prove why he’s considered one of the best rappers of all time. “Just So You Remember” uses an instrumental that sounds to me like it was left on the cutting room floor of Kanye West and Kid Cudi’s KIDS SEE GHOSTS and features some of the most savage lines on the entire project. “Seein’ you rappers apply for the stimulus / Livin’ a lie, but die for your images” and the intense delivery of “Just so you remember who you’re dealing with” stand out as highlights on this track. “Diet Coke” was the lead single for this project, and I still see it as one of the best Pusha has put out in years. Kanye’s production is immaculate, and Pusha’s singing delivery on the chorus is a nice change of pace from his typical cadence.

“Rock N Roll (feat. Kanye and Kid Cudi") is probably my favorite song on the album, bringing back the members of KIDS SEE GHOSTS together for one final collaboration according to Cudi. It seems that whatever beef the two of them are having is serious enough to commit to avoiding each other over tracks. Drama aside - the playful production on this track is addicting. The Beyoncé sample, passionate verse from Ye, and great contributions from Pusha and Cudi result in a fantastic track overall. “Call My Bluff” is one of the more forgettable cuts on the album, but it’s hard to tell if that’s just because it’s in the shadow of the song coming before it. Its production is still clean and simple, but Pusha’s lyrical delivery seems more subdued here than I would’ve preferred. “Scrape It Off (feat. Lil Uzi Vert & Don Toliver)” is another oddball for me, as it sounds completely out of place on the tracklisting. The features make for interesting collaborations, but It’s Almost Dry has established an aesthetic up to this point that just doesn’t match this song’s vibe.

“Hear Me Clearly (feat. Nigo)” is the same track found on Nigo’s most recent album I Know Nigo!, and while I enjoy the song, it feels like Pusha’s verses would instead be found on one of his features instead of one of his tracks - the same criticism I had on Nigo’s project. “Open Air” features one of the hardest beats on the project, and while this song is only 2:12, it makes the most of its short runtime with killer bars and confidence. “I Pray For You (feat. Labrinth & MALICE)” is likely Pusha’s strongest closing track to date, with hymnal and gospel-esque production. Appearances from Clipse are few and far between, so I’m glad that their collaborations here lived up to my sky high expectations. Pusha closes the project discussing his accomplishments and how far he has come - great introspection from an often ruthless artist.

Pusha T has done exactly what I look for from artists, which is growing thematically and sonically while retaining the fundamental elements of what makes them who they are. One of the most lyrically intricate and skillful artists in the game, Pusha has yet again proved that he has what it takes to hang with the best. Great features, a refined tracklisting, and stellar production make It’s Almost Dry another great album from Pusha and one of the best hip-hop records of 2022 so far.

Favorite tracks: “Brambleton”, “Let The Smokers Shine The Coupes”, “Dreamin Of The Past (feat. Kanye West)”, “Neck & Wrist (feat. JAY-Z & Pharrell Williams)”, “Just So You Remember”, “Diet Coke”, “Rock N Roll (feat. Kanye West & Kid Cudi)”, “Open Air”, “I Pray For You (feat. Labrinth & MALICE)”

SCORE: 8/10