Pusha T – King Push – Darkest Before Dawn: The Prelude [Album]

Although its the middle of December and 2015 is pretty much over, I still say Pusha T’s album “King Push – Darkest Before Dawn: The Prelude” still makes the cut for top 10 rap albums of the year. In 2013 Push released My Name Is My Name, which was arguably the best rap album of that year.

Fast forward 2 years later, now the president of  G.O.O.D. Music, Pusha T returns with yet another solid project. While the whole “Trap Rap” scene is crowded to say the least, Pusha takes the Hip Hop sub-genre’s very simple concepts and places an added level of complexity, sophistication and artistry.

He easily shines above his peers that make the same music, the difference here though, is that Push can really rap and has repeatedly put together  “Google it” worthy lines and schemes that you will not find in his peers that share the same space.

Pusha T walks a thin line, a gray area if you will, in which he doesn’t glorify the life but he’s also not preaching or demonizing it either. Back in 2006 (If memory serves), Clipse released a freestyle called Come Go Wit’ Me, in which his brother Malice’s verse had the following:

“I’m the Clipse, I done been learned to dance when it rain
Like the gospel song, I won’t complain
But I won’t watch niggas cash in on my pain
[?], every gram slung
A testament to my momma’s tears losing her first son
Wanna know the real coke?
Never been a dealer, never glorified that
Just the character it build, the game’s real”

I believe that basically sums up the gray area in which Pusha T plays and he’s very comfortable there.

King Push – Darkest Before Dawn: The Prelude isn’t all about trap rap though, the project itself can be seen as prophesies realized. Throughout the years, Pusha took shots at the likes of Drake, Lil Wayne, Birdman etc (check out Exodus). He talked about rappers having bad deals, not being the same person you see on screen in real life.

Those lines have now become apparent when you take a look at the demise of the Young Money/Cash Money empire.

Throughout the project, are plenty of gems highlighting the things that are happening now that he predicted prior.

Overall King Push – Darkest Before Dawn: The Prelude meets the expectations of Pusha T fans, its too early to put it on par with My Name Is My Name, but after a few listens, it’s definitely worthy of “top 10 for 2015” debates.

Stream the project below.