Curated Artist Library
Forge Brief
Westside Gunn
2014-present; commercial peak 2018-present (FLYGOD, Pray for Paris, Hitler Wears Hermes 8 series, Peace Fly God)
Buffalo-NY Griselda boom-bap revivalism — high-fashion + Black-art-world + 1990s NYC mafia-rap thematic blend.
Genres
hip-hopgriselda hip-hopboom-bapunderground hip-hop
Vocal character
Westside Gunn: high-pitched nasal delivery with Buffalo-NY Griselda lineage. Distinctive ad-libs ("BOOM BOOM BOOM," "AHHH") punctuating verses. Theatrical-comic vocal persona.
Production markers
Daringer + Conductor Williams + Alchemist productionsample-heavy boom-bap foundation (1990s NYC-era sonic)Griselda Records collective (with Conway the Machine + Benny the Butcher)no choruses on many tracks — verses with ad-libs as the hookanalog-tape production aesthetichigh-fashion + boxing-imagery visual identitycollaboration-heavy with producer-led projects
Lyrical themes
Buffalo-NY street-life biographyboxing + wrestling imagery (his real life as wrestling promoter)high-fashion (Hermes, Margiela, Yves Saint Laurent name-checks)Black-American art-world cross-reference (Basquiat, Picasso, contemporary-art name-drops)family + Griselda collective identitysurvival of 1990s NYC drug-trade era
Signature moves
"BOOM BOOM BOOM" + "AHHH" ad-lib signaturesverse-only song structures (no choruses)art-world + fashion name-drops in versescollaboration with experimental producers (Madlib, Alchemist, Conductor Williams)
Avoid — off-brand for this artist
modern-trap productionauto-tunepop-crossover chorus structurelyrical apoliticismmodern-radio polish
More like Westside Gunn
- Conway the Machine
2012-present
hip-hopgriselda hip-hopboom-bap - Mach-Hommy
2012-present
hip-hopunderground hip-hopboom-bap - Action Bronson
2011-present
hip-hopeast coast hip-hopboom-bap - Joey Bada$$
2010-present
hip-hopboom-bapeast coast hip-hop - A$AP Rocky
2011-present
hip-hoptrapcloud rap
Ranked by genre overlap + era proximity. Browse the full library →