Jill Scott Goes Bar For Bar With Conway & Holds Her Own

One of the better Hip-Hop albums of 2022 is Conway The Machine’s God Don’t Make Mistakes. Years in the making (with plans to arrive in late 2021), Conway’s Shady Records solo debut is one of his most complete albums in an impressive and extensive catalog. Along with Griselda cohorts Westside Gunn and Benny The Butcher, the late February LP features Lil Wayne, Beanie Sigel, T.I., Rick Ross, and some of Con’s Drumwork artists. Alchemist, Daringer, Hit-Boy, Bink, and J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League supply production.

However, perhaps the most impressive guest performance on God Don’t Make Mistakes comes from three-time Grammy Award-winning singer Jill Scott. “Jilly From Philly,” who has made massive contributions to Hip-Hop staples including The Roots Come Alive, Common’s Like Water For Chocolate, and Lupe Fiasco’s Food & Liquor, does it once more on Conway The Machine’s “Chanel Pearls.” The highlight now becomes a music video that captures the song’s essence.

Take A Long Walk Down Memory Lane With Jill Scott As She Revisits Her Debut Album

The song begins with Conway in thought. “Cuttin’ through in that Rolls / Draco on the seat, I hope I’m makin’ it home / Head on a swivel, I always stay on my toes / The ones you love most wanna know what your safe really hold / No morals in the streets now, ni**as breakin’ the code / Smoke a blunt of pressure, this fame is takin’ it’s toll / I’m thankful ain’t no shows, I need a break from the road,” he raps, presumably amid the pandemic. The opening verse continues, “Put ni**as in position, they still ungrateful, it shows / It’s f*ckin’ up my energy, sh*t is makin’ me cold / My life a series of drama just like them HBO shows / When I die, I’m goin’ out like the pharaoh, drape me in gold.” In the video, a character representing young Conway balances a child in his lap while living in the struggle. The imagery is juxtaposed with a lavish lifestyle now, in a much nicer environment.

Before breaking into all-out singing, Jill Scott drops a verse, in character of Benny’s somber song. “We fill the Buffalo night skies with our minds and sativa / I was your lady, your confidant, your sugar thighs, your sole believer / I know you, so I never trip / F*ck the lil’ girls that you hit, waitin’ for the change they might get / They wanted that high life from all the monster stones that you chip / All the lil’ baggies you bag, and all the corners you sit / Intense, some would call it symbiotic / Different, and every part is simple intent / Why I f*ck with you most was the you that I get / It was the rhymes that you spit, your confidence and the d*ck / While we stayed close, we wasn’t monolithic / My lane taught you some game, you got me nice with a blick / In that apartment on May Street / You played Wu and Ella Fitzgerald, I read Nietzsche, you let me sleep / Woke me up with a big ass smile to eat some p*ssy / More than close, more than kinky, more than love, I know you feel me.” As Conway’s raps are raw and image-driven, so are the acclaimed guest, who is not above some grimy details in the song. The singer with two #1 albums is a songwriter who can write from the vantage point of Conway’s partner, back in the Buff’ streets. In the video, she wears a matching blue fur to Conway.

Conway Details Nearly Losing His Life & Rap Dream (Video)

Notably, Jill Scott recently launched her new season of J.Ill The Podcast.

#BonusBeat: An Ambrosia For Heads interview with Conway The Machine, Westside Gunn, and Benny The Butcher about why they will never compromise Griselda’s sound: