As soon as upon a time in 2016, I obtained a name from DJ Inexperienced Lantern. Whereas Inexperienced and I discuss fairly incessantly, somewhat than talking in his common unenergetic tone, there was a contact of pleasure in his voice this time. He went on to inform me about an artist named Westside Gunn with a crew referred to as Griselda from Buffalo, NY. As Inexperienced and I now reminisce on these days, he remembers, “My boy DJ Chris G from my hometown of Rochester, NY was posting about and taking part in Griselda music and it caught my ear. I cherished it—that dirty fly shit. I haven’t stopped listening since.”
From that second on, I dove into the Griselda catalog expeditiously. Primarily, Westside Gunn’s Fly God was my introduction, and truthfully I used to be fully blown away. On the similar time, Inexperienced was engaged on The Hitler on Steroids mixtape. This was a method to introduce new followers like me to some authentic preexisting materials, which shed much more gentle on these phenomenal Griselda artists that included names like Conway The Machine and Benny The Butcher. Their mystique and grit was evident, and it had followers like me craving for extra.
As a model new superfan, I peeped Inexperienced was going to DJ their first tour, “Griselda On Steroids,” and the primary cease was Webster Corridor in NYC. That was the evening the place hip-hop heroes Types P and Jadakiss of The Lox, Raekwon of Wu-Tang, and the late nice Prodigy of Mobb Deep handed the torch to the subsequent era. After making my means backstage, I used to be someway a fly on the wall in a room stuffed with rap giants, and I imply actually, look!
Past all of that, Griselda was really doing one thing completely different by preserving it pure, gritty, and dirty whereas the remainder of the nation was doing TikToks and designer medication. Westside Gunn, Conway The Machine, and Benny The Butcher have been elevating the bar with bars… and likewise perhaps smoking a bit of weed. Nicely, okay, numerous weed. As Inexperienced Lantern remembers it, “Just about everybody within the group is a smoker, so it’s blunts for breakfast, lunch, and dinner—fuel solely. Gotta medicate appropriately out right here. That’s the primary cease after we pull as much as the subsequent metropolis—gotta get proper for the evening.”
Now with some years of success beneath their belt, I went and caught Griselda’s most up-to-date NYC live performance, as a part of their “Claire’s Again” tour. What a present! Westside Gunn opened together with his basic information after which ultimately launched two artists named Range God Cooks and Rome Streetz: the subsequent era of Griselda Data. Then got here precise wrestlers beating one another up on stage for what ended up being fairly an unexpectedly entertaining break in this system. Griselda artist Armani Caesar smoothed issues up after the antics, bringing out Benny The Butcher to carry out a document she and him have collectively. In the end, Benny then showcased his BSF crew and rocked a few joints together with his comrades Ricky Hyde and Heem. Benny additionally introduced out 38 Spesh, who had one probably the most crowd-pleasing moments whereas performing his document with Benny.
All of it set the tone properly for Conway The Machine, who smashed his set to shut issues out. He launched his Drumwork associates with a number of information, however then they actually put a ribbon over all of it with a really spectacular grand finale of the trio (Conway, Benny, and Gunn) performing “DR BIRDS” off of their Shady Data debut. It felt like all of New York Metropolis screamed, “Inform Virgil Write ‘Brick’ on My Brick!”
Did I catch a tremendous rap present? Certain. Nevertheless, my job was removed from carried out, means earlier than the primary bar was even spit. I went there to get tremendous baked with Conway The Machine and Benny The Butcher. After the present, that’s precisely what I did, and right here is the way it went down: Because the customized Astor Membership pre-rolls have been being handed round, Benny grabbed his Gucci lighter and we started to sesh…
What’s one among your first actual recollections of getting excessive again in Buffalo?
I can’t lie, I’ve carried out quite a lot of excessive shit. Keep in mind if you first begin smoking, you get the giggles, proper? Nicely I used to be 14 and paranoid, plus I lived in a harmful neighborhood. So one evening, I used to be going to the shop, and on my means again, I swore the leaves have been chasing me! [laughs]
Okay, discuss to me about strains, Benny. What are you actually smoking on?
I really like a few of these strains which have been round a second, like I really like Gary Payton. I nonetheless smoke London Pound Cake, I fuck with the Unique Z, and I just like the Gumbo strains. However apart from that, I smoke Huge Rappers First Selection. I smoke the Butcher’s Breath and Buffalato as a result of each of these are actual fuel.
[In comes Conway to join the interview]
Okay, Conway The Machine. I do know this machine runs off fuel, so tell us about it.
Yeah, I like my pressure, La Machina, but in addition Lemon Cherry Gelato. I like strains that style good however nonetheless be loopy potent, providing you with that couch-lock shit. I wanna get cooked once I smoke one.
Are you able to recall the early days if you didn’t have quite a lot of weed to smoke?
Man that’s been awhile. I would knock a fiend out, take his cash, and go straight to the weed home. However, the very last thing I wish to do is get stoned and goofy. I smoke to chill out and get inside my thoughts—I’m a thinker. So, once I get stoned, I get artistic. I smoke all day. I get up, bake up, and the one time I’m not stoned is once I’m asleep.
Nicely, evidently, it was an epic time watching these very excessive emcees do what they do finest on the highest degree. Sadly for the readers now checking this out, the “Claire’s Again” tour has concluded. With that stated, we must always all make it our enterprise to show summer season 2022’s Drumwork Fest right into a rap Woodstock. Meet me there, and put together to be Pressure Checked.
https://www.tixr.com/groups/buffalowaterfront/events/seneca-casinos-concert-drumwork-fest-44445