Pi’erre Bourne has continuously maintained one of the more fascinating musical careers in contemporary hip-hop. His influence only gets more apparent as the years go on, with his signature production spawning as many “type beat” producers as it has countless hits.
Work with Playboi Carti, Kanye West, Young Nudy, Trippie Redd and handfuls more cover his production discography with classic songs — and even more charting accolades. But what makes his perpetually impressive career truly revolutionary is his clear adoration for rapping, something that is almost cliché when it comes to producers in this industry.
Everyone wants to be the one in front of the mic, on stage, amassing a crowd of appreciative fans — but Pi’erre moves with poise, and has been for a while. The Life of Pi’erre series of albums find Pi’erre in his own collective bag — production and all — for five albums, but there are always a few songs that die hard fans are itching to hear, often stemming from his screen-recorded Instagram livestreams.
With his new EP Grails, Pi’erre has not only listened to the fans and given them some of these anticipated leaks, but proved that you don’t need a bunch of fancy bells and whistles to craft a fun, bouncy pop-trap project. The 8-song EP feels exactly like the title suggests: a collection of grails, but Pi’erre’s attentive mixing and mastering choices elevate it beyond just being scattered singles. Pi’erre’s trademarked transitions are better than ever, with the crossover between “Tabloid” and “Honeyberry 2” acting as just one of a handful of production choices that make this feel whole — and keeps it on repeat in my rotation.
It’s not like you can separately talk about the rapping and production on any of Pi’erre’s projects, as he handles both sides of this equation. It feels like going to the bakery to pick up a pie versus making one yourself — there’s no doubt that his recipe is perfectly reminiscient of the final product. The beat always feels perfect for the vibe that he’s shooting for, and no wonder why — he made them all! On “NY in June,” this idea comes to fruition, as his high-pitched, unabashedly auto-tuned vocals string together the boom-bap composition to his drums, the bells and “ugh!” sounds, and stock-sounding instruments that fill the mix. In any other hands, it could sound like a nightmare. But in Pi’erre’s Grammy-winning hands, it’s a seamless product.
Check out ‘GRAILS’ below!
