Westside Gunn - “Hitler Wears Hermes 8”

Westside Gunn’s “Hitler Wears Hermes 8” combines luxury and poverty in the best way possible.

By: Griffin Jacobs

After having its back-half delayed, the entirety of Westside Gunn’s final “Hitler Wears Hermes” project is out. Gunn starts right where he left off, nearly perfecting his signature style. “Hitler Wears Hermes 8” is defined by a joyous contrast between bourgeois and brash, interlacing French fashion news with braggadocio and WWE soundbites. Its production revolves around slowed and stretched lo-fi samples, which allow you to savor every word like the richest cheesecake, reminiscent of Madlib’s best work. Lyrically, this project doesn’t go into many new directions, sticking to fashion, drug dealing, and gang violence. However, the emphasis and incongruity provided by the beats here make the mixtape feel like drunkenly peeing on the floor of the Louvre, high art covered in graffiti. 

Gunn said he wanted his features to outshine him on this tape, which makes sense given that his nasally and in-your-face style is best enjoyed in small doses. To his credit, these beat and guest choices match fantastically, as even unexpected features like 2 Chainz and Lil Wayne shine. In addition, the kinds of guests that one would expect from Gunn, like Mach-Homme, Griselda label-mates Conway the Machine, and Benny the Butcher, also bring their best here.

Being a double album, with 33 tracks and nearly an hour and 45-minute runtime, some filler is inevitable. However, unlike some records, the filler here mostly comprises interludes and skits rather than mediocre music, making the record feel shorter than it is. A stretched-out, compact piece of dirty elegance.