#rewindreview: Smoke DZA & Benny The Butcher ‘Statue Of Limitations’ EP 2019
This marks the first time I listened to a whole release involving Benny The Butcher. At this time the Griselda crew was making heavy noise that was starting to be undeniable. Smoke DZA was another name that had been buzzing in my ear for at least a decade prior to this release, although I finally got around to hearing him on the Pete Rock produced ‘Don’t Smoke Rock’ album. The collaboration of the two rappers might seem arbitrary but the pairing was so in sync one would have thought they were a veteran group. ‘Statue Of Limitations’ is a quick twenty minute EP that gives the HOP listener a exhibition in rapping with a street edge, over undeniable “truskool” beats. Benny The Butcher and Smoke DZA trade rhymes like Jadakiss and Styles P., with such effortless style. The EP also features Styles P. and the remaining Griselda members, West Side Gunn and Conway The Machine. The glue to ‘Statue Of Limitations’ is the legend Pete Rock who handles all the production on the EP. In the past decade Pete Rock has shown up and kept his name and skill relevant, for many rappers old and new. However this release often gets forgotten in the discography of “Pete.” Possibly because of how short the release is or being that both “Benny” and “DZA” drop so many releases themselves that this EP has not had the chance to “breathe” the way it deserves. It can be argued that this should have been a full album, regardless of the fantasy street themes it relies on. The pairing of Benny The Butcher, Smoke DZA and Pete Rock might be something that needs revisiting soon. What did you think of the album? Singles include: ‘By Any Means’ Listen to QUANTUM LEAP RADIO every Saturday from 4-6p.m. CST & Thursday from 1-3a.m. CST on 90.1 FM KPFT Houston in HD2 Worldwide @kpft.org/listen (under “kpft in HD2”) or get the KPFT APP in your playstore!!! Catch past episodes by searching and following @https://linktr.ee/QLEAPRADIO
