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Conway the Machine dropped the video for “Stressed” - a moving song and striking visual about trauma, mental health, and questionable coping mechanisms featuring the motivational words of Million Dollars Worth of Game’s Wallo267.
“Stressed” is an early standout from Conway’s new instant-classic album, God Don’t Make Mistakes, and official label debut on Shady Records - with features from Beanie Sigel, Rick Ross, Lil Wayne, T.I., and Benny the Butcher. On the project he scratches the itch for that gritty, elevated Buffalo street talk with “Lock Load”, “Drumwork” or “John Woo Flick” - but also shows massive range and a great level of maturity with softer-edged, hugely introspective takes on songs like “So Much More”, “Guilty” and “Stressed”.
Everything about “Stressed” is brilliantly executed - from its perfectly imperfect Daringer production to Conway’s impeccably written and deeply personal bars carefully pronounced to make sure you feel every word. The music video beautifully complements the serious tone of the track, showing him dealing with stress in various ways - including speaking to a therapist. The visual is also bookended by some pretty jaw-dropping raw footage of Conway in the hospital after his life-changing injury.
The song starts off with Conway outlining the anxiety that comes along with the burden of success, explaining some of the less obvious downsides of wearing the crown as he passes out handfuls of bills to endless waiting hands - and the different ways he tries to smoke, drink, or rap away the stress. With his unmatchable delivery on the half-sung hook, he drives home the point that no one else really cares about what you’re going through and tries to make you really think about what it would feel like to have most of the people you ever knew either dead or in jail.
The most personal moment on “Stressed” would certainly be the second verse, where Conway details a long list of traumatic experiences, from his cousin’s suicide to the abuse he suffered as a child, and even revealing his own loss of a child. While heartbreaking in so many ways, it’s inspiring to see Conway find strength in these experiences and articulate them in such a thoughtful and powerful way.
The final minute of the track is dedicated a one-minute-long clip from Wallo - an inspiring personality and one-half of the popular show ‘Million Dollars Worth of Game’ - known for counteracting that negative voice in your head with his uniquely motivating rants preaching positivity and accountability ever since he was released from doing 20 years in prison in 2017.
Overall, “Stressed” is an incredibly well-executed, meaningful, and moving piece of art that will resonate with a lot of people. It’s songs like these that separate Conway from your average street rapper and suggest that this is only the beginning of a long and historic career for The Machine.
Watch the video for “Stressed” feat. Wallo267 below - and check out the rest of Conway the Machine’s new album God Don’t Make Mistakes.
