The First Lady of Griselda has officially arrived.
Although it was announced she joined Griselda earlier this year, Armani Caesar has actually been rocking with the crew for over a decade–joining them in studio sessions towards the end of the aughts as a teenager.
Conway and Benny were actually featured on her debut mixtape in 2009.
Now, following Armani’s move from Buffalo to North Carolina to attend college and the almighty Griselda crew becoming what they are today, they’ve reunited and Caesar has released her new project, The Liz, which blends the grittiness of Griselda with the southern sounds she’s picked up during her travels outside of Queen City.
“Originally, I wanted to just do something that was just completely Griselda sounding,” Armani told Complex about the sound of her Griselda debut. “As I got comfortable in that sound, and even with the beat selection, I started making those beats sound like me. Even though we do have tracks on it that’s gritty, you also have tracks on there that’s maybe a little bit in between. It can go either way… I’m very much the grittier side. I’m from Buffalo, New York, but I’ve also been down here long enough to be able to adapt and make that southern sound my own, too.
“I’m dropping The Liz for the culture. For all the people that grew up loving hip hop for the art of it not just the beats. I’ve studied this and I’m so proud of this body of work,” Armani continues. “I want to dedicate this to Demetrius ‘DJ Shay’ Robinson. The first person to ever take a chance on me musically. He believed in my talent long before anybody else knew my name. There would be no ‘Armani Caesar’ if it hadn’t been for him. So I’m doin this one for Shay. I hope it makes him proud.”
Led by the DJ Premier-laced “Simply Done” with Benny the Butcher, The Liz comes in at 11 tracks with features from Westside Gunn, Conway the Machine (fresh off releasing arguably his best album to date in From King to a God) and a second guest spot from Benny.
Press play below and add The Liz wherever you consume music.
