While Westside Gunn and Conway the Machine have run 2020 with a combined six albums, Griselda’s third and most lethal member, Benny the Butcher, has been relatively quiet outside of features and his Black Soprano Family Compilation. This week, he announced that his long-awaited Hit-Boy produced LP, BURDEN OF PROOF, is coming on October 16th. Serving as the records lead single, the Butcher has given us a new collaboration with Detroit’s very own Big Sean and the one and only Lil Wayne titled “Timeless”. With a beat dug up from the remains of Jay-Z and Kanye Wests culture-defining Watch The Throne, will the streets fiercest MC be able to make a mainstream banger that holds true to his roots?
As soon as the record opens, a gleaming instrumental comes in, creating a sound way more elegant than what Benny’s accustomed too. Adding potency, the Butcher’s verse brings him to his knees as he looks at everything he has done in the past few years. From touring with The Lox to close friends’ betrayal, the 35-year-old Buffalo MC doesn’t hold anything back as he exposes his raw thoughts and feelings. Knowing who he’s up against, Lil Wayne brings back his trademark flow and swagger as he dabbles between a multitude of topics. Asserting his dominance with lines like “You drownin’ in the fire, while I’m snorkelin’ in the gasoline”, the 38-year-old legend darkens his subject matter to match the fierce energy of Griselda. Benny’s hook here is one of his most refined of his career as he makes a simple yet impactful bridge about his longevity in the rap game and culture as a whole. Closing things out, Big Sean is tasked with the impossible challenge of topping Benny and Wayne. Going against improbable odds, Sean holds his own as the 32-year-old uses illusive wordplay “Signed a slave deal, now a n***a up, ownin’ my masters” in a performance that mainly focuses on the fight for artistic independence.
“Timeless” is one of the best singles I’ve heard all year, and it’s only elevated the already soaring expectations for Benny the Butcher’s upcoming album, BURDEN OF PROOF. Griselda’s one of a kind effect on the industry prevails yet again as Lil Wayne and Big Sean both deliver some of their best material all year. With only one week till Benny’s new album comes out, the rest of the culture better prepare for the greatness we are about to witness next week.
Rating: 9.2/10
