Conway The Machine is in the midst of an incredible run, operating at a prolific pace with releases like If It Bleeds It Can Be Killed and the recent solo album La Maquina. In addition to his own catalog, Machine has been working on developing the talent on his DrumWork label, including Jae Skeese and 7xvethegenius, who held it down on his recent posse cut “Sister Abigail.”
Yet amidst his artistic rise, many fans have expressed concerns about the state of Griselda trifecta, consisting of Machine, Westside Gunn, and Benny The Butcher. Bootleg Kev recently chopped it up with The Machine on The Bootleg Kev podcast, and the host mentioned the ongoing rumors that the trio is growing apart. Kev notes that he and Westside Gunn were laughing at the rumors earlier at Gunn’s Buffalo Kids shops, asking Conway if he ever grows frustrated with the speculation.
Machine takes a moment to ponder his response. “People love Griselda, man,” he begins. “This Griselda shit, this thing we built. I knew it was going to be special, I knew it was going to work. I’ve always believed in what we’ve been bringing to the table. Me and West knew what this was going to be when we started it up. So the fans love us, man. More than we know sometimes.”
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“So yeah, there’s concerns, genuine concerns and questions from fans,” he continues, his tone indicating how seriously he takes the project. “When they seeing certain things from the outside looking in, it’s probably not the norm they’re used to from us. A couple of my tweets probably didn’t help things. The truth of the matter is that we have grown apart, man. We not really young boys no more, hanging out and chasing a dream.”
“We all grown-ass men with families and responsibilities and people to take care of,” he continues. “Everybody got their own brands they expanding, and fucking with too. Time is very limited. You might not hear us together all the time, or see us on the same album all the time. There might just genuinely not be time to get the verse done. To pull up to the show. This Griselda shit is getting bigger than we ever would have thought.”
“I can see where the questions and concerns come from, from the fans,” he continues. “But I’ma keep it a thousand too. Some of my tweets didn’t help ease their concerns. The funny thing is, all those tweets were just verses I wrote, bars I’ve written. Nothing I thought in my mind would [get taken that way]. I’m not no internet dude. We family in real life, so that shit forever.”
Kev notes that Conway and Benny have both been dedicating time to their respective labels, DrumWork and Black Soprano Family. He also acknowledges the fact that hip-hop fans have come to expect their favorite groups to inevitably crumble. Conway makes it clear that there is no animosity, chalking the process up to “natural growth.” Still, he reassures that he, West, and Benny are family, citing their appearance on the La Maquina highlight “S.E. Gang.”
Check out Conway’s reflections on Griselda’s current situation, courtesy of the Bootleg Kev podcast.
WATCH: Conway The Machine on The Bootleg Kev Podcast