Pusha T – Wrath Of Caine (Mixtape Review)

    At some point this year, Pusha T will drop his solo set, My Name Is My Name. In the meantime we get a new mixtape entitled, Wrath Of Caine. Unlike its predecessor, Fear Of God II: Let Us Pray, there’s no $9.99 price tag to offset A-list features from Tyler, the Creator, 50 Cent and Diddy. In turn, concept-driven tracks like “Raid” and “Alone In Vegas” are swapped out for offerings like “Doesn’t Matter,” which showcases French Montana on Auto-tune.

    We’ve heard him over the best soundscapes The Neptunes and Kanye West had to offer. So it’s interesting that aside from West, who co-produces “Millions,” Jake One and !llmind, most of Wrath Of Caine’s production is handled by relative newcomers. Pusha waves off blogosphere rappers saying, “You laptop hot / Internet warm / Down low for download don’t get caught in my storm / Fuck nigga you just Internet porn” on “Millions.” The irony here is that Young Chop of “I Don’t Like” fame, ascended from “laptop hot” to being squarely in Pusha’s crosshairs, only for the two to reconcile and work together on “Blocka.”

    Pusha is essentially on cruise control for the duration of his freebie prelude to My Name Is My Name. He’s more than held his own next to Kanye West and others, so there’s no need for him to bring his best work out for a collection of songs that don’t have a barcode on them. The guest list here finds the younger Thornton brother with few lyrical peers. He trades bars with Rick Ross (“Millions”), Wale (“Only You Can Tell It”) and Ab-Liva (“Re-Up Gang Motivation”). But compared to Pusha, most of the project’s featured emcees are either the direct descendants of the Clipse’s introspective trapping on wax or the audio equivalent to a chubby, busted homegirl along for the ride on a group date. He only looks better next to them.

    None of this is to say that Wrath of Caine isn’t worth the five minutes it should take to download and play or stream it on the device of your choice. Even when most of his focus is likely on his upcoming Def Jam long player, Pusha T can show off, be humble, recount his rock chopping days and actually rap with the best of them. And in a bleak, boring first quarter, that’s more than a lot of people are offering.

     

    DX Consensus: “EP Worthy”

    Listen to Wrath Of Caine by Pusha T.

    50 thoughts on “Pusha T – Wrath Of Caine (Mixtape Review)

    1. People wave the Pusha flag too hard. This review’s honest. I want the album, not the promo set-up. Re-Up Gang made great tapes. Pusha …

    2. Not really good enough. Clearly not meant to be a landmark in his career like Fear of God 2: Let us Pray was. Just a nice reminder that Pusha T is releasing his debut solo album this year.

    3. This mixtape is just what I was hoping for, sick production and one of my favorite lyricists keeping it consistently raw. Solid 8.5/10 – could still do without French Montana’s nonsense, but the rest is awesome, the few I wasn’t thrilled with on the first listen are already growing on me. Little short too, but still got me fiendin for the album!

    4. The first four songs on this tape were album worthy. Last 7 were just aight. Don’t know why errbody hating on french. With French on that track, it makes Pusha sound that much better. Either way, I’ll give it a five just for the first four tracks and “Take My Life”. that track is tough

    5. wow idk what took me so long to listen 2 this.. workin hard n shit havnt had much time on comp but this mixtape right here is pure FLAMES! i didnt know how pusha would be when he got down 2 kayne camp i didnt know if theyd water him down..but pusha got it.. WHERE TEH FUCKS MALICE THOUGH BRO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

      1. You cant master in lost dynamic range you fuck tard. Is your idea of mastering turning up the bass and exporting the track as a wav?

    6. Pusha hasn’t grown as a artist at all his been in the industry since about 1998 and is now 35 years old still trying to make it with his fake coke raps smh he should do what his brother did

      1. WTF you mean fake coke raps, you fuckin clown?? IF anything, he’s the realest muthafuckin in the game when we talkin about rappers who talk about dealing. Like two years ago, his main man got like 30 years for the drug ring they were running. You have no idea.

    7. “Hes more than held his own next to Kanye West and others, so theres no need for him to bring his best work out for a collection of songs that dont have a barcode on them.” The statement itself may not be ridiculous, but do you really support this logic?

      1. i got last like 2-3 songs to finish on cyhi mixtape but pusha mixtape is classic imo he went off like album type shit

    8. i been so oversaturated with shitty music for the last 5-6 years that i forgot this is what an actual mixtape is supposed 2 sound like..raw shit and fire..

      i mean i was so fucked up in the head on rap music when juelz released god willin’ i thought it was the album of the decade LOL then i heard this and immediatly remember wut shit was about..

      this just hyped his album up for me 10x

    9. This mixtape is so tight, could legitimately be an album. I hadn’t been thinking much about pusha recently that was obviously a mistake, hes just going up

    10. GIVE ME A CHANCE
      Youtube is all about finding new artist, & though I been rapping for a while im still consider a new artist. I just want my music heard thats all, im not looking for no record deal, getting famous ‘r anything like that. I do music to help change the lives of others so what you’ll get from my music is all POSITIVITY! so please just spare a few sec. to check me out, & if you like what you heard please SUBSCRIBE so ill know you actually listen & supportTYPE ESROM CLEOPATRA ON YOUTUBE

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