[Review] Pusha T – It’s Almost Dry
A Comprehensive Review of Pusha T’s It’s Almost Dry
In This Review
Pusha T’s Announcement of The Album
Pusha T has dropped his new album, It’s About to Be Dry. The album was recorded by Kanye West and Pharrell Williams and features performances by Jay-Z, Kid Cudi, Lil Uzi Vert, Don Toliver, Nigo, Labrinth along with Pusha his brother, as well as Clipse groupmate No Malice. Below, you can listen to the song It’s Almost Dry, and check out the complete credits of the album. In celebration of the album’s launch, Pusha T was the musical guest on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Check out the performance on “Dreamin of the Past” below, as well.
It’s Almost Dry is the follow-up to Pusha T’s album of the same name from Daytona. Prior to the release of the album, it was revealed that he had shared the songs “Diet Coke,” “Hear Me Clearly,” and “Neck & Wrist.” This time, Kid Cudi commented on his contribution to Almost Dry. “I did this song a year ago when I was still cool w Kanye,” Cudi tweeted with reference to “Rock N Roll.” “I don’t like this guy. He’s not my friend, and I just removed the track for him since I’m his guy. The last track that you will hear from me is Kanye West. Kanye.”
Best song?
Andre: “I Pray For You.” Organs make this track feel more urgent which was lacking in the entire album. Push came in and Malice then followed with a long, sweeping verse that shows that he’s got plenty of thoughts. I’m hoping Malice’s “sidestep back into the duo” verse is a sign of new Clipse music or I’ll excuse myself, new Pusha-T and Malice music.
Jordan The song is tied with “Rock N Roll” and “I Pray For You.” Beyonce’s “1+1” flip on “Rock N Roll” is awe-inspiring and Cudi’s verse raises the song to a new level. If this really is the final opportunity Cudi and Ye collaborate and they’ve ended on a positive note. And then there’s “I Pray For You,” which is stunning and an ideal finale to an album of the masterclass.
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Jessica The reason I keep returning to “Brambleton,” “Let the Smokers Shine the Coupes,” and “Just So You Remember.” The first two tracks are engaging and hypnotic. Push showcases some of his more advanced technical skills in “Just So You Remember.”
Biggest skip?
Andre: No skips for me. Each song is an 8/10 for me. Pusha is a 20+-year veteran of rap who knows who the man is as well as what he does and there’s no way for him to make a mess of 12 songs on a compilation album.
Jordan: There aren’t any tracks that I’d like to skip. The only song that seems slightly out of place in relation to the rest of the album is “Scrape It Off The Top,” but that’s because it didn’t sound quite as frightening as the other songs. In addition, the arrangement of the album is flawless, and there are none of the tracks that stand out as distinct differences.
Jessica Says: I’m honest, there are no skips.
What’s the best feature of the album?
Andre, I am a fan of the synergy of Pharrell, Kanye, and the other producers by providing minimal beats that convey diverse moods while allowing the lyrics of Push to be dominant. When I think of Pusha-T’s music, I am thinking about the execution. He doesn’t waste a single bar and his producers follow the artist by mixing subtle elements to make the beats unique without excessively doing the music. I’m thinking of the close to industrial sound on “Just So You Remember,” or the shrieks in “Call My Bluff.” Every instrumentation choice is a necessity and every bar is a push to the verses.
Jordan The Album Almost Dry has the best mix of production and rapping on any album of the year. It’s not a song that sounds lazy or phony. Pusha-T sounded great with his amazing brick bars along with Pharrell as well as Ye were digging in containers with the wild and wacky samples they chose to use. There are songs here that I return to for the beat and come across a brand new analogy Push utilized. On the other hand, there are songs that I revisit for the rhymes and notice how laborious it to make the song is.
Jessica: Pharrell’s productions are one of the highlights. It is clear that he has an influence on the album’s sound. Push always performs at an extremely high standard and Pharrell’s production improved the overall quality of the album for me.
The worst feature of this album?
Andre: Push is really adept at steely menace as well as playful flows and elegant speech However, I’m not sure if Push leaned too much in this song. I can sense what Push was trying to convey (that it’s too easy for Push) however I would have liked the additional lyrics that were infused with the passion that he evoked in “I Pray For You.” He seemed like looking to show something.
Jordan I haven’t found any obvious problems with this album. Although Push is usually referred to as a “coke rapper,” he’s capable of keeping the coke bars fresh however, he also broadens his topic a bit. The album Almost Dry dives into themes of revenge, legacy, and reconciliation, but also many more than smart drug references.
Jessica says: Nothing sticks out.
What is the best feature?
Andre: Malice on “I Pray For You.” The verse in his song reminded me of Lauryn Hill’s “Nobody.” He had lots of things to say. Additionally, “I greet you with the love of God, that doesn’t make us friends” is gospel. Push has established himself in solo performance however it’s nice to be reminded of his roots. The dynamic is similar to watching a television show that has people who kick their asses, and then at the end of the season the brother with a new, sharper sword — steps in to assist push with the final battle.
Jordan the Kanye West lyric in “Dreamin of the Past” seems like it came from a time capsule. Everything from the sample, to the flow, and cadence echoed the music you heard on one of his three debut albums. It was refreshing to hear that Ye can still rhyme in that way.
Jessica says: There’s a match between Kid Cudi and Kanye on “Rock N Roll.” I like that each of Cudi and Ye went for the melodic path (you aren’t going to be disappointed by Cudi’s long-winded and booming hums). Ye’s voice is an interesting contrast to the sound of Pusha-T’s raps as well. It’s unfortunate that Cudi won’t be singing with Ye after their fight because when they do get on a song and it’s always a blast.
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First impressions of the overall experience?
Andre: The most appropriate description of this album, from the singer’s charismatic manner of speaking to the production, is simply exquisite. It’s like he competed to come up with coke raps to promote exhibitions and fashion openings. In the context of his circle, it could be the case. The album didn’t surprise me when I first heard it, but nothing as much as “Games We Play,” but it’s not easy to achieve the standard in the end. The song Almost Dry is another testament to being aware of yourself, understanding your target audience, and then executing.
What people aren’t able to grasp when they complain about redundant is that an artist may have the same concept throughout an entire project, so long as the output differs. Push collaborated with a few brilliant producers to design the sounds he wanted in order to present various perspectives of the game. There’s the kitchen view, the boss’s view, and flashiness and then there are the meta lyrics about his position in the rap arena (“award is the only way that you can take me for a robbery”).
Jordan The album Almost Dry is the perfect successor to DAYTONA. Although it’s five tracks long, each track was created with purpose and is streamlined. Push is the queen of rap that’s made of coke however, this album is much more than a mere project that’s filled with drug bars or Tony Montana references. Push also explores the themes of legacy and how much of the family he has and the people in his circle. With the assistance from Ye and Pharrell, even the most insufferable song on It’s Almost Dry, sounds like it was recorded in the Louvre’s lobby. Every beat sounds costly and every song is slammed in the late hours with the background of Arthur Fleck’s insane laughter.
Push isn’t just the most proficient at his particular style of rap. He’s developing new and unique ways of talking about something that’s a common theme (“Belong to Rushmore only by cutting on the block”). This album Almost Dry makes it clear that Pusha-T is less interested in the beef in rap. There are a few instances on the album when Push could have made an unintentional, targeted attack on some of his rapper retractors however, he decided to keep the message undefined. This is why the album beautifully captures the essence of Push’s life and the state of his mind right today.
Jessica The song is an early release however, It’s Almost Dry is at the top of my list of albums of the year at this point. There are still a number of huge projects in the pipeline however I can’t imagine many that can compete with this. It’s the perfect length, and seamlessly from one track and the other. The production, specifically Pharrell’s part, is fantastic and connects the album very well. It is definitely Pusha-T’s most accessible album and despite its coke-rap theme, the album has tracks that will leave all kinds of hip-hop enthusiasts content. Push promised us greatness and gave us exactly that.
It's Almost Dry by Pusha T
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8.2
High Points
- Catchy Beats
- Lyricism
- Promotes Mood
- Great Features
- More Songs
Low Points
- Too Lyrical
- No Party Jams
- Mixtape Level
- Slow Promo
- No Female Feature
