11

This EP isn’t anything too deep, but if the sound sticks around for Westside Gunn's next project, then Griselda’s return is looking solid. Conway and Benny’s recent work was kinda mid, so yeah, Griselda needed a win, and if STILL PRAYING holds this quality, that might be it.

On 11, Gunn is back in his bag, rapping with that slick, luxurious style over smooth soul samples and boom-bap. Buffalo’s poet Keisha Plum joins in on one track, and together they vibe well—Gunn (and Plum!) both really bring it. I’m hyped to see what STILL PRAYING has in store.

It's kinda funny counting this as part of Gunn’s Hitler Wears Hermes series, especially after 10 wrapped it up so nicely—honestly, that one felt like a solid closer. But here we are, and while the EP has its moments, it just feels… kinda unnecessary? Like, there are just so many voicemail bits and spoken-word interludes that honestly don’t add much. I can respect if he was trying to give a nod to his friend Sly, but it all kinda feels like filler.

For example, “BIG DUMP BALLAD” has a beautiful sample, and Gunn’s bars are solid, but then Keisha’s verse drops in all monotone and just kills the vibe. “UNKLE HOWDY” has a nice beat at first, but the flow breaks with a random beat switch and—you guessed it—another voicemail. Maybe it’s sentimental, but halfway through, I’m wishing he just made an actual track about his boy Sly, rather than cramming in all these interludes. “CAIN TEJADA” kinda does the same thing with a less interesting beat, ending with this awkward fade-out like they just cut Gunn off mid-verse. “PAULIN PAULIN PAULIN” is probably the best here—strong sample, no interruptions—just lets the song breathe.

Overall, this one just doesn’t feel fully thought-out, and having it in the HWH series doesn’t make much sense. Usually, HWH hits hard with raw beats, grimey samples, and Gunn’s flow pushing that classic Griselda vibe. But this EP just kinda floats by, and while I respect the tribute, the songs just aren’t that memorable. So yeah, not one I’ll be coming back to much.

WESTSIDE GUNN - 11

RATING - 7.5/10

FAVORITE TRACK - PAULIN PAULIN PAULIN

GENRE - Hip-Hop, Rap, Soul-Sampling