Pusha Preme delivers his most introspective project to date with “Hate To Say Goodbye”, finishing out a trilogy of albums, dealing with growth, acceptance , loss, and every that comes along with it.
The two covers released for this project really explain a lot. The OG cover featured a young Preme and his grandmother whom the album is dedicated to. The second cover designed by MGSVSNS features the various masks of Preme forming a Rorschach Test adding to the therapy concept that is present throughout interludes on the project. If “Before I Say, I Do” is about growth, and “Red Oktober” is about acceptance, than “Hate To Say Goodbye” is about loss, which is mirrored with the darker lyrics and production on display.
The project starts off with Preme’s interpretation of Biggie’s “Mo Money Mo Problems”. I dig the angelic vocals that greet us at the beginning of the track. The production is so epic on this joint and throughout the whole project, Preme on his stadium show vibes with this project. People just think Preme is on his Afro Beat shit but he comes through heavy with the bars on the opener. The track closes with Preme entering his first therapy session.
“Rolling Stones” is Preme’s rockstar moment assisted by Matthew Holt. That “Rollin Rollin Rollin” line gets me every time. Preme’s vocals are top tier on this track fitting with the dark futuristic trap production. When the song breaks down at the end giving of a slowed down vibe, we really enter the night show. The song closes out with Preme being asked if he feels respected in the game and receives the credit he deserves.
“I Be The Way (Winnie)” featuring the icon YZM has Preme in the lane he crafted. Preme does put his influences on his sleeve but when he dabbles in the Afro Beat & futuristic trap sounds he creates a lane all on his own. YZM killed his verse adding a touch of gravitas to a track you wouldn’t usually hear him on. This should be the next video for the album and will ultimately become a Tampa Bay classic record.
“Word To My Dead” is one of my favorite tracks of the year since I heard it. To me it brings the anthem vibes of “Outside” and meshes them with “Never Thought”, making the ultimate banger and street anthem. The hook will be stuck in your head for years. That shit is so cold when Preme comes in like “They Want Me Dead or Alive!!!”. Can we please get Jay Browne on the remix.
The way Preme is able to mix the Afro Beat up with the Hip Hop elements is really special. His more lighter introspective tracks always have that feel good vibe despite how sad the content is. “Love Me” is a really relatable track, I feel everyone can connect with. If anyone else made this track it would come off as corny but Preme nails it every time.
“Live Free Die Young” with Brandon Gomes was the lead single off the project. It kind of has that end of the night “last call” type vibe to it but the drums give you no choice but to move your body. Brandon Gomes does his thing on the vocals, adding a different voice to the track.
We take it back to the streets on “Got Me F’UP” featuring Tae Bae. This one’s a certified banger straight outta drop city. Just when you think Preme is on his somber shit he reminds y’all who the real hit maker is. Tae Bae adds that street vibe to the track. We really in the trenches on this joint. A Ric Flair sample never hurts either.
“No Going Back” is my favorite Afro Beat style track on the album. Despite the more somber tone, the uplifting beat turns a rainy day sunny. Preme’s vocals on this one are the best they have been on the album. Kashvilli snapped on his vocals as well, creating one of my favorite moments on the album.
“Ten Toes Down/ OMG!” featuring J.Palm is for all the day ones. Loyalty is a big theme Preme dabbles with on all his projects, but I feel this track is where he truly conveys that message. The beat switch into “OMG!” is one of my favorite moments of the album. That shit is so epic it needs to be heard at Amalie Arena or something. The way things slow down and Preme matches the tempo is so on point. The sax solo to end out the song is finishing touch to a great song.
At the end of the track Preme tells the therapist what loyalty means to him, before we are met with the “Good Bye Skit”.
“Beautiful Liar” is another one of my favorite Afro Beat joints on the project. The guitar sample on the beat gets you moving from side to side. Preme delivers one of my favorite hooks on the album on this track. Smoke1hunit adds his perspective adding a different tone to the song. Preme really out did himself on this one, we definitely need visuals for this one or “No Going Back”.
“Billboard” powers up Preme into his Billboard P form. This one is a dope banger without it feeling like an anthem. I really dig Preme’s vocal approach to this song. Jawny Badluck pops up and drops assists Preme in that plaque talk.
“Triple Threat” is for all the Hip Hop heads. Jay Browne finally makes his way onto the album along with Reachingnova. It’s not often we get back to back bangers. The synths and backing beat keep building on themselves allowing the production to sound mad epic. Jay Browne has been killing features over the last few years, and this is no exception. Can’t wait to hear this track live.
“Feel Some Way” brings me back to those “Before I Say, I Do” type of vibes. This tracks has the most dance appeal than any of the other tracks on the album. It gives me that sunny day with the top down type energy. The claps before the hook are very on point, with Preme doing his thing on the hook. The way the track faded out was really cool, almost acting as the end of the project.
The project closes out on the “Outside Remix” featuring DJ Dempsy and the 813 legend Tom G. “Feel Some Way” to me is the true ending of the album with this remix acting as a bonus track. Preme really made this one for the 813 and it was dope for Tom G to pull up on the record, adding that gravitas and street cred to the record that makes it a classic on both sides of the bay.
“Before I Say, I Do” and “Red Oktober” are both 813 Essentials in their own right, but I feel “Hate To Say Goodbye” is Preme really firing on all cylinders. The Afro Beat stuff is the best it’s ever been, and the futuristic trap anthems hold their own with any of Preme’s past efforts. What I like most about this project is Preme went all in on his sound, building on the elements he has set in place before, while keeping his influences in spots but not bringing them to the forefront. Really amazing project and great way to end out the trilogy of albums. This is one of the best produced albums of the year, and you will definitely see it on my end of the year list.