Rating: NNNN
From serving as executive producer to the DONDA-designed artwork, Kanye West’s fingerprints are all over Pusha T’s solo debut. That said, Yeezy’s most important influence on the album might be its brevity – MNIMN is an economical 46 minutes.
Like the Inuit’s reputed 50 words for “snow,” Pusha, who helped popularize “coke rap” in the 2000s as one-half of Clipse, has at least that many synonyms for the other white powder. The dichotomy between his drug-peddling past and present-day amends serves as the album’s central narrative, with the rapper delivering menacing verses over marching drums, deep bass and a sly Jay Z sample on Numbers On The Boards.
Plenty of boldface names are assisting here, but with the exception of Kendrick Lamar, who continues his streak of scenery-chewing guest verses on Nosetalgia, they stay out of the way. Kelly Rowland shows up on Let Me Love You – a rare moment where Pusha lets down his guard – proving that even the most hardened of thugs occasionally need a hug.
Top tracks: Nosetalgia feat. Kendrick Lamar
