Griselda Records x EMPIRE, 2020
“I proved my point once, and every tape, the proof got clearer"
Benny the Butcher really has nothing left to proof as a rapper. The 35-year-old Buffalo native has been releasing projects as a solo artist since 2004, with plenty of collaborative mixtapes and projects as a member of Griselda also being released between then and now. His signature sound is reminiscent of hip-hop from the ‘90s, as is the whole Griselda label. However, they add a certain modern, grimy twist that still allows for their sound to be distinct. The mere fact that Benny thinks he still has to prove himself, is the perfect testament to his work ethic as an elite rapper. As a result of this mindset, he fittingly chose to name his long-awaited, exclusively Hit-Boy produced album, Burden of Proof.
It’s no secret that Griselda has been the busiest hip-hop group in 2020, dropping full-length projects by their individual members, on what seems to be a weekly basis. While each member, Westside Gunn, Conway the Machine and Benny the Butcher, have their own distinct delivery and sound, it would be fair to say that Benny’s is the most mainstream. Of course, this is only when compared to the other two; by no means does his rapping fit the mainstream mould of today. The main reason for this being true on Burden of Proof, is that Benny’s sound on this album can be attributed to Hit-Boy’s production. He has been one of the best producers in the game for the past decade, providing us with hits such as JAY Z and Kanye’s “In Paris,” Drake’s “Trophies” and the GOOD Music posse cut, “Clique.” On Burden of Proof, he keeps the production minimalistic, with lots of soul samples and raw, hard-hitting drums, giving Benny the perfect platform to rap comfortably, while still not sacrificing his sound or authenticity.
Benny wastes no time getting straight to telling his story; the first bar of the album finds him rapping “last year was about brandin’, this one about expandin’.” It’s clear that this is the mindset of the entire Griselda crew, as they overwhelm us fans with releases at an alarming rate. From this point on, there’s no filler content throughout the album’s 38-minute runtime; either Benny’s bars, Hit-Boys production or entertaining skits are being used effectively throughout the 12 songs to all contribute to an extremely concise, well-executed album. On “Sly Green,” Benny declares himself as the “only rapper that would’ve thrived in the 2Pac era,” and it’s a convincing argument when you examine his discography and the current state of hip-hop. Moments like these are sprinkled throughout the album, constantly reassuring listeners that Benny’s confidence and rapping abilities are what he wants to show off the most.
The thesis of the album comes on the fifth track, “Famous,” where Benny describes not feeling famous, despite his rising respect and popularity as an emcee in the rap game; “Three Rollies, two cribs, six figures / And I still don’t feel famous / The day I got my first brick, the only time I really felt famous.” Benny, or any Griselda member for that matter, have never sacrificed their sound for sales, and the documentation of their lives in the streets of Buffalo has come before music for such a long time, that they don’t quite feel like rap stars. They’re street dudes who happen to be some of the best rappers in the game, or at least that’s what they want us to believe. The reason that this is so effective, is because it’s not a persona that they have to perform. Unlike some performing acts within hip-hop today who play a character to sell records, this never has been and never will be the case for Benny the Butcher, as his bars and chillingly raw story-telling abilities speak for themselves.
The album ends on an overly-confident note in “Legend.” This tells us a lot about him; he knows how great of a rapper he is, and he’s aware of his and his fellow Griselda member’s growing popularity. While it’s hard to keep up with all of their releases, and not every single one can be called phenomenal, Burden of Proof is different, as it’s another one that just works because of it's concise storytelling. Hit-Boy’s production brings the best out of Benny, allowing for him to introduce his rapping abilities to a more mainstream audience; somewhere that Griselda is heading quickly.
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