Benny the Butcher can spit. He sounds good on pretty much any kind of instrumental. The Griselda star just dropped an album called Summertime Butch. And yes, he managed to pull the ridiculous title off with an emphasis on gritty wordplay and hypnotic production. The trick with Griselda artists is figuring out how to keep their central appeal intact while broadening out. Benny the Butcher figured out a way to do just that on Buffalo Butch, Vol. 1. The answer? Bring in collaborators like Fabolous and Drake to spice things up. To the surprise of no one, the gambit worked.
"Buffalo Freestyle," the long-anticipated collaboration between Benny the Butcher and Drake, lives up to the hype. Both rappers sound immaculate over the contemplative production. Somehow, the beat feels is right in the wheelhouse of both Benny and Drake, despite their otherwise disparate styles. It's the song that most fans are going to talk about, and rightfully so. The thing is, the other two songs on Buffalo Butch are also great. Fabolous absolutely skates over "Hard Way Freestyle." The veteran rapper gets in his Soul Tape bag, and it works perfectly when blended with Benny the Butcher's hard-nosed approach. "Penny and Shaq Freestyle" is the least memorable of the three, but Benny made the competition stiff. This is a great EP.
Benny The Butcher Links With Some Surprising Features
Buffalo Butch, Vol. 1 tracklist:
- Penny & Shaq Freestyle (featuring 38 Spesh)
- Buffalo Freestyle (featuring Drake)
- Hard Way Freestyle (featuring Fabolous)