This album was released today (5/25/2018). Originally titled King Push, this album was technically announced in 2013. The prelude, Darkest Before Dawn, was released in 2015, and I fucking loved that album. I’m not really sure why he decided to change the name from King Push to DAYTONA. Pusha T is one of my favorite rappers, so I think I’m gonna love this project. It’s only 7 seven tracks, so it’s more of an EP than an actual album. I think I’m gonna love it though. Every track is produced by Kanye West.

If You Know You Know
The Games We Play
Hard Piano featuring Rick Ross
Come Back Baby
Santeria
What Would Meek Do? featuring Kanye West
Infrared

The first song is dope af. The beat Kanye put together is amazing. There’s not really anything I dislike about the track. I love the way Push says “if you know you know.” Lyrically, it’s more of what you’d typically expect from Pusha T. It’s a lot of coke bars. I know a lot of people hate on him for constantly rapping about nothing but crack, but I personally don’t mind it. I think it’s good that he sticks to what he does best. The Games We Play is another good song. The beat is really dope, and Pusha T rapped his ass off. Especially on that final verse. The beat on Hard Piano is great. I wasn’t really impressed by Rick Ross’ guest verse, but it wasn’t bad. The uncredited hook from The World Famous Tony Williams was great. He sang his ass off. The beat on Come Back Baby is really dope, and I love the sample Kanye flipped for the hook. It’s a dope song. Santeria is easily the best song on the album. The transition from the track it follows is really smooth, and the hook from 070 Shake is incredible. It’s performed in Spanish, so I can’t understand what she’s saying, but goddamn her performance is haunting. The song is dedicated to De’Von Pickett, who was the road manager for Pusha T, Nicki Minaj & Fabolous. He was stabbed to death in 2015.

You listening, De’von?
As I’m talking to your spirit for God’s sakes
I’m dealing with heartbreak
Checking my ego; I’m livin’ with lost faith

Pretty sad stuff. I love the way the production switches up for the second verse. It’s a really well made song. What Would Meek Do? is the shortest song on the album, and one of the least interesting tracks. The beat is pretty good, and Push did his thing, but as a whole it just doesn’t really stand out that much to me. Kanye’s verse was decent I guess. He referenced a lot of his recent controversial antics. It’s a good song. I wouldn’t call it great though. It segues into Infrared really nicely. It’s another really short song, but it’s dope. I wasn’t blown away by the production, and the song has a really simplistic structure; it’s just one really great verse. It’s a diss to Drake.

How could you ever right these wrongs when you don’t even write your songs?
But let us all play along
We all know what niggas for real been waitin’ on: Push

It’s a good song. Not great. Just good. I fuck with it.

This album is great. It didn’t blow me away like Darkest Before Dawn did, but it’s still a really solid project. It kinda feels more like a collection of good songs rather than a full album. I usually like short albums, and I appreciate this project’s quick length. It felt like an EP though. Especially since most of the songs are under 3 minutes long. As a whole it’s less than half an hour long. I’d rather have 22 minutes of greatness than an hour of mediocrity though, so I fuck with this shit. It’s dope.

Favorite Song: Santeria
Least Favorite Song: What Would Meek Do?

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