King Push - Darkest Before Dawn: The Prelude

Pusha T - King Push - Darkest Before Dawn: The Prelude
Critic Score
Based on 25 reviews
2015 Ratings: #98 / 1021
User Score
2015 Rank: #213
Liked by 109 people
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CRITIC REVIEWS

91
A.V. Club
It is a 10-track twisted odyssey crafted by one of the most lyrically gifted rappers of the 21st century as he unloads on a range of specific enemies and larger issues both real and perceived. Never before, either in his solo work or as a member of Clipse, has Pusha T sounded more pissed off.
90
HipHopDX

The Prelude has once again positioned Pusha as an emcee with the ability to put forth a legendary piece of work. Here now, the clock ticks until King Push.

85
The 405

Darkest Before Dawn is a declaration of now, using the rap world's skewed priorities and current disordered reality as his muse, dissecting its flaws through neurotic observations and sociological exploration - and of course the most inexhaustible adlib in the game.

83
Consequence of Sound
It isn’t the best he’s been or the most interesting, but he’s never been more colorful or more topical.
82
Pitchfork

The beats sound like money, and the raps are whip smart and cleanly tailored.

81
Northern Transmissions

Despite a few dips, Darkest Before Dawn is a concise and pounding presentation from the veteran rapper. If this is what he’s prepped for the prelude, one can only wonder what treasures King Push will display during the coronation.

80
AllMusic

The album just doesn't flow as well as his monolithic 2013 effort My Name Is My Name, but as a mere "prelude" to the next LP, it's miles above "throwaway" and comes with the quality control that would put it in the top tiers of both the mixtape and street release formats.

80
Q Magazine
It’s a collision of classic rap skills and singular beats that makes this album outstanding and far more substantial than its "prelude” billing implies.
80
The Observer
The veteran rapper and former Clipse man is compelling on the first of a duo of linked albums.
80
NOW Magazine

Darkest Before Dawn's only shortcoming is its prelude status; most of its 10 songs last just two or three minutes. It's too good to be a mixtape and too short to be an album, raising the stakes even higher for the album proper.

80
The Guardian

Darkest Before Dawn: The Prelude sees Pusha T continue in the verbose, matter-of-fact style that he’s honed since his days as one half of Clipse, but this time – amid the tales of slinging and spending – he’s built his own personal fifth column.

80
Clash

A remarkable return to form by one of rap’s finest wordsmiths, it’s Pusha’s most focused and cohesive solo effort to date, and one of hip-hop’s strongest long-players of 2015.

80
Billboard

On DBD, he delivers music that can’t be clumped with contemporary hip-hop.

80
Exclaim!

Darkest Before Dawn is as real as it gets — even if you've never sold drugs in your life.

80
Sputnikmusic

It doesn't matter whether or not you think Darkest Before Dawn is good enough because Push is already rapping like it is. Adulation and recognition be damned.

80
DIY
Each track feels like a different corner of Pusha T’s mind, all coming together to form a complete brain, glimmering with glitz and glamour on the surface and exploring darkness and deep thought below.
80
SPIN

We do know that Darkest Before Dawn: The Prelude is a fabulous album, even though it’s merely a sample to whet our appetite for the real product, King Push, next spring.

80
NME
Belying its also-ran billing, 'Darkest Before Dawn...' is a minor masterpiece of dark, smart, modern hip-hop.
78
Paste

If My Name is My Name was a branding, an active marketing campaign, Darkest Before Dawn is the fully realized product, Pusha T not as he was or as he could be, but as he is. He’s not always as sharp as he’s been in the past, but he makes up for his faults with his tenacity.

75
The Line of Best Fit
It isn’t overly ambitious, but after more than two years without an official release it is still a treat to hear Pusha T, even if he stays largely in his cocaine comfort zone.
70
Rolling Stone
Though hip-hop gets more melodic and vocally expressive every year, Pusha keeps his cadences steely and his bars hitting like haymakers, maintaining that ice-cold Nineties feel even when he’s taking on modern troubles.
70
The Needle Drop
Pusha T gets back in touch with his roots, and teases toward his next project with this mini-album that sets the bar pretty high.
70
The Young Folks

He definitely has the momentum for King Push, even if the prelude is somewhat forgettable.

60
The Irish Times
West, Timbaland and Puff Daddy provide production twitches on this sparse album, but the real star of the show is King Push and that menacing, dexterous, superbly tuned vocal pitch and punch of his.
TheRealKanyeWes
94

I did not produce this one, but it is very nice

Geem
75

With darker production and great features, The Prelude is a major step up from Pusha's last album. I really liked the first 5 tracks, and the second half is also really solid. Don't know what the bird is doing though 🐓 Watch out Pusha, there's a birdo flying right towards you!

Melancoholic
65

9th track should've been in fifa 17 soundtrack.

70

this is aight

92

One of the best rappers of all time with an album that has too many bars. I've never had this many stank faces when I read/heard the lyrics. Couple of the beats are questionable and a hook here or there is kind of weak, but the lyricism is one of the best Ive ever heard, and its a great experience. One of the best

79

Favorites: Keep Dealing, Untouchable, MTFR

Least: Retribution

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Track List

1Intro
2:33
80
2Untouchable
3:09
83
3M.F.T.R.
4:07
feat. The-Dream
82
4Crutches, Crosses, Caskets
2:24
75
5M.P.A.
4:45
84
6Got Em Covered
3:15
feat. Ab-Liva
64
7Keep Dealing
4:11
81
8Retribution
3:18
feat. Kehlani
73
9F.I.F.A.
2:18
78
10Sunshine
3:13
77
Total Length: 33 minutes

Year End Lists

#15/Earbuddy
#19/Pigeons & Planes
#46/Treble
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Added on: November 24, 2015