Hitler Wears Hermes 8
"Westside Gunn’s Gritty Art Curated"
"Westside Gunn’s Gritty Art Curated"
Released August 27, 2021 (Side A) and September 24, 2021 (Side B) via Griselda Records, Westside Gunn’s Hitler Wears Hermes 8 is a 33-track, 114-minute double album. A gritty opus, it blends boom-bap with high-fashion flair, earning Gold (Estimated) status and 1.5 billion Spotify streams by May 2025. Gunn’s curatorial genius shines, cementing his Buffalo legacy. Pitchfork HipHopDX Exclaim! Genius
HWH8 merges street grit with art-world swagger. “Margiela Split Toes” boasts, “My watch cost a brick,” while “TV Boy” paints vivid Buffalo tales, “Hittin’ shit in broad daylight.” Gunn’s nasally drawl and wrestling interludes evoke a cinematic underworld, blending drug game lore with designer excess, resonating in 2025’s underground scene.
Producers like The Alchemist, Daringer, and Jay Versace craft HWH8’s raw soundscape. “Hell On Earth, Pt. 2” hits with haunting drums, “Vogue Cover” blends soulful samples, and “Free Kutter” rides xylophone-laced beats. Gunn’s lo-fi aesthetic, paired with 90s East Coast vibes, creates a gritty, hallucinogenic journey, unmatched in 2025.
HWH8 showcases a stellar lineup. Lil Wayne bodies “Bash Money”, Jay Electronica elevates “Free Kutter”, and Stove God Cooks dominates across six tracks. Mach-Hommy, Conway, and Benny anchor Griselda’s presence. Gunn’s curation ensures guests shine, making HWH8 a collaborative triumph in 2025.
“Bash Money” “Vogue Cover” Lil Wayne’s fiery verse and soulful beats make these gritty anthems accessible, dominating playlists in 2025.
“Hell On Earth, Pt. 2” “TV Boy” Raw production and vivid storytelling plunge deep into Gunn’s Buffalo underworld, rewarding dedicated fans.
“Margiela Split Toes” “Big AL” Mach-Hommy’s slick bars and Gunn’s emotional depth shine in these gritty tracks, revealing curated artistry.
“The Fly who couldn’t Fly straight” Tyler, The Creator’s quirky verse exploded on X in 2025, fueling Gunn’s underground buzz.
Gunn’s journey began with Hitler Wears Hermes 2012, followed by sequels and Flygod 2016. Pray for Paris 2020 hit number 67 on the Billboard 200, and Who Made the Sunshine 2020 marked his Shady Records debut. HWH8 elevates this gritty legacy, blending boom-bap with avant-garde curation.
Pitchfork scored HWH8 7.8/10, praising its “supremely competent” curation. Exclaim! lauded Gunn’s “impeccable” taste. By May 2025, it ranks number 23 among 2021 albums on Rate Your Music. Its gritty aesthetic and guest-heavy formula continue to influence underground hip-hop.
HWH8 earned no major award nominations but was a critical darling, with HipHopDX calling it Gunn’s “most ambitious project.” Its Gold (Estimated) status and 1.5 billion Spotify streams by 2025 mark it as a gritty milestone in Griselda’s catalog.
| Album | Highest Charting Song | Peak Position | Streams (as of 2025) | Certification | Units Sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pray for Paris | “George Bondo” | - | 800M | - | 100K+ |
| HWH8 | “Bash Money” | - | 1.5B | Gold (Est.) | 500K+ |
| Album | Certification | Units (Millions) |
|---|---|---|
| HWH8 | Gold (Estimated) | 0.5 |
Pitchfork HipHopDX Exclaim! Genius