Statik Selektah, Paul Wall & Benny Team Up With A Message From The Soul (Audio)

Statik Selektah has made albums with Termanology, Kxng Crooked, Bun B, and Bumpy Knuckles, just to name a few. One of the busiest producers/DJs/radio hosts in Hip-Hop has just announced another collaborative project—arguably with an unlikely partner. On November 28, Statik and Houston, Texas veteran Paul Wall are releasing Give Thanks. The LP involves Termanology, NEMS, and Pro Era member CJ Fly.

Give Thanks also features Benny The Butcher. Lead single “Overcame” shows the depth in the former Swishahouse MC’s bars, alongside one of Griselda’s sharp lyricists. Statik hooks up a beat that extracts some street sounds out of a Gospel record. Rooted in that early 2000s Kanye West and Heatmakerz vibe (with some ShowOff drums), the chorus is about overcoming the odds.

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That sentiment is echoed by the two MCs. “I used to think dope was my calling, that’s small business / Now I might open up a grocery store, and put jobs in it / If y’all ni**as wanna be popular, that’s y’all business / ‘Cause the Feds puttin’ all the big names in small prisons / What you know about them traps and them stoves? / Them halves and them wholes? / Young ni**as catch what I throw ’em, like Patrick Mahomes / A ni**a really dapped it with Cole and patched in with Hov / I left my house young, and came back with the throne,” raps the artist who participated in the Grammy-nominated Dreamville sessions and inked a management deal with Roc Nation. The Buffalo native turned a life outside the law into a place among the best rappers of 2019.

Paul Wall plays cleanup on his song. “They say everything happens for a purpose / But 30 years is quite extreme for just a purchase,” he begins, referring to unfair drug laws. “Look, it gotta rain before you can see where all the leaks are at / Loyalty’s a rare trait, can we speak to that? / Tweet the facts, he too busy try’na tweak the stats / Where speakin’ back will get ya stomped like feet-to-mat,” raps the MC. The song is a fine showing for all three artists.

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This year, Benny released Plugs I Met as well as Smoke DZA & Pete Rock collaboration Statue Of Limitations. Statik made TrillStatik with Bun, Gran Turismo with Curren$y, and Yuck! with Anoyd, among others. He also released his first Instrumental album.

Interviews with Benny and Statik Selektah are available at AFH TV. We are currently offering free 7-day trial subscriptions.

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#BonusBeat: Paul Wall’s recent episode of Drink Champs. There, he speaks about how the late Pimp C’s lyrics made he and Chamillionaire mend fences during some years on the outs.