Mach Hommy’s Griselda debut Pray For Haiti has arrived, boasting an impressive sixteen tracks and guest appearances from Westside Gunn, Keisha Plum, and Tha God Fahim. On the production end, the project is brought to life by the beat-making talents of Camoflage Monk, Cee Gee, Conductor Williams, Denny LaFlare, DJ Green Lantern, and more.
In many ways, Pray For Haiti feels like a new direction for Westside Gunn’s Griselda records, though Mach Hommy’s latest certainly retains the grimy, raw, and lyrically focused quality associated with the label. On the latter front, Hommy is particularly adept, his clever mind for punchlines equally matched with his ability to spit unrelenting flows. “Oh word? your raps braggadocious?” he asks, on the Camoflauge Monk-laced “No Blood No Sweat.” “Put this .38 in your mouth, go ahead and spit your magnum opus.”
His chemistry with Gunn is also worthy of note, and the Griselda mogul brings exciting energy when paired with his new sparring partner. For the most part, however, Pray For Haiti is far and away Hommy’s showcase. In a year that has already seen no shortage of excellent underground releases — provided it’s fair to call an album that netted Hommy a sit down with JAY-Z underground — Pray For Haiti may very well find itself discussed among the best.
It’s also worth noting that 20 percent of the proceeds are going to the PRAY FOR HAITI TRUST FUND, which will improve schools in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Bars for a cause — does it get any better? Stream Pray For Haiti here and now.
