Griselda: A Starter Guide to Buffalo’s Hip-Hop Powerhouse

Marcus Cortez 

Rap/Hip-Hop Journalist

Hailing from Buffalo, New York, the trio Griselda, consisting of Westside Gunn, Conway the Machine, and Benny the Butcher, has become a staple in continuing New York’s rap scene’s gritty and raw take on hip-hop in the modern age. Their style is reminiscent of 90s rap groups like Mobb Deep and Wu-Tang Clan, blending grimy sounds with storytelling lyrics and references to classic gangster films and TV. Their music also contains numerous WWE and WCW references, displaying their love for wrestling. Westside Gunn and Conway, who are brothers, perform as a duo under the stage name Hall N Nash, paying homage to wrestling legends Scott Hall and Kevin Nash. With their outstanding beat choices, including some of the darkest and rawest beats, Griselda has become one of the best groups to rise in recent years. For those unfamiliar with their music, I wanted to explore each artist and recommend some tracks to help you dive into their work. 

Westside Gunn: 

Starting with Westside Gunn, he stands out the most from the trio due to his unique sound. The first thing that grabs your attention is his high-pitched and nasal voice, which can initially be off-putting and even annoying. However, the uniqueness of his voice grows on you over time, becoming charming as it complements the raw and amateurish-like production on his albums. His in-your-face adlibs, such as “Ayo!” “Doot Doot Doot,” and “Boom Boom Boom Boom BOOM!” are present on every track and have become iconic, rivaling the adlibs of Travis Scott in their fun and recognizable nature. My favorite album of his is Pray for Paris (2020), which is his most digestible album as many of the tracks are more laid-back and feature familiar names like Tyler, The Creator, Wale, Freddie Gibbs, Joey Bada$$, etc. Though I would recommend exploring his music more past Pray for Paris, as he is currently one of the most creative rap artists in this modern era. 

Recommended Tracks: 

1. “Bash money” – Hitler Wear Hermes 8: Sincerely Adolf (2021) 

1. “Dunks” – FLYGOD (2016) 

1. “French Toast” – Pray for Paris (2020) 

1. “GODS Don’t Bleed” – Supreme Blientele (2018) 

1. “Shootouts in Soho” – 10 (2022) 

Conway the Machine:  

Moving on to Conway, one of his best aspects as a rapper is his laid-back, effortlessly smooth flow and storytelling style, like Jay-Z and Ghostface Killah. Out of the trio, Conway excels at delivering the classic gangster rap sound with his hard vocal delivery and punchlines. A great entry project of his is the seven-track collaborative project with The Alchemist, LULU (2020), which highlights Conway’s talent over The Alchemist’s production. Songs like “Shoot Sideways” hit extra hard with their sound. Additionally, tracks like “God Don’t Make Mistakes,” the self-titled track from his 2022 album, highlight his storytelling skills. In this track, Conway reflects on surviving a shooting in 2012 that left him with partial facial paralysis. For fans of old-school hip-hop, Conway is a talented artist who continues to embody and elevate this sound. 

Recommended Tracks: 

1. “94 Ghost S***” – Hall & Nash 2 Re-Release (2023) 

1. “God Don’t Make Mistakes” – God Don’t Make Mistakes (2022) 

1. “Mac 10 Wounds” – The Alchemist Sandwich (2022)   

1. “Scatter Brain” – La Maquina (2021) 

1. “Shoot Sideways” – LULU (2020) 

(Photo 4)

Benny the Butcher: 

Finally, Benny the Butcher displays exceptional rapping abilities. In terms of pure rapping, Benny is the best of the trio with his fast flows and wordplay. Like Conway, Benny focuses on drug-dealing stories and references to The Sopranos and Scarface, but he differs in his delivery and production choices. One of Benny’s strengths is creating ambitious and uplifting songs like “One Way Flight” and “Johnny P’s Caddy.” Additionally, Benny excels in his feature performances; when you see his name as a feature, you can expect a great verse. His features on tracks like Freddie Gibbs’s “Frank Lucas” and Boldy James’s “Brickmile to Montana” highlight his talent as he effortlessly goes bar for bar with the rappers he collaborates with. A great entry project is his seven-track EP The Plugs I Met (2019), which is a standout in the “coke rap” subgenre with features from hip-hop legends like Pusha T, Black Thought, Jadakiss, etc. 

Recommended Tracks: 

1. “3:30 In Houston” – 3:30 In Houston (2020) 

1. “5 to 50” – The Plugs I Met (2019) 

1. “Broken Bottles” – Tana Talk 3 (2018) 

1. “Crown for Kings” – The Plugs I Met (2019) 

1. “Johnny P’s Caddy” – Tana Talk 4 (2022) 

Griselda:  

Even with their unique individual styles, the best tracks are often those featuring the entire trio, where they complement each other’s strengths. Unfortunately, only one full studio album has been released so far, WWCD (2019), following their signing with Eminem’s Interscope-affiliated Shady Records. However, on their solo albums, there are plenty of tracks where all three artists come together, highlighting the trio’s outstanding performance. As Conway the Machine puts it, “Dr. Birds, Hall N Nash, and Benny like James Worthy, Kareem, and Magic. Every time Griselda drops, this s*** gon’ be a classic.”  

Recommend Tracks: 

1. “Dr. Birds” – WWCD (2019) 

1. “George Bondo” – Pray for Paris (2020) 

1. “Hell on Earth, Pt. 2” – Hitler Wears Hermes 8: Side B (2021) 

1. “Kostas” – And Then You Pray For Me (2023) 
2. “Spurs 3” – From King To a GOD (2020)