Music

FREE MIXTAPE OF THE WEEK: Pusha T, 'Wrath of Caine'

by Chayne Japal

Everybody knows who the king of the coke flow be. Over the past ten years, Pusha T’s verses have stood out on his records with Clipse, Re-Up Gang and G.O.O.D. Music. He reinforces his hard-hitting punchlines with a personality that epitomizes drug dealer cool. He’s done a great job of maintaining intrigue with limited variations in subject matter and also became the last guy with braids until A$AP Rocky emerged.

So, that’s why his new mixtape Wrath Of Caine is our Mixtape of the Week. Here’s the thing though; Push just doesn’t shine as bright when he’s on his own. He says he was “less appreciated when [he] was part of a pair” on the reggae tinged “Take My Life” and it’s a shame that he feels that way. It’s just not true. In Clipse, Malice is the gold band and Pusha T is the diamond. On his solo stuff, his verses sitting next to each other are like diamonds set in diamonds which is fine but it’s hard to choose where to focus. Just look at a track like Kanye West’s “So Appalled,” Pusha’s verse has much more of an impact because he comes in after Jay-Z and just obliterates him. It just makes for a more enjoyable experience. Sure, rap doesn’t always have to be about competition but Pusha’s just so good at it!

Anyway, re: this mixtape: there are a few bangers here. Strong production (including a track by Toronto dude Arthur McArthur), an angry Jamaican girl narrator, heavy-handed use of a Marlo Stanfield sound byte that will get played out, and, of course, Neighbourhood Push himself offsets French Montana and Kevin Gates trying to sound like Future (there is only one Nayvadius Cash!) to make this thing worth your time. Download it here. Egchk.