| Westside Gunn | |
| Birth Name: | Alvin Lamar Worthy |
| Birth Date: | 27 July 1982 |
| Birth Place: | Buffalo, New York, U.S. |
| Genre: | East Coast hip hop |
Alvin Lamar Worthy (born July 27, 1982), known professionally as Westside Gunn, is an American rapper. He is a co-founder of independent hip-hop label Griselda Records. He is the paternal half-brother of rapper Conway the Machine[1] and cousin of rapper Benny the Butcher, both of whom he frequently collaborates with. Westside Gunn has released five studio albums in addition to an extensive catalog of mixtapes. Gunn was affiliated with Shady Records from 2017 to 2020, but has since returned to independent status.
Westside Gunn released his first mixtape in 2005, however his career was derailed by run-ins with the law. Gunn did not release any music from 2006 to 2011.[2]
In 2012, Westside Gunn co-founded the Griselda Records label with Conway the Machine and Mach-Hommy. Gunn was inspired to revitalize his career by the shooting of his brother Conway that same year, which left him with permanent disabilities, as well as by the 2006 murder of his cousin Machine Gun Black. Gunn's first project for Griselda was the mixtape Hitler Wears Hermes. While the name attracted controversy for its reference to Adolf Hitler, Gunn explained that the name is a play on The Devil Wears Prada.[2]
Over the next few years, Gunn released a steady stream of mixtapes and EPs, including multiple sequels to Hitler Wears Hermes, on the Griselda label. Gunn's official studio album debut was Flygod, released on March 11, 2016.
On March 3, 2017, Griselda Records signed a deal with Eminem's Shady Records, making Westside Gunn and Conway the first rappers from Buffalo to sign with a major label.[3] After signing with Shady, Gunn played at Coachella, Firefly and Governors Ball.[4] On October 2, 2020, Westside Gunn released his Shady Records debut, Who Made the Sunshine, his only solo project with Shady Records.
Shortly after signing with Shady Records, Westside released Flygod Is Good... All the Time, as a collaborative EP with producer Mr. Green.[5] Ambrosia For Heads named 2018's Supreme Blientele one of the best albums of 2018.[6] He also signed with Roc Nation alongside label mate Benny the Butcher on August 6, 2019, under a management deal.[7]
On April 17, 2020, he released his third studio album, Pray for Paris. The album has features from artists such as Tyler, the Creator, Wale, Joey Badass and Freddie Gibbs.[8] On July 3, 2020, Westside Gunn released his tenth mixtape Flygod Is an Awesome God II, the sequel to his July 2019 mixtape Flygod Is an Awesome God. The album features guest appearances by frequent collaborators Benny The Butcher, Keisha Plum, Boldy James, and Daringer.[9]
On November 14, 2020, in an interview with Joe Budden, Gunn announced he had fulfilled his contractual obligations to Shady Records and had become an independent artist.[10]
In 2021, he starred in the film Conflicted, which received mixed reviews.[11]
Also in 2021, he released two songs titled "TV Boy" and "Julia Lang". The song "Julia Lang" was titled after fashion entrepreneur Julia Lang.[12] Both songs would eventually be included in his mixtape Hitler Wears Hermes 8: Side B, released later that year. In 2022, Westside Gunn stated on X that he would be retiring from rap music at the end of 2023.[13]
On October 13, 2023, Westside Gunn released his fifth studio album And Then You Pray For Me with features from AA Rashid, JID, Conway the Machine, Benny the Butcher, Stove God Cooks, Rick Ross, Giggs, Ty Dolla Sign, Keisha Plum, Denzel Curry, Boldy James, EST Gee, Jeezy, Peezy, Rome Streetz, and KayCyy. The album is a sequel to Pray for Paris, with both album's covers created by late American fashion designer Virgil Abloh. Westside Gunn has stated that the album will be his last, though he will continue releasing new music.[14]
Gunn has stated within various interviews that he's a "devout wrestling fan" and often references this within his song lyrics and song titles. He often can be seen in the front-row seats of the audience of Impact Wrestling, Major League Wrestling, WWE and All Elite Wrestling events. He maintains friendships with wrestlers Parker Boudreaux, Lio Rush, Finn Bálor, Bianca Belair, Montez Ford, Montel Vontavious Porter, Sonjay Dutt, Daniel Garcia, and Myron Reed. When asked who were his top 5 wrestlers on fellow rapper Smoke DZA's "Personal Podcast", he stated "It always changes but Hulk Hogan, The Rock, Bret Hart, The Undertaker and Chris Benoit". On the September 7, 2022 edition of AEW Dynamite, Gunn escorted wrestler, close friend and fellow Buffalo native Daniel Garcia to the ring to face Wheeler Yuta in an ROH Pure Championship match, which Garcia won.
| Album details | Peak chart positions | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [15] | US R&B/HH [16] | US Ind. [17] | AUS [18] | CAN [19] | |||
| Flygod |
| — | — | — | — | — | |
| Supreme Blientele |
| — | — | 26 | — | — | |
| Pray for Paris |
| 67 | 39 | 8 | — | — | |
| Who Made the Sunshine |
| — | — | — | — | — | |
| And Then You Pray for Me |
| 29 | 8 | 6 | 81 | 95 | |
| Mixtape details | Peak chart positions | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US Ind. [22] | |||
| Hitler Wears Hermes |
| — | — | |
| Hitler Wears Hermes 2 |
| — | — | |
| Hitler Wears Hermes 3 |
| — | — | |
| Hitler Wears Hermes 4 |
| — | — | |
| Hitler Wears Hermes 5 |
| — | — | |
| Hitler Wears Hermes 6 |
| — | — | |
| Flygod is an Awesome God |
| — | 17 | |
| Hitler Wears Hermes 7 |
| — | 47 | |
| Flyest Nig@@ in Charge, Vol. 1 |
| — | — | |
| Flygod is an Awesome God 2 |
| — | — | |
| Hitler Wears Hermes 8: Sincerely Adolf |
| — | 34 | |
| Hitler Wears Hermes 8: Side B |
| 196 | 34 | |
| Peace "Fly" God |
| — | — | |
| 10 |
| 183 | 29 | |
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [29] | US R&B/HH [30] | US Rap [31] | AUS [32] | CAN [33] | WW [34] | ||||
| "Keep My Spirit Alive" | 2021 | 59 | 28 | 23 | 41 | 51 | 51 | Donda | |
| "Lost Forever" | 2023 | 46 | 22 | 20 | 71 | 39 | 47 | Utopia | |
| Year | Album | Title | Director | Featured artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Flygod | Mr. T | One Dream Films | |
| 2016 | There's God and There's Flygod, Praise Both | Peter Luger | ||
| Hitler Wears Hermes 4 | Summerslam 88 | n/c | ||
| Flygod | Over Gold | One Dream Films | Meyhem Lauren | |
| 2020 | Pray For Paris | Euro Step | The Wizard | |
| Allah Sent Me | Benny The Butcher, Conway The Machine | |||
| 2021 | WHO MADE THE SUNSHINE | Liz Loves Luger | Chariot Pictures | Armani Caesar |
| Hitler Wears Hermes 8 | Julia Lang | Revenxnt | ||
| 2022 | 10 | FlyGod Jr | The Daily Gems | Doe Boy, DJ Drama |
| Mac Don't Stop & Nigo Louis | n/c | |||
| Peppas | The Daily Gems | Black Star | ||
| 2023 | Super Kick Party | |||
| BDP | Rome Streetz, Stove God Cooks |
| Year | Artist | Title | Director | Other featured artists |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Conway the Machine | Rex Ryan | Mobile Kitchen Sound | Roc Marciano |
| 2019 | DJ Premier | Headlines | Jason Goldwatch | Conway The Machine, Benny the Butcher |
| 2020 | RMR | Welfare | Cameron Dean | |
| 2021 | Mach-Hommy | Folie à Deux | The Daily Gems | Keisha Plum |
| Brady Watt | The Narcissist | Jim Warren & Alexandra Derderian | DJ Premier | |
| 2022 | Conway The Machine | John Woo Flick | Langston Sessoms | Benny the Butcher |
| Meyhem Lauren | Trigger Point Therapy | n/c | ||
| 2023 | Talib Kweli & Madlib | Richies Part Two | Unjust | Roc Marciano |
| DJ Premier | Runway | DJ Premier | Rome Streetz |