Nearly four years after the release of his widely acclaimed DAYTONA album, Pusha-T is back with the long-teased It’s Almost Dry, which he previously billed as having topped its predecessor by “1,000 percent.”
In Push’s own words, the new album sees him working with “the best of both worlds” in terms of production thanks to equal contributions from Pharrell and the artist formerly known as Kanye West. Ahead of the album’s release, the latter contributed production to (and co-starred in the video for) the “Diet Coke” single. Pharrell, meanwhile, joined Jay-Z on “Neck & Wrist.”
Speaking with Complex in March, Push placed It’s Almost Dry within the larger context of his ongoing work to “heighten” the art of it all.
“This is a legacy thing with me,” he said at the time. “This is all about being great. This is all about making sure that the subgenre of street rap is seen at the highest levels, and can compete with everything that’s popular. This is the realest real estate in hip-hop, and I’m the Martin Scorsese of it.”
Opening the album is “Brambleton,” a personal track previously touched on in Pusha-T’s gems-filled interview with Charlamagne tha God. From there, fans are guided into “Let the Smokers Shine the Coupes,” which makes its way toward a piano breakdown of sorts before a selection of well-placed maniacal laughter builds to the closing declaration from Push of being “cocaine’s Dr. Seuss.”
The Ye-featuring “Dreamin of the Past” is built atop a sample of Donny Hathaway’s cover of the John Lennon track “Jealous Guy,” the original version of which was featured on the Beatles co-founder’s 1971 Imagine album. The Hathaway cover of the song appeared on a 1972-released live album. Lyrically, “Dreamin of the Past” also includes a playful reference from Push to San Francisco rock band Third Eye Blind.
“Just So You Remember,” which separates the previously released “Neck & Wrist” and “Diet Coke” in the album’s official sequencing, boasts the thrilling utilization of elements from the 1970s-era song “Six Day War” by the Liverpool-launched band Colonel Bagshot. DJ Shadow fans will note the song’s prior use as part of the 2002 single “Six Days.”
Of course, there will most assuredly be plenty more to dissect in the days ahead as fans continue to stack up listens of the full It’s Almost Dry experience. Enjoy it for yourself below.
Starting next month, Pusha-T will be taking his latest album out on the road for the first phase of the It’s Almost Dry Tour. Fans in Seattle are first on the agenda, with tickets and additional show info available here.
To further celebrate Dry’s release, Push brought the aforementioned “Dreamin of the Past” to Thursday’s Tonight Show. See the full performance, featuring backing by The Roots, below.
