King Push – Darkest Before Dawn: The Prelude

King Push – Darkest Before Dawn: The Prelude is the second studio album by American rapper Pusha T. It was released on December 18, 2015, by GOOD Music and Def Jam Recordings.[1] The album was supported by three singles: "Untouchable", "M.F.T.R." featuring The-Dream and "Crutches, Crosses, Caskets". The album features guest appearances from The-Dream, Kanye West, ASAP Rocky, Ab-Liva, Beanie Sigel, Kehlani and Jill Scott, with production handled by a variety of high-profile record producers, including Kanye West, J. Cole, Timbaland, Q-Tip, Hudson Mohawke and Puff Daddy, among others.

King Push – Darkest Before Dawn: The Prelude
Studio album by Pusha T
Released	December 18, 2015
Recorded	2013–2015
Genre	Hip hop
Length	33:13
Label	GOOD Music Def Jam
Producer	Pusha T (exec.) Puff Daddy (also exec.) Steven Victor (exec.) Baauer Deafh Beats Boi-1da Donald Davidson Frank Dukes G Koop Honorable C.N.O.T.E. Hudson Mohawke J. Cole Kanye West Mario Winans Metro Boomin Milli Beatz Nashiem Myrick Q-Tip Sean C & LV The-Dream Timbaland Yung Dev
Pusha T chronology
My Name Is My Name (2013) King Push – Darkest Before Dawn: The Prelude (2015) Daytona (2018)
Singles from King Push – Darkest Before Dawn: The Prelude
"Untouchable" Released: November 12, 2015 "M.F.T.R" Released: December 8, 2015 "Crutches, Crosses, Caskets" Released: December 11, 2015

The album serves as a prelude for his third solo album, Daytona (originally titled King Push), which was released on May 25, 2018.[2] King Push – Darkest Before Dawn: The Prelude received widespread acclaim from critics, who highly praised its unique lyricism and experimental production.

Background

In April 2013, in an interview with AskMen; Pusha T revealed that after the release of his debut album, he would be finishing the work on his second album, titled King Push.[3][4]

In July 2014, in an interview with XXL; when asked about his plans for his next album King Push, Pusha T said: “This next album is like a heavy proclamation to me. I told people last year I had the 'Album Of the Year'. And I felt that I did. I really feel that King Push has to live up to that same hip-hop expectation… My goal is always to have 'hip-hop Album of the Year'.”[5]

Release and promotion

On November 19, 2014, Pusha T released the promotional single, titled "Lunch Money"; which was produced by Kanye West.[6][7] In December 2014, Pusha T announced his second album King Push, for a Spring 2015 release.[8][9] In May 2015, he had announced that his second album would be released in June 2015.[10] In November 2015, Pusha T revealed that he would be releasing an album, before his much anticipated project King Push and that his album King Push - Darkest Before Dawn - The Prelude would be released on December 18, 2015.[11]

In promotion for the album, Pusha T released a trailer for his short film on November 26, 2015.[12][13] The short film was released on December 11, 2015, exclusively on TIDAL, starring Natalya Rudakova, Rotimi, and directed by Kid Art.[14] The album was made available for pre-order on December 11 as well, with the songs "Untouchable", "M.F.T.R." and "Crutches, Crosses, Caskets", were released as "instant gratification tracks", to those who would be purchasing this album.[15]

Music and lyrics

For each of the singles "Untouchable", "M.F.T.R." and "Crutches, Crosses, Caskets", Pusha T premiered the lyrics on Genius, before releasing the audio, as a marketing technique.[16]

Singles

On November 12, 2015, Pusha T released a song, titled "Untouchable", as the first single for the album.[17]

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
AnyDecentMusic?	8.0/10[18]
Metacritic	85/100[19]
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[20]
The A.V. Club	A−[21]
Billboard	[22]
The Guardian	[23]
NME	4/5[24]
The Observer	[25]
Pitchfork	8.2/10[26]
Q	[27]
Rolling Stone	[28]
Spin	8/10[29]

Darkest Before Dawn received widespread acclaim from critics.[19] At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 85, based on 22 reviews.[19] Christopher Weingarten of Rolling Stone stated, "Though hip-hop gets more melodic and vocally expressive every year, Pusha keeps his cadences steely and his bars hitting like haymakers, maintaining that ice-cold Nineties feel even when he’s taking on modern troubles."[28] Corbin Reiff of The A.V. Club considered it a worthy prelude to King Push and praised the dark tone of the album, "The mood is set right from the beginning on “Intro,” which opens with an array of synth sounds reminiscent of the score to Stanley Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange before slamming into a rhythm that's all boom and no bap. That foreboding tone is carried forward through the rest of the record."[21] Erin Lowers of Exclaim! wrote that "the weight of Darkest Before Dawn doesn't simply rest on Pusha T's lyrical weight (literal and figuratively), but also his ability to tap into the strengths of his producers, like Boi-1da's thunderous drums, Kanye West's soulful grandeur or Timbaland's unorthodox layering."[30]

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Intro"	Terrence Thornton Leland Wayne Robert Mandell	Metro Boomin Sean "Puff Daddy" Combs G Koop^[a]	2:33
2.	"Untouchable"	Thornton Timothy Mosley Jetmir Milli Salii Christopher Wallace Sean Hamilton Tracey Horton Mark Richardson	Timbaland Milli Beatz	3:12
3.	"M.F.T.R." (featuring The-Dream)	Thornton Matthew Samuels Adam Feeney Terius Nash	Boi-1da Frank Dukes Hudson Mohawke^[a] The-Dream^[a]	4:10
4.	"Crutches, Crosses, Caskets"	Thornton Mario Winans Carlton Mays Maurice Jordan	Puff Daddy Mario Winans Sean C & LV^[a] Honorable C.N.O.T.E.^[a] Yung Dev^[a]	2:26
5.	"M.P.A." (featuring Kanye West, A$AP Rocky and The-Dream)	Thornton Kanye West Che Pope Mark Batson Rakim Mayers Nash	West Pope J. Cole^[a]	4:46
6.	"Got Em Covered" (featuring Ab-Liva)	Thornton Mosley Salii Shawn Carter Ricardo Thomas	Timbaland Milli Beatz	3:16
7.	"Keep Dealing" (featuring Beanie Sigel)	Thornton Nashiem Myrick Donald Davidson Dwight Grant	Puff Daddy Myrick Davidson	4:11
8.	"Retribution" (featuring Kehlani)	Thornton Rico Love Deafh Beats	Timbaland Deafh Beats	3:20
9.	"F.I.F.A."	Thornton Kamaal Fareed	Q-Tip	2:19
10.	"Sunshine" (featuring Jill Scott)	Gianfranco Reverberi Claudio Ghiglino Susan Duncan-Smith	Baauer West Mano	3:13
Total length:				33:13

Notes

• ^{^[a]} signifies an additional producer.
• "Intro" features additional vocals by Lee Sanchez and G Koop.

Sample credits

• "Untouchable" contains a sample from "Think B.I.G." performed by The Notorious B.I.G., written by Christopher Wallace.
• "M.P.A." contains a sample from "Konklusjon" performed by Good News, written by Finn Pedersen.
• "Got Em Covered" contains an interpolation from "Squeeze 1st" performed and written by Shawn Carter and Ricardo Thomas.
• "F.I.F.A." contains a sample from "Tout Au Pas" performed by Jean-Philippe Goude.
• "Sunshine" contains an interpolation of "Workin' My Way" performed by Alexander, written by Gianfranco Reverberi, Claudio Ghiglino and Susan Duncan-Smith.

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (2015) Peak position US Billboard 200[31] 20 US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[32] 3

Year-end charts Chart (2016) Position US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[33] 48

References

1. "King Push – Darkest Before Dawn: The Prelude by Pusha T on iTunes". Retrieved 1 July 2016.
2. Balfour, Jay (2015-12-09). "Pusha T Announces "King Push" Release Date". HipHopDX. Retrieved 2015-12-18.
3. Paine, Jake (30 April 2013). "Pusha T Reveals "Ni**as In Paris" Beat Was Offered To Him, Sophomore LP Title". HipHopDX. Archived from the original on 2 May 2013. Retrieved 30 April 2013.
4. "Pusha T's 'King Push' Has A Release Date". Fashionably-Early. Retrieved 2015-05-11.
5. "Pusha T Wants 'King Push' To Be The Album Of The Year - XXL". Xxlmag.com. Retrieved 2015-12-11.
6. "Pusha T Shares "Lunch Money", Produced by Kanye". Pitchfork. 2014-11-18. Retrieved 2015-12-11.
7. "Lunch Money - Single by Pusha T on iTunes". Itunes.apple.com. 2014-11-19. Retrieved 2015-12-11.
8. "Pusha T Says "King Push" Is Dropping Spring 2015". Hotnewhiphop.com. 2014-12-22. Retrieved 2015-12-11.
9. Vozick, Simon (2014-12-22). "Pusha T Promises 'Amazing' New Album in 2015". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2015-12-11.
10. Balfour, Jay. "Pusha T Announces "King Push" Release Date". HipHopDX. Retrieved 2015-12-11.
11. Kreps, Daniel (23 November 2015). "Pusha T Sets Date for 'King Push' Prelude 'Darkest Before Dawn'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
12. "Pusha T Details King Push – Darkest Before Dawn: The Prelude | News". Pitchfork. Retrieved 2015-12-11.
13. "Pusha T Shares Darkest Before Dawn Short Film Trailer | News". Pitchfork. 2015-11-26. Retrieved 2015-12-11.
14. "Instagram". Instagram. Retrieved 2015-12-18.
15. Dylan Brewer (2015-12-11). "Pre-order Pusha T's 'King Push - "Darkest Before Dawn: The Prelude' Now!". Def Jam. Retrieved 2015-12-18.
16. Tags:  pusha t (2015-12-11). "Pusha T Shares Latest Single "Crutches, Crosses, Caskets" | Pigeons & Planes". Pigeonsandplanes.com. Retrieved 2015-12-18.
17. "Pusha T – "Untouchable" (Prod. Timbaland)". Stereogum. 2015-11-12. Retrieved 2015-12-11.
18. "King Push – Darkest Before Dawn: The Prelude by Pusha T reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved December 8, 2019.
19. "Reviews for King Push – Darkest Before Dawn: The Prelude by Pusha T". Metacritic. Retrieved January 5, 2016.
20. Jeffries, David. "King Push – Darkest Before Dawn: The Prelude – Pusha T". AllMusic. Retrieved January 5, 2016.
21. Reiff, Corbin (December 19, 2015). "Pusha T stakes his claim for rap supremacy on Darkest Before Dawn". The A.V. Club. Retrieved December 18, 2015.
22. Diep, Eric (December 18, 2015). "Pusha T, 'King Push – Darkest Before Dawn: The Prelude,' Track-by-Track Review". Billboard. Retrieved May 26, 2016.
23. Bakare, Lanre (January 7, 2016). "King Push: Darkest Before Dawn: The Prelude review – adds politics to the mix". The Guardian. Retrieved May 26, 2016.
24. Madden, Joe (December 21, 2015). "Pusha T – 'Darkest Before Dawn: The Prelude'". NME. Archived from the original on March 7, 2016. Retrieved January 5, 2016.
25. Empire, Kitty (January 10, 2016). "King Push: Darkest Before Dawn: The Prelude review – an impressive second act". The Observer. Retrieved May 26, 2016.
26. Jenkins, Craig (January 4, 2016). "Pusha T: Darkest Before Dawn". Pitchfork. Retrieved May 26, 2016.
27. Mason, Matt (March 2016). "A Shove Supreme". Q (356): 110.
28. Weingarten, Christopher R. (December 17, 2015). "King Push: Darkest Before the Dawn – the Prelude". Rolling Stone. Retrieved December 17, 2015.
29. Weiss, Dan (December 18, 2015). "Review: Pusha T Rocks Out With His Rocks Out on 'King Push – Darkest Before Dawn: The Prelude'". Spin. Retrieved December 18, 2015.
30. Lowers, Erin (December 22, 2015). "Pusha T – King Push – Darkest Before Dawn: The Prelude". Exclaim!. Retrieved January 4, 2016.
31. "Pusha T Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved December 29, 2015.
32. "Pusha T Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved December 29, 2015.
33. "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 2016". Billboard. Retrieved July 2, 2020.