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And Then You Pray for Me
Studio album by Westside Gunn
Released	October 13, 2023 (2023-10-13)
Genre	Hip hop trap boom bap
Length	75:17
Label	Griselda Empire
Producer	Beat Butcha Brother Tom Sos Conductor Williams Daringer Deats Denny LAflare DJ Benoit Allan Duke Dxpe mikie beats FlyGod Jr. Forever Rollin JR Swiftz Johan Lenox Juko Mario Luciano Miguel The Plug MikeWavvs Mr. Green NFE Paris RyderOnCrack RZA Tay Keith
Westside Gunn chronology
10 (2022) And Then You Pray for Me (2023)

And Then You Pray for Me is the fifth studio album by American rapper Westside Gunn, released on October 13, 2023, by Griselda Records and Empire. The album is a sequel to Gunn's 2020 album Pray for Paris. With guest appearances from AA Rashid, JID, Conway The Machine, Cartier A Williams, Benny the Butcher, DJ Drama, Stove God Cooks, Rick Ross, Estee Nack, Trap-A-Holics, Giggs, Ty Dolla Sign, Keisha Plum, Denzel Curry, Boldy James, EST Gee, Jeezy, DJ Swamp Izzo, DJ Holiday, Peezy, Rome Streetz, and KayCyy, the album features a shift in sound from Gunn's signature boom bap style, incorporating trap elements reminiscent of the late 2000s and 2010s. The album debuted at number 29 on the Billboard 200, making it Gunn's highest commercial debut on the chart.

Background

In April 2023, Westside Gunn announced that the album was to be released on June 23, 2023, but it was later delayed. The album's title refers to a lyric in the song "Eric B" by Westside Gunn, where he raps: "Pray for Paris, then you pray for me." The album's cover was designed by Virgil Abloh using Caravaggio's depiction of The Entombment of Christ.

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	74/100
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic
Clash	7/10
HipHopDX	3.8/5
Pitchfork	6.9/10

According to the review aggregator Metacritic, And Then You Pray for Me received "generally favorable reviews" based on a weighted average score of 74 out of 100 from 4 critic scores.

Writing for Pitchfork, Matthew Strauss described the album as a "symbiosis between the trap and boom-bap genres" and a "broad, loud, and messy exploration of Gunn's vision for rap and art." Philip Cluff of Clash praised the album's themes writing: "It's not just another gangster rap album but essentially a commentary on the psychological fatigue accompanying ruthlessness of the question young black men inherited from Gil Scott Heron; "Who will survive in America?" AllMusic's review described the album as "sometimes overly familiar if still satisfying." HipHopDX's Riley Wallace described the album as a "mixed bag that relies on the listener's ability to go with the flow."

Accolades

Track listing

Notes

• "House of Glory" samples Swan Lake I. Scene (Swan's Theme) by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.

Charts

References

1. ^ Strauss, Matthew (October 18, 2023). "Westside Gunn: Who Made the Sunshine". Pitchfork. Retrieved November 4, 2023.
2. ^ "AllMusic: And Then You Pray for Me - Westside Gunn". AllMusic. October 13, 2023. Retrieved November 4, 2023.
3. Gee, Andre (October 9, 2023). "Westside Gunn Says This Is His Final Album, But That Doesn't Mean The Music Stops". Rolling Stone. Retrieved November 5, 2023.
4. Spencer, Tallie (October 13, 2023). "Westside Gunn Shares Final Album "And Then You Pray For Me"". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved November 5, 2023.
5. ^ Cluff, Philip (October 13, 2023). "Westside Gunn – And Then Pray For Me". Clash. Retrieved November 4, 2023.
6. Helfand, Raphael. "Listen to Westside Gunn's studio "finale"". The Fader. Retrieved November 5, 2023.
7. Jones, James (May 1, 2023). "Westside Gunn Hints At New Virgil Artwork For New Album". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved November 4, 2023.
8. Saponara, Michael (April 18, 2023). "Westside Gunn Dubs 'Pray For Paris 2' A 'Classic' As He Announces Release Date". HipHopDX. Retrieved November 4, 2023.
9. Westlake, Wyatt (June 24, 2023). "Westside Gunn's "And Then You Pray For Me": What We Know". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved November 5, 2023.
10. Saponara, Michael (September 22, 2023). "Westside Gunn Taps Jeezy, Rick Ross & More For 'And Then You Pray For Me' Album". HipHopDX. Retrieved November 5, 2023.
11. Cornue, Aidan (November 15, 2023). "ALBUM REVIEW | Westside Gunn's 'And Then You Pray For Me'". The Daily Athenaeum. Retrieved November 23, 2023.
12. ^ "Critic Reviews for And Then You Pray for Me". Metacritic. Retrieved November 4, 2023.
13. ^ Wallace, Riley (October 25, 2023). "Review: Westside Gunn's 'And Then You Pray For Me' Takes Bold Pivots From The Griselda Sound". HipHopDX. Retrieved November 4, 2023.
14. "The 20 Best Rap Albums of 2023: Staff Picks". Billboard. December 22, 2023. Retrieved December 13, 2024.
15. "25 Best Rap Albums of 2023". BrooklynVegan. December 20, 2023. Retrieved December 13, 2024.
16. "25 Best Rap Albums Of 2023". HotNewHipHop. December 25, 2023. Retrieved December 13, 2024.
17. "The 10 Best Rap Albums of 2023". Rolling Stone. December 20, 2023. Retrieved December 13, 2024.
18. "The 20 Best Hip-Hop Albums Of 2023". Vibe. December 29, 2023. Retrieved December 13, 2024.
19. "The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 23 October 2023". The ARIA Report. No. 1755. Australian Recording Industry Association. October 23, 2023. p. 6.
20. "Westside Gunn Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved November 4, 2023.
21. "Westside Gunn Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved November 4, 2023.
22. "Westside Gunn Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved November 4, 2023.
23. "Westside Gunn Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved November 4, 2023.

• 2023 albums
• Griselda Records albums
• Albums produced by Beat Butcha
• Albums produced by Conductor Williams
• Albums produced by Daringer (producer)
• Albums produced by RZA
• Albums produced by Tay Keith