Buffalo. Home to AFC Champions, the Buffalo Bills. Also, home to the likes of future WWE Hall Of Famer, Lex Luger. In hip-hop, it's the home of one of hip-hop's biggest success stories of the past decade in Griselda Records. Started up by the ever-luxurious FLYGOD himself, Westside Gunn, Griselda became one, if not the, go-to for the gutter, grimy NY hip-hop of the 90s that gave you Mobb Deep, Wu-Tang, and Black Moon. The founders of Griselda were Gunn, his cousins Benny The Butcher and Machine Gunn Black (RIP), and Gunn's half-brother, Conway The Machine. Born Demond Price, this Buffalo shooter has grinded his way into becoming one of the game's most in-demand emcees for his no-nonsense content, brutal street narratives, and vivid, yet finely put together, bars. Already known within underground circles regionally, Conway was on his way to being more recognized thanks to underground mixtapes such as The Devil's Reject, T2: The Machine, Who Wants What, and PhysiKal Therapy. However, in 2012, Conway was struck by an array of bullets in the head, neck, and shoulder, in which he barely survived. Coming away with injuries, as well as a severe case of Bell's Palsy that resulted in partial facial paralysis and this resulted in his speech being slurred when speaking and rapping. In the midst of this, the slur helped to distinguish his flow even more. From there, his grind was even harder than before and he dropped his official Griselda debut in 2015, Reject 2, a cold-hearted and venomous sequel to the already pulsating Devil's Reject. From there, it became a plethora of overall excellent projects that eventually put him among the top spots in the game consistently. Never satisfied with just being named "one of the greatest", his forever goal is to be considered THE best. Not a bad goal for anyone to have. We will dive into his steep discography that is as consistent as anyone currently going. This twenty-plus year veteran of the mic has finally arrived, and still is as hungry as he was when he first got in. Without further ado, let's get into the discography. Note that this includes his solo work as well as producer collaborative efforts such as with Alchemist, Conductor, and Big Ghost LTD. Let's go! Always remember, to quote him, "IT'S THE MACHINE BITCH!"
20. La Maquina
Production: Daringer, The Alchemist, Bangladesh, Cardiak, Murda Beatz, JR Swiftz, Don Cannon, others
Guests: Westside Gunn, Benny The Butcher, 7XVETHEGENIUS, Jae Skeeze, Elcamino, JID, Ludacris, others
We begin with his 2021 mixtape, La Maquina (Spanish for 'The Machine'). Ever since his features on various albums, as well as some endeavors on his simply excellent, From King to A God, album, we've heard and seen Machine switch up flows and vary from his usual subject matter of gunplay, street validation, and vengeance. He instead hits up parties, gets more into his fashion bag, and shows he's the baddest cat in town over thumping 808s and trap-inducing production from the likes of Bangladesh, Don Cannon, and Murda Beatz on tracks such as "6:30 Tip Off", "KD", and the dope collab with southern heavyweights Ludacris and JID, "Scatterbrain". Certainly, some cuts for the streets, speakers, and clubs alike, Conway shows he can hang with any type of style and go for his properly. Do not think, kiddies, that they filthy grime of Machine has gone anywhere, however. This is actually obvious on the first track by itself, the menacing, yet neck-cramping, "Bruiser Brody", as well as cuts like the 2 Chainz-assisted, Alchemist-blessed, "200 Pies", and the crazy collab with Drumwork artists, Jae Skeeze and 7XVETHEGENIUS, "Sister Abigail". The closer is the every vital posse cut with Westside Gunn and Benny The Butcher, the Daringer-rocked, "SE Gang", which contains an understated drum signature underneath a vintage rock guitar sample that, at first listen, may sound a tad out of place and unusual for Daringer's often melodically murky and atmospheric production, but this track fits the mold of what Conway was trying to display in the first place on this album: a refocused, redesigned, and reinvigorated Machine. Arguably his most ambitious project to date, La Maquina showed the far-reaching talents of Conway, and why he's become among the most adaptable emcees currently going.
19. Palermo
Production: Wun Two
Guests: Goosebytheway, KNDRX
When Conway went on IG live in mid-2024 to preview some upcoming cuts. There were a few that were particularly mean but sounded like they were produced by Grammy-nominated producer, Conductor Williams, due to his brand of psychedelic, almost airy and woozy, sounds. The cuts were fire, but we had no idea that these cuts weren't done by Conductor. In fact, they were done by up-and-comer, Wun Two from Germany. The sheer hazy, atmospheric conditions of this production end up being quite the compliment to the rugged bars of The Machine in the form of their first collaborative project, Palermo. We start off with the snapping, "Carduni", where we get the thick, lo-fi atmosphere from Wun Two. He continues his street boss bars over similarly engaging tracks such as "Montagna" and "Mind Tricks", while reminiscing on his come up on "Brick By Brick". Towards the end, we get more of the same from him only the cut "Bianca", in which we get arguably his most vivid cut, while "Gaspare" effectively closes on a high, yet dusty and stripped back, note. Having just released Conductor Machine, with the aforementioned Conductor not long before, Palermo wasn't too far behind in terms of fire. This project brought Wun Two to more ears, although he had a history of working with the likes of Hus Kingpin and others. Meanwhile, Conway ended that year more prolific of an emcee than before.
18. What Has Been Blessed Cannot Be Cursed
Production: Big Ghost LTD
Guests: 7XVETHEGENIUS, Goosebytheway, Jae Skeeze, SK, Shots Almigh
Certain producers tend to bring different things out of different emcees. Conway is no different. While many have heard him excel over astounding production from the likes of The Alchemist, Conductor Williams, Daringer, and Graymatter bring out the more ruggedness from him. A more focused emcee that has the dark, eerie, yet thumping production to match his brutal and vivid bars. Another name one should add to that list is the enigmatic producer, Big Ghost LTD. BGLTD has worked with Griselda before with the release of the collab album of Conway and Gunn for Griselda Ghost, a mixtape that was acclaimed for its haunting production and visceral imagery from these two emcees. BGLTD's signature ominous and haunting production is hand and glove fitting for The Machine, and one such dumb dope project is What Has Been Blessed Cannot Be Cursed. This album followed up 2021's If It Bleeds, It Can Be Killed and arguably matches the brooding nature of the aforementioned. He starts off with Salutations, which has him giving imagery of snorting coke and gunplay, while proclaiming how on point he is. He continues with "Green Light", in which he turns up the aggression with the lyrics in terms of his tough thug talk, while he also addresses his haters and those that want to stop his shine on cuts like "Y.B.C.M.", "Bodie Broadus", and the Jae Skeeze-assisted, "Sunday Sermon". We get a great collab with him and Method Man on "Scared 2 Death", while the Drumwork labelmates of his of 7XVETHEGENIUS, Jae Skeeze, SK Da King, GooseByTheWay, and Shots Almigh, "Big Drum" is a sick posse track that shows the talent of all these emcees in damn good fashion. BGLTD provided Conway an excellent soundtrack and score for this project and, although What Has Been Blessed Cannot Be Cursed, may be the "worst" of the Conway/BGLTD collabs, by no means is this a weak project whatsoever. The menacing score of this is very reflective of how sharp his pen is, and the imagery he conjures. They went three for three with this effort, and at this point, there's no stopping the acclaim these two bring together.
17. Everybody Is F.O.O.D. 3
Production: JR Swiftz, Cookin' Soul, K-Sluggah, DJ Skizz
Guests: N/A
The last installment of his Everybody Is F.O.O.D. mixtape series was a part of his very busy 2019. This third installment was almost every bit as brooding and fluid as the previous installment, EIF2: Eat What You Kill. Unlike the previous installments, they are no big name beatmakers such as Alchemist, Pete Rock, and even Daringer isn't on board here. Instead, we get equally formidable soundsmiths such as the always on point, JR Swiftz, and acclaimed Spanish-producer/DJ, Cookin' Soul. The intro track, "E.I.F." is conducted by a nuts Swiftz-produced track that has him showing his ass as only he can, especially over instrumentals as dark as this. Cuts like "The Basement", "Country Mike", and "Don't Judge Me" are showing Conway's subject versatility but mostly regards his struggles coming up in the game along with death, grief, not being able to see his son, and other issues that are personal and poignant. He flaunts his riches on "Richest In the City" and "Egyptian Cloth" while showing how underrated he really is out here. At only eight tracks deep, Conway doesn't waste a moment bringing his skills to the table and EIF3 is almost as much of an accomplishment as the prior two, and shows he really is among the best bar-for-bar emcees around.
16. If It Bleeds, It Can Be Killed
Production: Big Ghost LTD
Guests: Ransom, Rome Streetz, D-Styles, Knowledge The Pirate, Shots Almigh
Following up their 2020 project, No One Mourns the Wicked, Conway and Big Ghost LTD presented If It Bleeds, It Can Be Killed, which is more or less and extension of the aforementioned album. BGLTD's haunting boom-bap is tremendously appropriate for Conway's murder bars and street narratives to the utmost. Murderous material is the name of the game here as he starts letting off rounds on the opening cuts, "J Batters" and the Shots Almigh-assisted, "Way We Move". With the first single, "Toast", it has Machine spitting about his come up and how he still has ties to the streets even with his success. This tends to be a running theme with him in most cases, but on this album, he brags more about his gun firing abilities than his burgeoning star status. He hits a home run with the Ransom/Rome Streetz-collaborated, "Kill All Rats", in which all three gives the listener fair warning about crossing them and the imagery of the three of them pointing guns in your direction is intimidating. Over arguably the most menacing beat on the album, these three are vicious together. He turns a corner halfway through the album, as he starts getting reflective on tracks like "Losses to Blessings" and especially the confessional "Forever Ago", in which in the first verse he reveals he had an affair with his girl's sister while on the second verse, he shows that he has an alcohol problem due to PTSD and bipolarism. This project is Conway near the top of his game. With If It Bleeds, It Can Be Killed, although surreal and murky sounds are the backdrop, Conway's penchant for storytelling and honesty take the stage here, and while he's as violent as one could picture, there's also a method behind the madness, and Conway spills it out for the world to hear even when it gets uncomfortable.
15. Everybody Is F.O.O.D. 2: Eat What You Kill
Production: The Alchemist, Graymatter, DJ Skizz, Daringer, Khrysis, DJ Shay, others
Guests: Flee Lord, Benny The Butcher
The second installment of the Everybody Is F.O.O.D. mixtape series dropped not long after the first installment did a few months earlier. The first EIF was bananas. A high bar to reach and exceed, Conway was ready for the challenge and boy did he make that effort. While he brings back in-house soundmaster, Daringer, he brings The Alchemist, Mutant Academy super producer, Graymatter, DJ Skizz, late Griselda producer/DJ, DJ Shay, and NC board wizard, Khrysis with him this time around. We start with the crazy, "Fentanyl", in which Conway spits out his brand of harrowing threats and showing off his lavish lifestyle. This edition is arguably more menacing sound-wise and theme-wise with this particular album. Potent examples include the Alchemist-blessed, "224 May Block", the Flee Lord-assisted, "G Money on The Roof", and the Benny-assisted, "Hide The Body". With a more brooding tone throughout the majority of the album, it's the last two tracks that go a different route and he gets more personal. With the Khrysis-produced, "Be Proud of Me", he raps about his troubled relationship with his father and how he's been striving to be a better father to his children than his father was to him. While on the last track, "Piece of My Heart", he dedicates the track to fallen friend and cousin, Machine Gunn Black (also Benny's brother). The track is touching and shows a vulnerability we hadn't heard like that from him since arguably the now legendary verse from him on "The Cow". His second installment of EIF, Eat What You Kill, is easily as dope as his first installment, and closed the year on a very lethal note. The pressure was on for EIF3, and as you read earlier, this was a triumphant three-for-three, but EIF2 was blistering, yet open, at the same time.
14. Conductor Machine
Production: Conductor Williams
Guests: 7XVETHEGENIUS, Jae Skeeze, Shots Almigh, Goosebytheway
Conway was on a complete tear in 2023. After dropping his quite dope, yet unfairly underrated, Won't He Do It, he had been dropping project after project that year such as his Drumwork compilation album, his collab albums with 38 Spesh and Drumwork artist, Jae Skeeze (Speshal Machinery and Pain Provided Profit respectively), his aforementioned album with German producer, Wun-Two, Palermo, and of course his outstanding collab with Gunn and Alchemist, Hall & Nash 2. You should add his album with Griselda in-house producer-turned-highly in-demand phenom, Conductor Williams, for their collaborative EP, Conductor Machine. Conductor's signature production of hazy, almost psychedelic, boom-bap has become a major calling card for his style. Of course, Conway sounds excellent over all the production here and doesn't take a pause in how dope he really is here. The opening track, "Blessings of the King" is one such example of how ridiculous their chemistry is. Over a fantastic Gospel-sampled track, Conway spits about his come up and how nobody is seeing him. This isn't the only cut with Gospel-sampled influence, as "Church Fan" and "Love The Lord". He keeps the thermostat turned up on the other cuts of "Noir", "Believe Me", the 7XVETHEGENIUS-assisted, "Flame", and "Higher" featuring another brother of his, Shots Almigh. Conway doesn't reinvent the wheel with Conductor Machine, but he also doesn't have to. His bars are lethal and over some effective production, he makes the grimiest of music sound truly dope. Conductor provided Conway with seven tracks of craziness, and with this EP, imaginer a full-length with these two.
13. Reject On Steroids
Production: Green Lantern, Daringer, Metro Boomin, D-Dot, Roc Marciano, Southside, others
Guests: Westside Gunn, Benny The Butcher, Royce Da 5'9"
The first collaborative mixtape Conway did was with notable NY DJ/Producer, Green Lantern. Lantern oversaw and produced several of the tracks of their first collaborative mixtape, Reject On Steroids. While Conway getting busy on freestyles over the likes of "Humble", but of course the original cuts on here are the story. Most of the album is menacing and brutal sounding, with the likes of Daringer and even Green Lantern contributing to these bleak sounds. One such example is the haunting, "Cooked in Hell's Kitchen", in which we get Reject 2 Conway in full force as he unleashes verbal sprays as his victims in violent fashion. He continues this with "Dead Bodies Left" and the Benny-assisted, "Spurs", in which we get chilling keys that these rhyme warriors go to work over this ghastly instrumental. Machine links up with legendary rhyme animal, Royce Da 5'9" on the snapping, "Ill", in which Royce goes lyrically bananas as usual, but to Conway's credit, he's no slouch whatsoever on this grimy cut as well. Other cuts of "Rick Boxes" and the personal "Through It All" add to the fire Conway presents on this particular project that green lantern did a good job hosting and, in the case of "Ill", producing. The sequel, More Steroids, would repeat this formula of visceral, yet slammin', production and highly impressive bars from 'La Maquina".
12. Everybody Is F.O.O.D.
Production: artist, Daringer, Pete Rock, Statik Selektah, Green Lantern
Guests: Busta Rhymes, Skyzoo, Elzhi, Pete Rock
The year 2018 was quite the busy year for The Machine. He dropped Blakk Tape earlier in the year but also dropped Death By Misadventure with UK hip-hop artist, Sonnyjim. He also dropped the first of three-part mixtape series, Everybody Is F.O.O.D. The series came just before his "growth" album lineage of Look What I Became, From King to A God, God Don't Make Mistakes, and Won't He Do It. This was very much a teaser of what was to come, and the first installment of the series was nothing short of blazing. The opener, "Bullet Holez in My Neck", is an essential way to begin this mixtape, as we get Conway spitting gunpowder over a murky beat courtesy of Daringer. These two continue their impeccable chemistry on the hellacious track, "O.D.B.", in which we get more of the vicious side of Conway that sprays and slays. Also, on the ominous "Slapbox", he goes into storytelling mode, Raekwon/Slick Rick-style with he and his friend plotting a robbery on an op that's apparently loaded with stash and bricks, only for the cops to catch up with them and they dip out. He stays on the rugged street shit on cuts like the Busta Rhymes-assisted, "Land O' Lakes" and the snapping "Segal in State Prop", but also just goes for his lyrically on the joints "212" with one of Detroit's truly animalistic spitters, Elzhi, and the Skyzoo-collaborated, "Skyjoint 2". Perhaps the most surprising, yet tremendously dope, collaboration is "Piper" with the legendary Peter Rock on the boards and providing adlibs. Over a trademarked Pete Rock beat complete with funky drums, undeniable bassline, and melodic keys, Conway goes apeshit over this outstanding production. The first installment of EIF definitely established a benchmark that would be tough to equal or outdo. However, if it can be done, Conway would find a way, but even he knew the bar he set for himself was high for this one.
11. More Steroids
Production: artist, Daringer, Green Lantern, The Alchemist, RZA, Statik Selektah, others
Guests: Raekwon, Benny The Butcher, Elcamino
Aiming to reach the same acclaim as Reject On Steroids did six months earlier, Conway, once again, teams up with DJ Green Lantern for the sequel to Reject On Steroids, More Steroids. In much the same fashion as the prior release, this mixtape is filled with ominous production, furious bars, and an aura that makes Conway come off as one of the most feared street kings around. His brand of gritty street narratives and intimidating threats are quite resonating on tracks such as "Killer", "Bucket", and "Some Free" over chilling instrumentals by the likes of Uncle Al and Green Lantern. On the cut, "Steroids", Conway gives a rest in peace shout to (at the time) recently departed legend, Prodigy of Mobb Deep. The intro of the cut has Bandana P giving a soundbite, while Conway salutes him at the end. In between, Conway rips up the Green Lantern instrumental with bars that would certainly make the god P give that slick grin of approval. Machine continues with the eerie "Voices", in which he summons his Randy Orton that has voices that speak to him to show these cats why he is in fact The Machine, while "Paranoid" similarly follows the same aesthetic having him looking over his shoulder with his tool with him due to jealousy and hate. He hits his most terrorizing peak with the ominous "3 Bodies", in which we get some of his best violence bars to date at this time. Vivid and nihilistic, Conway is unapologetic and brash about his usage of dismissing haters and enemies his way. Of course, he gets up with cousin, Benny, for "Spurs 2", the venomous-sounding sequel to his Conway's original cut from ROS and replicates it damn well. Arguably darker and more visceral than ROS, More Steroids has Conway practically writing in his pad with a pen in one hand and a 9MM in the other. Aside from his freestyles on the album, the original cuts here are clear as to how Conway is to be seen in this game, and that's as no-nonsense as humanly possible, both as an artist and as the man.
10. Won't He Do It
Production: Daringer, J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League, Khrysis, Graymatter, JR Swiftz, others
Guests: 7XVETHEGENIUS, Goosebytheway, Juicy J, Sauce Walka, Benny The Butcher, Fabolous, Ransom, Mozzy, Dave East, others
After the very highly acclaimed outing of God Don't Make Mistakes in 2022, the pressure was on to make an album that could meet the expectations of the aforementioned album. His answer to this was in the form of Won't He Do It, an almost direct opposite of the overall moody, somber, and bleak atmosphere of GDMM. This album was more about celebrating his victories and acknowledging the fruits of his labor, which was likely the point of the title. Seen as the last of the growth series (Look What I Became, From King to A God, God Don't Make Mistakes, Won't He Do It), we hear Conway as finally arriving. Realizing his work has brought him to being amongst the most in-demand emcees out. Although there was ruggedness with the singles of "Quarters" and the Gunn-assisted, "Brucifix", the overall vibe of the album is one of celebrating and production that somewhat reflects his much overdue props in more of a mainstream capacity, especially with his guest verse on Kanye's "Keep My Spirit Alive" (along with Gunn). This is especially reflective on the appropriately titled track, "Kanye", which has J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League brings their dope brand of southern neck-snapping sounds using layered sounds and modern R&B-esque sounds. With vocalist Drea D'Nur supplying the tremendous crooning, Conway and Drumwork artist, GooseByTheWay, celebrate Con's hard work with a victorious track reminding everyone, "They even talked about Jesus". He shares this similarly on the title track along with 7XVETHEGENIUS in which he boldly states throughout his verse, "Bet they believe me now". He turns the tempo up on the posse cut with Jozzy, Dave East, and GooseByTheWay, "Water To Wine" and the Juicy J-assisted collab, the bouncy "Super Bowl" to give more thump for your speakers and the clubs. Fret not kiddies, his art of street narratives and gutter bars aren't far behind at all. Fantastic examples include "Brick Fare", the Ransom-assisted "Stab Out", and "Kill Judas", while cuts like "Monogram" and "Tween Cross Tween" have him illustrating his cockiness, while still showing his hunger to achieve even more. Conway raises his glass to his successes on Won't He Do It, as he should. Chopping it up with the likes of Kanye, Eminem, and Jay-Z during that time shows the hard work one has to put in to be able to even be on the radars of these three giants. Confident, brash, and even a little egotistical, Conway is also among the most talent emcees walking and Won't He Do It was a trophy that he can proudly flaunt as much as he damn well pleases.
9. No One Mourns the Wicked
Production: Big Ghost LTD
Guests: Elcamino, Flee Lord
Just after the pandemic started to become the life-changing event that it became, Conway and Big Ghost LTD dropped their first official collaborative effort, No One Mourns the Wicked. This nine-track platter marked the start of the three-album set with the low-key, yet highly in-demand, producer, and it started off with a complete and total bang. After the fitting intro, we have "Dead Flowers", a murky-sounding track that sets the tone for the album well with snapping percussion and ominous keys underneath Conway's venomous bars. He solidifies his stance within the game as he perceives it on the dumb dope, "Icon", while he names every project he's ever been on as classics on the equally dope "Shark Guts". While other cuts like "Bricks to Murals", the Elcamino-assisted, "Fake Love", and the Flee Lord-guested, "Sicarios" are heaters that display Conway's penchant for letting you know who boss is, it's the crazy cut, "S.D.L.N. (Streets Don't Love Nobody)", that puts an emphasis on how cold the streets are, especially if you have no business being involved in street life. Part autobiographical, part conceptual, all real. There wasn't a noticeable flaw anywhere on this project worthy enough for critiquing. Simply put, No One Mourns the Wicked is a bumping, yet musically eerie, project that started showing off how great of a pairing Machine and BGLTD truly are. While the two other projects they did together were almost as nuts as this project, this was the effort that demonstrated Conway's true persona that hadn't been this ruthless and brazen since Reject 2, and that's saying a mouthful.
8. LULU
Production: The Alchemist
Guests: Schoolboy Q, Cormega
It was only right that eventually Conway and the almighty Uncle Al himself, The Alchemist, team up to do a full project together. Alan Maman was already in the middle of a historic run that resulted in him being among the most influential and prolific producers in modern hip-hop history to this very day. Conway had been working with Al on earlier projects such as G.O.A.T., and this project was showing that these two are tremendous together. Their collaborative effort, LULU, is as dope of a project as you'd expect from either artist. We start off strong and dope with "14 KI's", a thumper that has Conway effectively gliding on the track. Al provides Conway with his share of menacing, yet soulful, tracks that Conway is just comfortable spitting over. The track, "The Contract", has him getting frank about his enemies and how he deals with them. On "Calvin", he goes a little more aggressively with his imagery, promising to unalive these same enemies in usual Conway fashion. On his collaborative tracks with Schoolboy Q and Cormega, "Shoot Sideways" and "They Got Sonny" respectively, Conway exhibits his tremendous pen game with vivid images of revenge and non-fuck giving ways that accurately reflect the moody atmosphere of the production. The closer, "Gold BBL's", has him spitting cocky rhymes and showing off his riches while still not above letting that llama spray if need be. As an EP, LULU was a stellar effort from these two, and one should hope for an equally as dope follow-up hopefully this year. Conway and Uncle Al are a combo we can't get enough of.
7. Slant Faced Killah (SFK)
Production: Daringer, The Alchemist, JR Swiftz, Conductor williams, Camouflage Monk, Sadhugold, Swizz Beats, Don Cannon, Cool & Dre, others
Guests: Raekwon, SK, Method Man, Flee Lord, T.F., Ab-Soul, 2-Eleven, Jay Worthy, Tech N9ne, Key Glock, Swizz Beats, Joey Bada$$, others
Originally designed to be the "B-side" of Won't He Do It, Conway's biggest 2024 offering, Slant Faced Killah, was a direct opposite of the more accessible sounds of WHDI. This album was more accustomed to what we're used to hearing from Conway, and that's not as bad thing whatsoever. Once we got a hold of his collab with Joey Bada$$, "Vertino", as well as his first single and video, "Give & Give", we knew this was not the same WHDI and this had the makings of something a little more menacing. By a little, it ended up being a lot. The album opener, the knocking collab with Stove God Cook$, "Mutty", was a dumb dope illustration into what the album's direction would go in. Don't expect a ton of R&B-esque sounds on this album folks. While there weren't but a few here and there on WHDI, there are none here. Zero. With production courtesy of the likes of past collaborators such as Conductor, Camouflage Monk, Safhugold, Uncle Al, and of course Dirty Daringer, this is vintage Conway at his finest. He continues with gutter cuts such as "Milano Nights Pt. 1", "Dasani", and the west coast-posse track with 2-Eleven, Jay Worthy, T.F., and a show-stealing performance by Ab-Soul, "Surf & Turf", as we get gritty narratives of the streets and stone cold threats and bars that continue to show why Conway is one to never cross or underestimate with the pen nor the tool. Arguably the most neck-snapping cut on the album is the track with Drumwork artist, SK Da King, Flee Lord, and the legendary M-E-T-H-O-D Man, "Mef Is Back!", in which to no surprise Mr. Mef effortlessly steals the show from all the other emcees, even though everybody shows their asses on this cut. He also links up with Midwest legend, Tech N9ne, for the appealing "Raw", while connecting with his down south self on the Key Glock-assisted, "Ten", and goes back out west with the ever-smooth vibes of Larry June on the sizzling, "Kin Express". With the closer, "Red Moon In Osaka", we get Conway spitting as only he can spit over a fabulous Alchemist production, with the almighty "chef" himself, Raekwon, giving Conway a few minutes of jewels and encouragement. No rapping, no bars, just Rae supporting Conway in his ascent to stardom and supremacy. It's not hard to rank Slant Faced Killah among Conway's best recent outings, and that's saying something considering how much of a roll he's truly been on. Realizing that his firepower is primarily with blending the gully nature of his bars, mixed with his take-no-shit persona and one or two cuts to show his versatility with, Conway showed once again that if you don't have him in your current emcees top ten, who the hell are you even listening to??
6. Look What I Became
Production: The Alchemist, Daringer, JR Swiftz, Statik Selektah, DJ muggs, others
Guests: Westside Gunn, Benny The Butcher, Dave East, Elcamino, Jim Jones, Amber Simone
Fresh off tremendous mixtapes such as Blakk Tape, his Everybody Is F.O.O.D. series, and the sizzling G.O.A.T., he starts his "growth" series with Look What I Became. After the gutter sounds of the aforementioned, he starts to let us in little by little. The EP starts with he ominous Alchemist-crafted "No Women, No Kids" in which Conway burns through this sick track with bars that are completely convenient for The Machine. He continues with the necessary Griselda track, "Tito's Back" with he and Benny doing their best EPMD tag-in, tag out chemistry with Gunn talking a bunch of shit for the close out over a haunting piano loop provides by in-house monster Daringer. With other bangers like "Hawks" and the DJ Muggs-blessed "Black Spoons" bringing more scorching heat, he also goes the trap route with "Half Of It" and goes personal with the triumphant "You Made It". With only nine tracks, one could only imagine how much crazier this could've been. Realizing his maturation, albeit slight at times, he's gone from The Devil's Reject to one who's still trying to figure himself out while acknowledging his flaws and issues. With Look What I Became, we get a glimpse of the metamorphosis he's about to undergo, but also the rise of one of the game's most talented and unforgiving wordsmiths.
5. The Blakk Tape
Production: Daringer, V DON, Bozack Morris
Guests: N/A
Following the acclaim that he received from Reject 2, he dropped The Blakk Tape in 2018. Unlike Reject 2, there were no guest features but there were plenty of tracks crafted by Daringer to bring some dark, murky knocking to this project. He also gets assists from current hot, underground, in-demand producer, V DON, on the boards as well. He starts off with the dumb dope "Devil's Work" but then gets busy shit talking and gathering bodies on followed up cuts like "Puzo", "Alpaca", and "Rare Form". The production on here is arguably as menacing and spooky as Reject 2, but the content is slightly not as homicidal as the aforementioned. Conway is growing into his sense of self in terms of his rising star power but also remains true to himself in terms of where he comes from and his street allegiance. This continues to be the norm on tracks like "Fish Fry", "8 Birds", and the crazy "Biscotti Biscuit". He closes with the reflective, "Pavement", in which he recalls everything from the tragic phone call from Flee Lord of Prodigy's death to the death of close friend (and Benny's brother) Machine Gunn Black over a moody instrumental that's very complimentary. Consistent and glaringly hard, The Blakk Tape goes in. Conway continues to sound more and more confident and convincing with his delivery and his brutal bars. The Machine was definitely on his way up even more from here.
4. G.O.A.T.
Production: Daringer, The Alchemist
Guests: Benny The Butcher, Styles P, Lloyd Banks, Raekwon, Royce Da 5'9"
When Griselda (the group), Gunn, and Conway got signed to Shady Records, this never stopped them from dropping heat for the streets in no way, shape, or form. One of those heaters came in the form of Conway's third commercial mixtape, G.O.A.T., or Grimiest Of All Time (not to be confused with LL's G.O.A.T. album). Following up his sizzling aforementioned mixtapes of the two Green Lantern-collaborated projects, Reject On Steroids and More Steroids, this entry is even more bleak and vicious, almost parallel to Reject 2 in a lot of instances. Composed primarily by Daringer and Uncle Al, this album is understandably a very brooding, sinister-sounding opus that has Conway providing his own effective dosage of that murda music. He goes all in from the title track opener alone. With lyrics like: "In G bundles, my heat muzzle/we up til 5 in the morning in your bushes, you pull up, you in big trouble", it's clear Conway isn't playing with a single soul on this album. The imagery of him being a remorseless street kingpin is dominant throughout this album, especially on other cuts like the Prodigy (speaking of that murda music, R.I.P.)/Benny-assisted cut, "Rodney Little" (which also appears on the Conway/Prodigy collab EP, Hell Still On Earth, "XXXtras", and the Benny-assisted, "Die On Xmas". He addresses beef and betrayal on the haunting flute-sampled, "Bishop Shot Steel", which is a homage to the scene in the famed movie, Juice, in which Tupac's character, Bishop, shoots once homeboy, Steele (Jermaine Hopkins), simply because he felt Steele was talking too much about Bishop killing Raheem earlier in the movie (IYKYK). It's unclear as to who this song is about, if anyone at all, but it's certainly a cut that could cause an eyebrow or two to rise due to how vivid the lyrics appear to be. Meanwhile, Royce Da 5'9" tries his best not to outshine Conway on the excellent "Mandatory", while Styles P shows a dope chemistry with Machine on "Arabian Sam's". The posse cut, "Bullet Klub", features Benny and Lloyd Banks over a homicidal beat. For the other remaining cuts of "Trump" and the Raekwon-assisted, "Th3rd", the album shows how menacing Conway can truly be when he's direct and focused. With Uncle Al and Daringer providing the perfect soundscape for such a brutal imagery album, G.O.A.T. is one of Conway's most no-nonsense albums, and more or less did establish him, quite possibly, as his title suggests: grimiest of all time.
3. From King to A God
Production: artist, Daringer, The Alchemist, DJ Premier, Havoc, Hit-Boy Khrysis, Beat Butcha, Rockwilder, Erick Sermon, others
Guests: Westside Gunn, Benny The Butcher, Flee Lord, Method Man, Lloyd Banks, Havoc, Armani Caeser, Freddie Gibbs, Dej Loaf
The second entry in the album lineage of LWIB, FKTAG, GDMM, and WHDI, has Conway going From King to A God. Following the aforementioned excellence of Look What I Became, this album was a tall order to meet and exceed the dumb dope nature of LWIB, but it definitely did both: meet and exceed. The first single from this effort, the Method Man-assisted "Lemons", is a murky cut provided by Daringer and has MEF and Machine doing their thing and shows tremendous chemistry like they did on the aforementioned "Mef Is Back!" From the onset, however, we get the ominous direction the album goes in on "From King", and from there the most accessible cut on the project goes to the Hit-Boy-crafted collab with Detroit's Dej Loaf, "Fear Of God", only to slink into other brooding cuts like the dumb dope Alchemist & Daringer split beat joint, "Dough & Damani", the crazy posse cut with Havoc, Lloyd Banks, and Flee Lord, "Juvenile Hell" (named after Mobb Deep's debut album of the same name), and the knocking "Front Lines", in which Conway brings up matters such as BLM and police brutality in a lane that has him providing social commentary. While it stays on the murky and dusty with the essential Griselda track having him team with Benny and Gunn, "Spurs 3", the tempo goes up just a smidge, but no less hard on cuts like the introspective collab with Griselda associate, Elcamino, "Forever Dropping Tears", the Freddie Gibbs-assisted, "Seen Everything But Jesus", and the bumping, Khrysis-created, "Jesus Khrysis". He and gangsta Griselda girl, Armani Ceaser, light up the 808s in your speakers on "Anza", but in comes Preemo to bless the scorching "Nothing Less" to close the album out on a knocking high note. If you were privy to the deluxe edition, the tracks of the 9th Wonder-blessed, "Serne vs. Venus", the two Daringer beasts, "Raw Oysters" and the Jae Skeeze-assisted, "Stefon Diggs", and the Roc Marci-produced, "Crack in the Nineties" with Skeeze and fellow Drumwork artist, 7XVETHEGENIUS were just too ridiculous to not include on the regular album. Just disrespectful! In any case, From King to a God was billed as the "teaser" project for God Don't Make Mistakes. One could look at this as a "teaser", but FKTAG was an animal all in itself. Conway's bars were more gutter than before plus brought some introspection and honesty to cuts as well. Plus, the production here was consistently tremendous throughout. He certainly earned his crown with this dynamite effort.
2. Reject 2
Production: Daringer
Guests: Westside Gunn, Benny The Butcher, Roc Marciano, Skyzoo, Mach-Hommy
While The Devil's Reject and other mixtapes of Conway getting rotated, he raised the stakes up with his first commercial mixtape, in the form of the sequel to his Devil's Reject tape, Reject 2. This was an album full of his most sadistic and violent imagery, but also some of his most raw rhymes up to this point. Being released around the same time as Gunn's now underground classic, FLYGOD, Conway had a feat to follow, and he definitely did so. From the opener, "1000 Corpses", we are in for brutality and relentless hardcore gangsta shit from the Machine. He didn't let up. None. He continues with cuts like "30 Shells" featuring Inkredible Nes, the slinky, yet dark, "Wraith-ful", and the dumb dope collab with Gunn and Roc Marci, "Rex Ryan", in which these three all paint pictures of gunplay and riches, more so gunplay. This is a project that put Conway on a bigger level, or at least on par with Gunn during this time. Violent, nihilistic, and bleak, Reject 2 is Conway at, arguably, his merciless best. Clearly vengeful and full of scorn with the events that caused him to have Bell's Palsy, along with the deaths of close people especially Machine Gunn Black and Prodigy, Conway let the tool out on everyone listening and tuned in to his brand of angst and bloodshed.
1. God Don't Make Mistakes
Production: Daringer, The Alchemist, Hit-Boy, Bink!, Beat Butcha, J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League, others
Guests: Westside Gunn, Benny The Butcher, T.I., Jill Scott, Keisha Plum, Beanie Sigel, Rick Ross, Lil' Wayne, Novel, others
There's always that one album from an artist that becomes what defines their best work wrapped up in one album. It's the album where the best of their talents gets presented in a body of work that is seen as completely, tightly woven together, and finally establishes the artist as having been "arrived". With Conway, the album that truly fits this narrative is his third studio album, God Don't Make Mistakes. This was the third album out of a four-album lineage that concluded with Won't He Do It, but without question, his most-well-rounded and most personal to date. While we've been accustomed to the nihilistic and violent side of Conway, we also get some of the most introspective versions of him we've ever heard on wax. Let's start with street king Conway, as he lets off round after round with vicious cuts such as the opener, "Lock Load" featuring a more scuffed voiced, Beanie Sigel, who has had few and far between guest spots since his unfortunate lung removal a few years ago. The hunger is still there, however, and was good to hear "The General" on a track again. He follows this up with ominous bangers such as the Alchemist-scorched "Piano Love", the harrowing "Babas" featuring a stunning spoken word piece from Griselda's in-house slam poetess, Keisha Plum, and the essential posse cut with Gunn and Benny, "John Woo Flick". Not to mention, the Lil' Wayne/Rick Ross-assisted, "Tear Gas" is a cut made for all three men on this cut, and "Drumwork" featuring his top two artists on his label of the same name, Jae Skeeze and 7XVETHEGENIUS, completely goes in on a haunting Daringer track. However, we start getting a lot deeper, and it's when he gets to the core of who he is and why he moves the way he does that we get some of the best music of his career. The T.I./Novel-assisted, "Wild Chapters" is an introspective cut featuring a slightly groovy, yet melancholy, track provided by Grammy winner, Hit-Boy, in which it has Conway virtually writing an apology letter to his girl, while T.I. and vocalist Novel both spit out personal verses of trials, tribulations and overcoming, with Novel's possibly being the most gripping. On "Guilty", he turns back the page and reflects on the shooting that nearly killed him but also caused him to develop Bell's Palsy, which ended having half of his face paralyzed in a way that was more insightful and hopeful than the most famous time he spit about it, which was his emotional verse off his brother's cut "The Cow" from Hitler Wears Hermes 4. However, it's the track "Stressed" that will cause most people to hit the repeat button with how stirring, yet relatable, this cut is. Over snapping, yet surreal, instrumental, Conway raps about highly difficult topics such as his alcoholism, his depression, and the grief over losing his son in one of the most powerful and open cuts one could ask for. By asking the question on the chorus, "Does anybody care that I'm stressed", it makes one look at their own lives and wonder if anybody looks out for them and checks in. The brutal honesty of the cut is only matched by the closing speech by motivational speaker, Wallo 267, who emphasizes to Conway that "he's back". Similarly, on the spooky, piano-laced, Alchemist-crafted title track, Conway raps about his troubles, what the shooting left behind in terms of his life and career, and questions what would've happened if none of the tragedies in his life would've occurred and what type of place would he be at in his life right now. With his late mother, Annette Price, on the heart-wrenching voicemail that apparently happened while Machine was fighting for his life after the shooting, it was the best way to close out this album. With other excellent cuts like the Jill Scott-crooned, "Chanel Pearls" and the dope J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League-produced, "So Much More", God Don't Make Mistakes is simply the crowning jewel of Conway's career up to this point. The raw honesty mixed with his bleak depiction of the streets and how handles the beef is on display like never before put together. It's been debated as to what's the best album to ever emerge from the Griselda camp. You can absolutely start adding GDMM to the conversation.
Here are other notable collaborative efforts from The Machine:
Conway The Machine & 38 Speah- Speshial Machinery
Westside Gunn & Conway The Machine- Hall & Nash
Westside Gunn, Conway The Machine, & The Alchemist- Hall & Nash 2
Westside Gunn, Conway The Machine, & Big Ghost LTD- Griselda Ghost
Griselda- WWCD
Griselda- Don't Get Scared Now EP
Conway the Machine, Ransom, & V DON- Chaos Is a Ladder Too
Conway The Machine & Prodigy- Hell Still on Earth EP
Conway the Machine- Drumwork Vol. 1
Conway The Machine & Jae Skeeze- Pain Provided Profit
Conway The Machine & Trillmatic- Organized Grime
Conway the Machine & Trillmatic- Organized Grime 2
Sonnyjim & Conway the Machine- Death By Misadventure
Here are some of Conway's best moments within this tracklist:
"Bishop Shot Steele" (production: Daringer) from G.O.A.T.
"Wraith-ful" (production: Daringer) from Reject 2
"'94 Ghost Shit" feat. Westside Gunn (production: The Alchemist) from Hall & Nash 2
"Phone Call" (production: Apollo Brown) from Organized Grime 2
"Tito's Back" feat. Benny The Butcher, Westside Gunn (production: Daringer) from Look What I Became
"Broken Safety" feat. Prodigy (production: Daringer) from Hell Still On Earth EP
"Stefon Diggs 2" feat. Jae Skeeze (production: Graymatter) from Pain Provided Profit
"God Don't Make Mistakes" (production: The Alchemist) from God Don't Make Mistakes
"Gold BBS" (production: The Alchemist) from Lulu
"The Cow" (originally heard on Hitler Wears Hermes 4) (production: Daringer) from Hitler Wears Hermes 4
"Cocaine Paste" feat. Jae Skeeze (production: Graymatter) from Pain Provided Profit
"Juvenile Hell" feat. Lloyd Banks, Flee Lord, Havoc (production: Havoc) from From King To A God
"Raw Oysters" (production: Daringer) from From King To A God (Deluxe)
"Scared II Death" feat. Method Man (production: Big Ghost LTD) from What Has Been Blessed Cannot Be Cursed
"Air Holez" feat. Westside Gunn (production: Daringer) from Reject 2
"Richest In the City" (production: JR Swiftz) from Everybody Is F.O.O.D. 3
"Michealangelo" feat. Westside Gunn (production: The Alchemist) from Hall & Nash 2
"Serena vs. Venus" (production: 9th Wonder) from From King To A God (Deluxe)
"Ajax" feat. Westside Gunn (production: The Alchemist) from Don't Be Scared Now EP
"Sicarios" feat. Flee Lord (production: Big Ghost LTD) from No One Mourns The Wicked
"Commandments" feat. Ransom (production: V DON) from Chaos Is A Ladder Too
"Food" feat. Jae Skeeze, 7XVETHEGENIUS, Goosebytheway, SK Da King (production: Graymatter) from Pain Provided Profit
"Fish Fry" (production: Daringer) from The Blakk Tape
"No Woman, No Kids" (production: The Alchemist) from Look What I Became
"Sister Abigail" feat. Jae Skeeze, 7XVETHEGENIUS (production: JR Swiftz) from La Maquina
"Rex Ryan" feat. Westside Gunn, Roc Marciano (production: Daringer) from Reject 2
"Bodie Broadus" (production: Big Ghost LTD) from What Has Been Blessed Cannot Be Cursed
"Flame" feat. 7XVETHEGENIUS (production: Conductor Williams) from Conductor Machine
"Stefon Diggs" feat. Jae Skeeze (production: Daringer) from From King To A God (Deluxe)
"Pavement" (production: Daringer) from The Blakk Tape
"Overdose" (production: The Alchemist) from Everybody Is F.O.O.D. 2
"Scotties" (Griselda) (production: Daringer, Beat Butcha) from WWCD
"Spurs 3" feat. Westside Gunn, Benny the Butcher (production: Daringer) from From King To A God
"Nothin' Less" (production: DJ Premier) from From King To A God (Deluxe)
"E.I.F." (production: JR Swiftz) from Everybody Is F.O.O.D. 3
"Benz Window" feat. Prodigy (production: Daringer) from Hell Still On Earth EP
"Rodney Little" feat. Prodigy (production: Daringer) from Hell Still On Earth EP
"Beloved" feat. Mach-Hommy, Benny The Butcher (production: Daringer) from Reject 2
"Front Lines" (production: Beat Butcha) from From King To A God
"Shellfish" feat. Ransom (production: V DON) from Chaos Is A Ladder Too
"200 Pies" feat. 2 Chainz (production: The Alchemist) from La Maquina
"Judas" feat. Westside Gunn (production: The Alchemist) from Hall & Nash 2
"Piper" (production: Pete Rock) from Everybody Is F.O.O.D.
"Lemons" feat. Method Man (production: Daringer) from From King To A God
"S.E. Gang" feat. Westside Gunn, Benny The Butcher (production: Daringer) from La Maquina
"Believe Me" (production: Conductor Williams) from Conductor Machine
"Piano Love" (production: The Alchemist) from God Don't Make Mistakes
"Dr. Birds" (Griselda) (production: Daringer, Beat Butcha) from WWCD
"Rare Form" (production: Daringer) from The Blakk Tape
"14 KI's" (production: The Alchemist) from Lulu
"Stressed" (production: Daringer, Beat Butcha) from God Don't Make Mistakes
"Bruiser Brody" (production: JR Swiftz) from La Maquina
"In My Soul" feat. Jae Skeeze (production: Big Ghost LTD) from What Has Been Blessed Cannot Be Cursed
"Mandatory" feat. Royce Da 5'9" (production: Daringer) from G.O.A.T.
"Last Week" (production: 38 Spesh) from Speshal Machinery
"John Woo Flick" feat. Westside Gunn, Benny The Butcher (production: Daringer) from God Don't Make Mistakes
"Bullet Holes In My Neck" (production: Daringer) from Everybody Is F.O.O.D.
"Love The Lord" (production: Conductor Williams) from Conductor Machine
"Tween Cross Tween" feat. GooseByTheWay (production: Graymatter) from Won't He Do It
"O.D.B." (production: Daringer) from Everybody Is F.O.O.D.
"Corners" (production: Daringer) from Everybody Is F.O.O.D. 2
"We Outside" feat. Che Noir, Pharoahe Monch (production: 38 Spesh) from Speshal Machinery
"Highly Praised" (production: Big Ghost LTD) from If It Bleeds, It Can Be Killed
"Carduni" (production: Wun Two) from Palermo
"Dead Flowers" (production: Big Ghost LTD) from No One Mourns The Wicked
"Brick Fare" (production: Daringer) from Won't He Do It
"Fentanyl" (production: Graymatter) from Everybody Is F.O.O.D. 2
"They Got Sonny" feat. Cormega (production: The Alchemist) from Lulu
"Die On Xmas" feat. Benny the Butcher (production: Daringer) from G.O.A.T.
"Cold Dish" (production: Wun Two) from Palermo
"Cruiserweight Coke" (Griselda) (Production: Daringer, Beat Butcha) from WWCD
"Monogram" (production: Daringer) from Won't He Do It
"Kanye" feat. Goosebytheway, Drea D'Ndur (production: J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League) from Won't He Do It
"Mutty" feat. Stove God Cook$ (production: Conductor Williams) from Slant Faced Killa
"Milano Nights Pt. 1" (production: Camouflage Monk) from Slant Faced Killa
"212" feat. Elzhi (production: Daringer) from Everybody Is F.O.O.D.
"224 May Block" (production: The Alchemist) from Everybody Is F.O.O.D. 2
"Brick By Brick" (production: Wun Two) from Palermo
"Kill All Rats" feat. Ransom, Rome Streetz (production: Big Ghost LTD) from If It Bleeds, It Can Be Killed
"Meth Back" feat. Method Man, Flee Lord, SK Da King (production: Daringer) from Slant Faced Killa
"Kin Express" feat. Larry June (production: Conductor Williams) from Slant Faced Killa
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