It seems that Pusha T’s hunger for dealing drugs is matched only by his tremendous work rate in hip-hop. Not only is he one half of the “coke rap” kingpins Clipse, but he spits on their legendary mixtapes under the Re-Up Gang collective, and also runs Re-Up Gang Records. Those unfamiliar with such work will probably recognise him as the dude who featured on Runaway by Kanye West. Such collaborations have led to the release of Pusha’s second solo mixtape on Yeezy’s G.O.O.D Music label, titled Fear of God II: Let Us Pray.

The mixtape immediately delivers a swift pistol-whip to the listener with the opening track Changing of the Guards, which uses roaring synths and earthquake-inducing bass made for stadium speakers and subwoofers. A typically brash intro from P Diddy completes the atmosphere, and Pusha delivers a handful of punchlines and quotables with confidence.

Sticking with the menacing tone, the brooding Body Work features creeping keys and gunshots which flirt with the horrorcore sound that was used by earlier Southern groups like Three 6 Mafia. Although it’s a mixed bag of beats on the mixtape, nothing on here compliments Pusha’s cocaine-fuelled rhymes like the minimalist production on the classic Hell Hath No Fury. The closest we get is the perky piano loop on Raid, which dances wonderfully beneath Pusha’s nonchalant boasts.

Staccato choir vocals and a guest verse from Rick Ross make I Still Wanna the most dramatic and engaging cut, and the production’s lack of subtlety is matched by Pusha’s triumphant rhetorical questioning. “You know what fame is? Sittin’ with the woman of your dreams and forgettin’ what her name is,” he states. Pusha successfully matches the overindulgent persona that is flaunted by Rozay so unapologetically.

Unsurprisingly, the mixtape relies heavily on the drug-deal detailing that has defined Pusha’s career. However, as the tracks are littered with frequent religious references, could Pusha’s sinful pursuit of a lavish lifestyle amount to hubris? It is these moral contemplations which keep his character from becoming two-dimensional, such as those on the mellow finale Alone in Vegas.

In compliance with many Southern contemporaries, Pusha T’s Feat of God II: Let Us Pray often subscribes to the notion that bigger is better. However, with guest appearances from the likes of 50 Cent, Diddy and Kanye West, Pusha proves that he can keep up with rap’s commercial sharks without seriously jeopardising his roots. This is by no means Pusha’s sharpest work, but it’s enough to keep the fiends eagerly awaiting his debut album happy.