Conway The Machine – La Maquina (Album Review)

Conway The Machine applies tons of force to his competition in the masterful “La Maquina.”

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5. S.E. GANG

Just a few months ago, Conway The Machine posted a few cryptic Tweets that indicated that he was no longer cool with his Griselda homies. Well, I hope “S.E. Gang” indicates that things are cool between him, Benny The Butcher, and Westside.

Usually, when Conway The Machine,Benny The Butcher, and Westside Gunn link up, they rap over beats that sound like they have a few charges under their belt. Well, in “S.E. Gang,” the two rappers spit bars over a beat that sounds incomplete and rock-roll-inspired. Despite the unique setup, you still get killer punchlines, both wacky and tougher than Teflon rap deliveries, and lyrics that will galvanize inspiring drug dealers, rappers, mob members, and underdogs.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: I absolutely love how Conway’s grungy style, Benny The Butcher’s sly style, and Westside’s cartoonish style sound mixed. That s**t makes me want to watch an episode of Alviin and The Chipmunks.

4. BLOOD ROSES

Conway The Machine sounds like Conway The God in “Blood Roses.” In the song, he spits unadulterated bars about his money, his crazy work ethic, and his impressive come-up.

What is going to stand out to you about “Blood Roses” is that you get a myriad of flows and tons of confidence out of the Buffalo rapper in the song. You’re also going to love the old-school Kanye/soulful/church-ish beat that powers the song.

3. CLARITY

I f**king love it when Conway The Machine sounds like he has a chip on his shoulder when he raps. In “Clarity,” he sounds like he has a big-ass Tositios chip that can scoop up a bowl full of Spinach Artichoke dip on his shoulder.

Even though Conway The Machine swears that he is a villain that you shouldn’t root for, in “Clarity,” you’re going to feel so proud of him, you won’t help but feel like congratulating him. Not only does he hit us with a long-ass verse that details his wins, his losses, and everything in between, but he also shows off a level of excellence on the mic that is astonishing. S**t, I stood up and applauded the man after the song finished.

2. KD

Conway The Machine proves that he’s the real MVP in “KD.”

Kevin Durant is one of the celebrities that swore by Griselda when they first starting blowing up. With that being said, it makes all of the sense in the world that Conway The Machine decided to dedicate “KD” to him. The interesting thing is this: “KD” also indirectly pays homage to a flow that Kodak Black and Cardi B made popular.

Aside from all of the homage paying that Conway does in “KD,” you also get a beat that I am sure Count Dracula made, lots of patting on the back, slick NBA-relatedpunchlines, and some of the sliest flows that you will hear in your lifetime.

1. SCATTER BRAIN

“Scatter Brain” might be the most impressive rap song of the year.

If you look up the word ‘underrated,’ I’m pretty sure that you will see Conway The Machine, J.I.D., and Ludacris’ face by the word’s definition. In my opinion, each rapper doesn’t get enough credit for doing so many different things well. “Scatter Brain” is a song that features some amazing raps from the three folks that I just mentioned.

Conway The Machine, J.I.D., and Ludacris hit us with dynamic flows, unbelievable punchlines, and amazing wordplay over a beat that sounds both holy and hard as hell in “Scatter Brain.” They also hit us with lyrics that will remind you that they are willing to go to war with their competition, willing to spray folks if they have to, and willing to remind you that they are about that life in every kind of way. While each rapper has a different style, they connect very well in the song.

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1. BRUISER BRODY (4/5)

2. 6:30 TIP OFF (4/5)

3. BLOOD ROSES (4/5)

4. CLARITY (4/5)

5. KD (4/5)

6. 200 PIES (4/5)

7. SISTER ABIGAIL (4/5)

8. GRACE (4/5)

9. SCATTER BRAIN (5/5)

10. HAD TO HUSTLE (4/5)

11. S.E. GANG (4/5)

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(B)

Throughout the years, I’ve learned that I don’t get tired of Griselda albums. Every single one of them reminds me of a time when hip-hop sounded ultra-competitive. While some Griselda albums are better than others (I still think that Benny The Butcher’s Burden Of Proof is the best album anyone from the group dropped), this La Maquina ranks up there as one of the best.

Why do I like La Maquina so much? For starters, the rapping on the album is damn-there flawless. In the album, Benny The Butcher and the guests that he was able to link up with each rap with a level of excellence that is astonishing. In other words, expect to hear verses that are filled with well-thought-out/vivid/motivational/competitive/gangsta-ass lyrics, impeccable flows, boatloads of confidence, the right level of animation, and effortless punchlines. While you can argue that Conway doesn’t have the most appealing voice in the game (He sounds a bit sluggish), you cannot argue whether he is skilled.

I also think that La Maquina is excellent because it features some damn good beats. Throughout the album, you will hear cold-ass beats, Saturday morning cartoon-like beats, hood-holy beats, incomplete-sounding beats, and more. In my opinion, Conway The Machine fits every beat that he is handed better than I fit H&M shirts that claim that they are large.

Lastly, what makes La Maquina great is that you can tell that Conway The Machine had something to prove throughout the album. From the moment that you press play on it, you will be engulfed in an aura that will motivate you to s**t on folks. Like I’ve said in the past, you must acknowledge any rapper that thinks highly of himself.

I’m not going to lie, after listening to La Maquina, my respect level for Conway The Machine has gone up tremendously.