Pray for Paris
{{Distinguish|text = the hashtag PrayForParis}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox album
| name = Pray for Paris
| type = studio
| artist = Westside Gunn
| cover = prayers for paris.jpg
| alt =
| released = {{Start date|2020|4|17}}
| recorded = 2020
| genre = Hip hop
| length = {{Duration|m=41|s=19}}
| label = {{hlist|Griselda|EMPIRE}}
| producer = {{hlist|The Alchemist|Beat Butcha|Bohemia Lynch|Camoflauge Monk|Conductor Williams|Daringer|DJ Muggs|DJ Premier|Jay Versace|Tyler, the Creator}}
| prev_title = Hitler Wears Hermes 7
| prev_year = 2019
| next_title = Flygod is an Awesome God 2
| next_year = 2020
| misc =
}}
Pray for Paris is the third studio album by American rapper Westside Gunn. It was released on April 17, 2020 through Griselda Records with distribution by Empire Distribution. The album was produced by Daringer, Beat Butcha, the Alchemist, DJ Muggs, and DJ Premier. It features guest appearances from Benny the Butcher, Conway the Machine, Joey Badass, Tyler, the Creator, Boldy James, Freddie Gibbs, Roc Marciano, Wale, Joyce Wrice, Billie Essco, Keisha Plum, and Cartier Williams. The album debuted at number 67 on the Billboard 200.
Background and development
File:David with the Head of Goliath-Caravaggio (c.1606-7).jpg's David with the Head of Goliath]]
Westside Gunn announced he was recording a project called Pray for Paris after having attended Virgil Abloh's Off-White Paris fashion show on January 18, 2020.{{Cite web|url=https://www.revolt.tv/2020/4/16/21223390/westside-gunn-pray-for-paris-album-interview|title=Westside Gunn talks 'Pray For Paris,' Tyler The Creator jumping on a track, and gives update on joint Madlib album|last=Nelson Jr|first=Keith|date=April 16, 2020|website=Revolt|language=en|access-date=April 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200422182658/https://www.revolt.tv/2020/4/16/21223390/westside-gunn-pray-for-paris-album-interview|archive-date=April 22, 2020|url-status=live}} He revealed the album's artwork on April 3, 2020.{{Cite web|url=https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/westside-gunn-shares-virgil-abloh-designed-pray-for-paris-cover-news.107780.html|title=Westside Gunn Shares Virgil Abloh Designed "Pray For Paris" Cover |last=Findlay|first=Mitch|date=April 3, 2020|website=HotNewHipHop|language=en|access-date=April 22, 2020}} The cover was created by Virgil Abloh using Caravaggio's David with the Head of Goliath.{{Cite web|url=https://www.gq.com/story/westside-gunn-virgil-abloh-pray-for-paris|title=Westside Gunn and Virgil Abloh Talk About Their Shared History, Coming Back from Coronavirus, and Being the "Best in Class"|last=Goble|first=Corbin|date=April 17, 2020|website=GQ|language=en|access-date=April 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200421044145/https://www.gq.com/story/westside-gunn-virgil-abloh-pray-for-paris|archive-date=April 21, 2020|url-status=live}} During the album's recording Westside learned he had contracted COVID-19 and recounted having to do promotion for the album while suffering symptoms from the virus.{{Cite web|url=https://uproxx.com/music/westside-gunn-coronavirus-diagnosis-secret/|title=Westside Gunn Announced That He Has Recovered From Coronavirus After Keeping His Diagnosis Under Wraps|last=Droke|first=Carolyn|date=April 13, 2020|website=Uproxx|language=en|access-date=April 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200418105807/https://uproxx.com/music/westside-gunn-coronavirus-diagnosis-secret/|archive-date=April 18, 2020|url-status=live}} "A few days before dropping the album, Westside revealed that he contracted COVID-19 but has since recovered. "I have a confession to Make I’m a Corona Survivor," Westside wrote on IG. "I didn’t want anybody feeling sorry for me I had to thug it out for weeks I didn’t get to see my kids I went to the hospital feeling like I was breathing my last breath the fans and the love I was getting kept me strong."{{Cite web |last=Shifferaw |first=Abel |title=Westside Gunn Drops 'Pray for Paris' Album f/ Tyler the Creator, Freddie Gibbs, and More |url=https://www.complex.com/music/a/abel-shifferaw/westside-gunn-pray-for-paris |access-date=2023-12-07 |website=Complex |language=en-us}} Before the album's release, Westside Gunn and Virgil Abloh live-streamed the entire project on Twitch.{{Cite web|url=https://www.complex.com/music/2020/04/westside-gunn-pray-for-paris|title=Westside Gunn Drops 'Pray for Paris' Album f/ Tyler the Creator, Freddie Gibbs, and More|last=Shifferaw|first=Abel|date=April 16, 2020|website=Complex|language=en|access-date=April 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200421022414/https://www.complex.com/music/2020/04/westside-gunn-pray-for-paris|archive-date=April 21, 2020|url-status=live}}
Critical reception
{{Music ratings
| rev1 = And It Don't Stop
| rev1score = A−{{cite web|last=Christgau|first=Robert|author-link=Robert Christgau|date=June 10, 2020|url=https://robertchristgau.substack.com/p/consumer-guide-june-2020|title=Consumer Guide: June, 2020|work=And It Don't Stop|publisher=Substack|access-date=July 15, 2020|url-access=subscription}}
| rev2 = Earmilk
| rev3 = Exclaim!
| rev3score = 8/10{{Cite web|last=Harmony|first=A.|date=May 15, 2020|title=Westside Gunn Owns His '90s Throwback Style on 'Pray for Paris'|url=https://exclaim.ca/music/article/westside_gunn_pray_for_paris_album_review|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=August 2, 2020|website=Exclaim!|language=en-ca}}
| rev4 = HipHopDX
| rev4score = 4.2/5{{Cite web|url=https://hiphopdx.com/reviews/id.3665/title.review-westside-gunns-pray-for-paris-is-his-most-inviting-lp-to-date|title=Review: Westside Gunn's 'Pray For Paris' Is His Most Inviting LP To Date|last=Wallace|first=Riley|date=April 21, 2020|website=HipHopDX|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200428071546/https://hiphopdx.com/reviews/id.3665/title.review-westside-gunns-pray-for-paris-is-his-most-inviting-lp-to-date|archive-date=April 28, 2020|access-date=April 28, 2020}}
| rev5 = Pitchfork
| rev5score = 8/10{{cite web|last=Pierre|first=Alphonse|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/westside-gunn-pray-for-paris/|title=Westside Gunn Pray For Paris|work=Pitchfork|date=April 21, 2020|access-date=April 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200425075529/https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/westside-gunn-pray-for-paris/|archive-date=April 25, 2020|url-status=live}}
| rev6 = The Young Folks
| rev7 = Tom Hull
| rev7score = B+ ({{Rating-Christgau|hm1}}){{cite web|last=Hull|first=Tom|author-link=Tom Hull (critic)|date=June 15, 2020|url=http://www.tomhull.com/ocston/blog/archives/2857-Music-Week.html|title=Music Week|website=Tom Hull – on the Web|access-date=July 18, 2020}}
}}
Pray for Paris received critical acclaim from critics. At Album of the Year, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 77 based on six reviews.{{Cite web|title=Westside Gunn - Pray for Paris|url=https://www.albumoftheyear.org/album/211321-westside-gunn-pray-for-paris.php|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=August 2, 2020|website=Album of the Year|language=en-US}}
Gregory Castel of Earmilk stated "Pray for Paris is a soulful yet, grimey masterpiece. This album is a handpicked selection of high-level artists, in lyricism, soulful production, and visual artwork". Riley Wallace of HipHopDX said, "Pray For Paris seems to show Gunn resisting being boxed-in artistically. For some critics who may have found past offerings more of an acquired taste, this is the camp’s most inviting project to date". Alphonse Pierre of Pitchfork stated "The Buffalo rapper continues his unlikely ascent into hip-hop stardom with an album of feverish excess and the best raps of his career". In his "Consumer Guide" column, Robert Christgau said that "this album enjoys old-fashioned hip-hop materialism with dauntless esprit". Exclaim! reviewer A. Harmony said "Though Gunn's vintage sound might not work for everyone, Pray for Paris is a total delight for those who want to reminisce without feeling stuck in the past".
In another positive review, Dylan Green of DJ Booth stated "In the age of streaming and playlists, Pray For Paris further solidifies Westside Gunn as an album artist. He knows how to craft experiences from start to finish, what beats sound best next to each other, which features will yield the wildest results".{{Cite web|url=https://djbooth.net/features/2020-04-17-westside-gunn-pray-for-paris-album-review-new-music|title=Read Our 1 Listen Review of Westside Gunn's 'Pray For Paris' Album|last=Green|first=Dylan|date=April 16, 2020|website=DJ Booth|language=en|access-date=April 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200501234401/https://djbooth.net/features/2020-04-17-westside-gunn-pray-for-paris-album-review-new-music|archive-date=May 1, 2020|url-status=live}} Ryan Middleton of Magnetic Magazine said, "Despite this album having the sheen of opulence and examining fuck you money at the outset, it remains grounded with an ear to the streets."{{Cite web|url=https://www.magneticmag.com/2020/04/album-review-westside-gunn-pray-for-paris/|title=Album Review: Westside Gunn - Pray For Paris|last=Middleton|first=Ryan|date=April 17, 2020|website=Magnetic Magazine|language=en|access-date=April 22, 2020}}
=Accolades=
Track listing
{{Track listing
| all_writing =
| extra_column = Producer(s)
| title1 = 400 Million Plus Tax
| extra1 =
| length1 = 1:09
| title2 = No Vacancy
| extra2 = DJ Muggs
| length2 = 1:35
| title3 = George Bondo
| note3 = featuring Conway the Machine and Benny the Butcher
| extra3 = {{hlist|Beat Butcha}}
| length3 = 4:44
| title4 = 327
| note4 = featuring Joey Badass, Tyler, the Creator and Billie Essco
| extra4 = {{hlist|Camoflauge Monk|7ies}}
| length4 = 5:49
| title5 = French Toast
| note5 = featuring Wale and Joyce Wrice
| extra5 = Camoflauge Monk
| length5 = 4:48
| title6 = Euro Step
| extra6 = Conductor Williams
| length6 = 1:50
| title7 = Allah Sent Me
| note7 = featuring Conway the Machine and Benny the Butcher
| extra7 = Daringer
| length7 = 4:50
| title8 = $500 Ounces
| note8 = featuring Freddie Gibbs and Roc Marciano
| extra8 = The Alchemist
| length8 = 4:13
| title9 = Versace
| extra9 = Jay Versace
| length9 = 2:05
| title10 = Claiborne Kick
| note10 = featuring Boldy James
| extra10 = The Alchemist
| length10 = 3:17
| title11 = Shawn Vs. Flair
| extra11 = DJ Premier
| length11 = 2:22
| title12 = Party Wit Pop Smoke
| note12 = featuring Keisha Plum
| extra12 = Tyler, the Creator
| length12 = 2:14
| title13 = Le Djoliba
| note13 = featuring Cartier Williams
| extra13 = Bohemia Lynch
| length13 = 2:23
| total_length = 41:19
}}
Charts
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
! scope="col" |Chart (2020) ! scope="col" |Peak |
| {{album chart|Billboard200|67|artist=Westside Gunn|rowheader=true|accessdate=April 28, 2020}} |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Discogs master|1757965|Pray For Paris}}
{{Westside Gunn}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Albums produced by Conductor Williams
Category:Albums produced by DJ Muggs
Category:Albums produced by DJ Premier
Category:Albums produced by Beat Butcha
Category:Albums produced by Tyler, the Creator
Category:Albums produced by Daringer (producer)
Category:Albums produced by the Alchemist (musician)
Category:Empire Distribution albums