The title of the album is a mouthful but veteran rapper Pusha T’s second solo album is a rather thin offering. One reason is the fact that it only has ten songs lasting thirty-four minutes. That alone would not be enough to label the album as a disappointment but it is the fact that he relies too heavily on gangsta style rap to illustrate the dark nature of the songs. There is nothing inherently wrong with gangsta rap though using it with these lyrics mixes the message. Is he being positive about drug dealing or just showing the evils of it? His message of how we must stand up against police brutality is lost amidst all the bravado and darkness. That is a shame because there is some value there. There are a couple of songs that are strong like “FIFA” with its beats by Q-Tip and body blows rap style of Pusha T. It is songs like this and “Sunshine” that demonstrate that Pusha T is one of the best rappers around today, so maybe my expectations are a little high.
Pusha T – King Push: Darkest Before the Dawn – The Prelude
