BWW Reviews: PUSHA T's 'My Name is My Name'

Although it's now been a few weeks since the release of My Name is My Name, this is an album that I had to think about for a while. Pusha T, one half of the Clipse with brother No Malice (formerly Malice), is a master at cocaine rap, and he proves this in spades on My Name is My Name.

When I heard Pusha's first features on G.O.O.D. Music, which stands for Getting Out Our Dreams, I dubbed him as the street's Kanye West. He's vicious, he's witty, and he's got a very good flow. Little did I know just how right I was about that idea. My Name is My Name casts Pusha T as Kanye West's gangsta counterpart. This music is sonically ambitious and yet also sparsely minimalist.

As much as this may come as a surprise, the best, most aggressive moments on Yeezus pale in comparison to MNIMN. Pusha T,s signature flow is a snarl. Even on the softer, R&B leaning numbers, Pusha's anger and aggression never slow down. On one of the album's highlights, "40 Acres," Pusha T claims to be both unpolished and unapologetic. This album is filled with beats that very much fit that description.

Despite having only 2 solo songs, this is very much Pusha's album. On Hold On, he and Rick Ross make inspirational rap over a beat that's primarily made up of Kanye's auto-tuned voice. On "Nosetalgia," one of the album's best tracks, Pusha gets Kendrick Lamar to join him. This is the only spot on the album where the guest actually brings a better verse to the table than the main artist. Then again, considering Kendrick Lamar's recent feature verses, including Control by Big Sean, this is not surprising in the slightest.

Then there's the final track, "S.N.I.T.C.H. (Sorry N***a I'm Try'na Come Home)". Produced by, and featuring Pharrell, The song details the internal struggle of an inmate deciding to snitch in order to shorten his jail sentence. These are examples of the strongest tracks. However, there are many other solid tracks on the album including Pain, King Push, and Numbers on the Boards. Pusha T, 3 years after featuring on Kanye's opus "Runaway", has secured his place as one of Hip Hop's brightest stars.

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