Even with a fractured right tibia and dislocated kneecap delaying his Won’t He Do It tour, Conway the Machine didn’t let 2023 pass quietly. The Griselda heavyweight churned out a steady stream of releases, further solidifying his prolific reputation. Beyond his own music, Conway poured energy into his Drumwork Music Group, dropping collaborative projects like Pain Provided Profit with Jae Skeese and Drumwork: The Album. Adding to the intrigue, Conway embraced single-producer projects, teaming with 38 Spesh and Jimmy Dukes for a co-produced effort remixed by Big Ghost, and partnering with German lo-fi producer Wun Two for the introspective PALERMO. But Conway closed the year on a high note with Conductor Machine, a tightly curated seven-track project produced entirely by Griselda affiliate Conductor Williams.
For Conductor Williams, who recently scored high-profile placements with Drake on “8AM in Charlotte” and “Stories About My Brother,” Conductor Machine is another testament to his rising prominence. Across the EP, his versatile production provides Conway with a rich sonic playground, balancing eerie, introspective vibes with funk-laden grit. The opener, “Noir,” channels the moody energy of “8AM in Charlotte,” pairing clean keys and a stretched Joe Tex drum loop. Conway’s bars lean into personal candor, delivering stark lines to a female muse: “I know you fuck with other n-ggas on the side, but shit, I don’t mind / Heard you was fucking two other rappers / And you fucking that n-gga from the Raptors / I ain’t mad at you, go ahead, just hit me up after.”
“Believe Me” ups the tempo with a chunky bassline and alpha-energy lyricism. Conway takes aim at disloyalty and flexes his dominance in rap:
“I don’t care who you shot, your G pass is revoked, you’re just a rat / Pin your diva to the mat like a wrestling match and don’t text her back / I only want top, don’t hit me up just to chat / I’m playing chess with rap but I’m treating it like a checkers match.” True to form, Conway shares the spotlight with his Drumwork roster. “Church Fan” highlights his seamless chemistry with Jae Skeese, while “Flame” showcases 7xvethegenius, who delivers razor-sharp wordplay:
“Pointing at cars as they rolled by / Who knew from riding buses, we’d be trained to be so fly.”
The track also weaves in a stripped-down version of Conway’s viral Funkmaster Flex freestyle from earlier in the year. The standout “Higher” features Conductor Williams’ signature pitch-shifted sample work, setting the stage for Conway and his brother, Shots Almigh, to trade bars. Shots, whose growing catalog is worth exploring, matches Conway’s energy and lyrical prowess. Conductor Machine isn’t an earth-shattering release, nor is it aiming to be. It won’t dominate Album of the Year lists or push its creators into uncharted territory, but it’s a polished, enjoyable listen that stays true to Conway’s steady trajectory. Clocking in at just seven tracks, the project delivers enough substance to satisfy fans and keep the momentum alive as Conway and his camp look ahead to 2024.