Benny The Butcher-Tana Talk 3 (The Butcher Chopping it up 3 years later)
Benny The Butcher has been on a rise for years. Beginning his early care early on back in 2004 rapping over various instrumentals to get his name across Buffalo, Ny. This talented rapper started off with his cousins, Westside Gunn and Conway The Machine. The three people made Griselda Records and made a name brand of Drugs, Gang Violence, Art, music, and wrestling. Benny which is an acronym for Best Ever N New York been a predominant figure in the underground rap scene.
During these early times before Griselda was born, Benny relied on local Buffalo promoters to get his name out there. Time struck where Conway was shot and Benny did a two year bid from 2011–2013 for probation violation. This would create a minor setback for the hard spitting MC because he would have to catch up but end up perfecting his craft while he was behind those prison walls. He developed his skills while Westside released his Hitler series to keep Griselda’s name relevant to rap fans.
Benny The Butcher, Born Jeremie Pennick has helped put Buffalo on the map and in 2016, his cousins signed a deal with Shady Records and Eminem meaning that Benny is getting closer to his goals as a rapper. Tana Talk 3 was released on November 23, 2018 as his debut album. The LP was named after the same street Benny sold drugs on and managed to make a name for himself. This album was produced by Alchecmist and Daringer who handles most of Griselda’s production. This album is special because this solidified Benny’s career and it showed progression from the projects he released. As I dig track by track, I will speak on why each song on the album is considered art.
After noticing this album after I listened to Griselda’s Shady Debut, “What Would Chine Gun Do”, I found this CD and fell in love. I felt like I was 12 listening to Shyne Po’s Debut which is honestly one of my favorite albums made. Benny stood out to me because he had that never give up attitude when it comes to the culture. With his witty punchlines and priceless words and build up; Benny The Butcher proved himself to be Best Ever N New York as he proclaimed in his earlier work. Benny is noticeably the hardest working MC nearly dropping at least more than project a year along with his Griselda Gang. This is the three year anniversary of this artwork and if you never noticed this album before, your going to know it now. Knowing this album early is like learning to turn your power box on and off for the first time. You end up learning and studying the credentials to understanding why it works and how to use it. Not just that, this album is plain common sense when it comes to a hip hop head. If I were a 12 year old getting into the game and trying to understand who the best is? I play Benny on my Spotify when my parent’s are not looking. Going back to this album and learning how to work the power box in your home. It is common sense, point blank period. This album is so good, old school, and gangster; Your daddy will probably be riding to this mean mugging those that give him road rage.
As a college student, I stay up late night playing this album on my phone. I am not the best student in the world but I got a lot of assignments, studies, and test finished to his music. It is less than an hour but every song, you can play each song without skipping. So therefore, If I can manage to get through college to his music, then something about it is motivational. To perpetuate this album better than what your reading, read the play back on each track and try it yourself.
- Intro:Babs Keisha Plum- This intro makes everything look lavish and elegant. He describes what Buffalo is like stating it is nothing like the other side of New York like Brooklyn, Harlem, or Queens saying there are no Biggie’s . Just Benny, Westside, & Conway’s which means Griselda is running things around Buffalo. Everytime this song plays, I picture myself on a GreyHound seeing different parts of the East Coast then making a stop in Bluff City. For those who love Keisha Plum, she is a spoken word artist which Griselda Record’s relies on Wrestling, Art, Fashion, and anything that has to do with art or culture. Keisha Plum says in the end , “Tana Talk 3” so you know what time it is.
- Goodnight- The Busta Rhymes “WooHa”, (1997) is the ingenius adept to an old school sample. These type of beats are one them that make you feel good. Straight Mafioso style of rap and that is what is missing in Hip Hop. This makes me think of Only Built For Cuban Link mixed with Life After Death because the measure & verve that makes the instrumental have pictures. This goes when he says “ We broke bread and share blood like we Italian”,(Benny The Butcher, 2018). This gave me a Soprano feel where I want to eat spaghetti and drink wine with a woman while she looking tickled.
- Scarface VS Sosa Pt 2- A Sequel from his original where he raps about coming up. Using battle rap bars to capture your attention, he is heavily influenced by Scarface to make this song. He comes in full-circle as he says “Everything relate back to drug dealing”, (Benny The Butcher, 2018). Basically,
- Rubber band & Weight- This is a street anthem and this song is for the hustler’s. Benny is paying homage to the streets and with another old school sounding beat, this makes my ears at ease. Easy listening with dope cadence creates a hit.
- Fast Eddie- The first line hit my soul where he raps “ I don’t regret the homie’s I cut off or the bitches I cancelled”, (Benny The Butcher, 2018), If I made that my Facebook post if I had one, every one would feel it because it is all so real. Benny named this song after the man who got Al Capone seized which means he got him caught. It all makes sense because he raps about his gangster reality but making it make sense.
- Broken Bottles- This beat reminds me of an old inspired beat by Havoc. If you listen closely, he predicts the future as he says “ I’m gonna write a whole album about the plugs I met”, (Benny The Butcher, 2018). Literally, he drops The Plugs I Met in 2019, 5 months after Tana Talk 3 dropped. This Mafioso rap is back thanks to Benny.
- Echo Long Feat. Westside Gunn & Meyhem Lauren- Benny brings help with the exhilarated hook talking about getting his money. Don’t mess wiht the Soprano’s
- 97 Hov- This song is amazing because he does rap like 97 Hov. This song brings to mind Jay-Z’s intro on In My Lifetime Vol. 1 where the beat switches up. It gets dexterous when he raps “ freestyled for Clue, I felt like 07 Hov”, (Benny The Butcher, 2018). Tell me Hov see’s a resemblance in this song
- Joe Pesci 38- If y’all watch Goodfella’s, this would bring a picture come to light. Mafiso rap gets more astonishing G-Checking anybody from the street’s points.
- Who Are You Feat. Royce Da 5'9 & Melanie Rutherford- Royce Da 5'9 talks his stuff while he stumbles on ludicrous rhymes like “Sunflowers seeds, only time you see shell’s fly”, (Benny The Butcher, 2018). Royce creates something for those to remember. Benny raps his passion and making pain look bliss.
- Fifty One Feat. WestSide Gunn- B-Boy rap is back. He brags about the Mafioso lifestyle rapping “its like Ole Miss stopping the giant, I am on my Odell Shit”, (Benny The Butcher, 2018). This song, he raps his heart off and he literally killing the instrumental. He stamps off, Benny The Butcher Shooter for Griselda.
- Rick- Authentic Mafioso
- Langfield- An ode to the streets and those that want to get out of it. Benny raps about leaving the streets behind and thinking about Chine Gunn, his brother who past away. After I did my research, Langfield is an apartment complex also known as the projects to some. Reminiscing on Section 8 and how it raised him reminds Benny he grew from all of that and now he getting paper touring.
- All 70 Feat. Conway The Machine- This is the best outro on all music. These guys prepare for the best psychedelic beat in the world. Conway raps his pain at the end of the song. If Jimi Hendrix was alive, he play the guitar in the live version of this song. Mafioso rap meets Woodstock is what I call it. Conway’s verse is crazy when he raps “ I was out eating lobster with Jasmine, Diamonds in the watch was flashing”, (Benny The Butcher. 2018). Conway displays he could be in the topic of Nas or Jay-Z in the near future.
Overall
Welcome to Buffalo where the mob runs things. Griselda is the mob and Black Soprano is the mafia. This is creative for hip-hop because despite Benny’s dark tales of the streets, Benny brought back creativity to the rap game where it was infested with trap music. Benny brought back the golden sound of hip-hop with its old low fi bass along with the history of the city he loves.
Tana Talk 3 is an album people wil study and learn when things get inspiring for the world of hip-hop to a young kid who wants to study the game. This is the new school Big Daddy Kane mixed with Kool G Rap in his prime. Being apart of history with his brothers, Benny The Butcher solidified himself along with the greats creating more music for those to remember him by. His music makes me want to drink wine with a fine woman. That is how in vogue this album got me. After reading this, I hope y’all check it out yourself and agree with this.
Tana Talk 3 a classic!
Live From The Stove Top,
Andrew Kenekham AKA Druski Dru
IG: ThisIsDruskiDru
