“Everybody Can’t Go” by Benny the Butcher
An exceptional major label debut.
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Welcome to a new edition of the Best Music of All Time newsletter!
Today’s music pick is the Buffalo native’s major label debut, featuring some of the best hip-hop production of 2024.
Benny the Butcher’s backstory leading up to his major label debut on one of hip-hop’s most prominent imprints is Hollywood-esque in its details. The New York rapper was in and out of prison for much of the first half of his career, enduring a messy divorce and the struggles inherent with a slow, steady climb to stardom. “I took the long way,” he said, “and a lot people who started with me or played a part ain’t make it. Some dead or in prison some took other paths or some just wasn’t built for it.” The past couple of years have vindicated that tenacity and focus. Snoop Dogg signed him to Def Jam (apparently after spending just 15 minutes on the phone with him), paving the way for Everybody Can’t Go, the 39-year-old’s proper coming-out party. It’s not only a signal to hip-hop heads that Benny’s finally having his moment in the spotlight—as of this writing, it’s also easily the best hip-hop record of 2024.
It’s clear that Def Jam pulled out all the stops in support of Benny’s talents. Besides the Doggfather, who snags the album’s best feature on “Back Again,” the celebrity cameos are as diverse as they are impressive. Jadakiss, Westside Gunn, and Conway the Machine all come through with excellent contributions, raising some eyebrows without overstaying their welcome. Even Lil Wayne, saddled with the record’s most forgettable instrumental, gets off some loud-out-loud bars on “Big Dog.” All that said, the production from veterans Hit-Boy and the Alchemist steals the show. From the hard-hitting bass on “BRON” and the chopped-up brilliance of “Pillow Talk & Slander” to the haunting slinkiness of “TMVTL” and “Griselda Express,” this album boasts some of the best-sounding rap songs in recent memory.
Similar to Conway’s ascent to mainstream bankability, Benny the Butcher will have the hip-hop world at his fingertips in 2024 and beyond.
👉 Don’t forget to click the album image to stream the album on your favorite platform 👈