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Benny the Butcher
Benny the Butcher November 2023.png
Benny the Butcher in November 2023
Background information
Birth name Jeremie Damon Pennick
Also known as
  • 2 Chain Bennymane
  • B.E.N.N.Y.
  • The Butcher
Born (1984-11-27) November 27, 1984 (age 39)
Buffalo, New York, U.S.
Genres East Coast hip hop
Occupation(s)
  • Rapper
  • songwriter
Years active 2004–present
Labels 5 to 50
  • Def Jam
  • Griselda
  • Black Soprano Family

Jeremie Damon Pennick (born November 27, 1984), known professionally as Benny the Butcher, or simply Benny, is an American rapper and songwriter. He came to prominence in 2018 following the release of his debut album, Tana Talk 3. Along with his cousins and fellow rappers Westside Gunn and Conway The Machine, with which he forms the collective Griselda, he is known for his '90s inspired rap songs and is often credited with leading a revival of the so called 'grimy' and 'gritty' hip hop music, influenced by mafioso and ... themes.

..... Following the death of his brother, Machine Gun Blak, Pennick released numerous mixtapes and collaborative albums. His notable and most cited works are the albums Butcher on Steroids, Tana Talk 3, Burden of Proof, Tana Talk 4 and the EP The Plugs I Met.

..... He has been praised by peers and critics for his storytelling ability and choice of sound.

Early life

Pennick was born on November 27, 1984 and was the second-eldest of eight siblings, raised by a single mother. He spent his childhood growing up in Montana Avenue in the city of Buffalo, New York. .....

Career

2004–2005: First mixtapes

Early in his career Pennick started to work with local Buffalo hip hop stalwart DJ Shay and started to record songs regularly. Pennick released his first mixtape titled Tana Talk in 2004. Pennick notes he printed 5,000 copies of his mixtape and handed them out for free to gain fans. Tana Talk 1 is considered a piece of lost media, of which Pennick himself initially commented that he does not have a copy. However, in an interview promoting Tana Talk 3, Pennick hinted that he does have the source files for the mixtape, and would release the mixtape should he feel inclined to in the future. He released the follow up, Tana Talk 2, in 2005.

2005–2013: Shooting of brother and initial mixtapes

On October 3, 2006, Pennick's older brother Marchello Lowery, also known as Machine Gun Black, was shot in a drive by shooting on Montana Block, in Buffalo, New York. Pennick was in jail for violating his parole at the time. The death of Lowery impacted Pennick and his cousins profoundly, and has a major influence on the content of their music and lyrics.

Motivated by the legacy and work ethic of Lowery, Pennick started to record songs and compile mixtapes at an increased rate, releasing 12 between 2007 and 2013. .....

2014–2016: Signing to Griselda Records, Black Soprano Family and final projects as Benny

In 2014, Westside Gunn founded Griselda Records, through which Benny, Conway The Machine, and Westside Gunn would self-release their own projects. Pennick's music would take a major shift from popular sounds and reused beats from existing artists, as was the trend in the 2000s mixtape period, to more targeted in house production. He adopted the sound pioneered by his cousins, Westside Gunn and Conway the Machine, and developed by the in house producer, Daringer. Pennick appeared on many releases by Griselda Records and started to gain popularity as a regular featured artist. Around the same time Pennick founded the Black Soprano Family, a collective of Buffalo rappers that he was affiliated with. They released the collective mixtape Black Soprano Family on May 11, 2015. He then released the mixtape My 1 on a 1 in 2016. The Black Soprano mixtape marked the end of his work as 'Benny', as future releases from this point would be under the moniker Benny the Butcher.

2016–2017: Benny the Butcher and new artistic direction

During 2016, Pennick began to work with the in house producer for Griselda Records, Daringer, and moulded his sound to match the sonic aesthetics of other Griselda imprint members. He released his first solo mixtape under Griselda, titled My First Brick, on October 8, 2016. This mixtape marked a change in Pennick's style and choice of beats to rap over. The mixtape followed a more 'boom bap' aesthetic, incorporating live instruments instead of the more heavily 808s and synthesizers typical of his previous mixtape efforts, and showed more experimentation with sound. He then released the EP 17 Bullets, emphasizing his new artistic direction.

On March 3, 2017, Griselda (as a collective), as well as Pennick's cousins Westside Gunn and Conway the Machine, signed a deal with Eminem's Shady Records, a subsidiary of Interscope. In April 2017, Benny the Butcher and his collective Black Soprano Family signed a label deal with Entertainment One Music. While working on his next project and debut album, Following this, he released the EP Tommy Devitos Breakfast on October 28, 2017.

That same year, on November 17, 2017, Pennick, as Benny the Butcher, released the mixtape Butcher On Steroids, in collaboration with DJ Green Lantern. This was part of a series of mixtapes that DJ Green Lantern was creating with Griselda Records members, having made similar 'Steroids' mixtapes with Conway The Machine and Westside Gunn. The mixtape was received with critical acclaim and widely praised by fans and critics who noted Pennick's progression and refined sonic Palette.

Capitalizing on the success of Butcher on Steroids, Pennick collaborated with his hometown friend and fellow rapper, 38 Spesh, to release the joint mixtape Stabbed and Shot, officially released on 18 February 2018.

2018–2019: Debut album Tana Talk 3, The Plugs I Met, WWCD and critical acclaim

On November 23, 2018, Pennick released his debut studio album Tana Talk 3, produced by The Alchemist and Griselda Records' in house producer Daringer. This would be the third in the installments of Tana Talk projects, named after the block Pennick grew up on, Montana Avenue. The cover is a painting of his deceased older half-brother, MachineGun Black as a baby, and the lyrics to the album would focus heavily on Pennick's feelings on the death of his brother. The album was developed by setting aside suitable songs and beats created during Westside Gunn's, Hitler Wears Hermes 6, recording sessions. Once those recording sessions were complete The Alchemist and Pennick completed recording other songs within two weeks. ..... HipHopDX claimed that "Benny the Butcher crafts his magnus opus with Tana Talk 3", writing that "the project is all the things you love about everything Griselda ever drops, but with this extra layer of sonic consistency crafted by the two upper-echelon grimy beatsmiths".

June 21, 2019 marked the release of his fourth extended play, The Plugs I Met, which included guest appearances from Black Thought, Pusha T, 38 Spesh, Jadakiss, and Conway the Machine. On August 6, it was announced that Pennick signed a management deal with Roc Nation. Writing about Benny the Butcher's 2019 project, Dan-O of Freemusicempire said "Benny The Butcher did an EP with the greatest guest list of the year. Right after the intro skit you hear him next to Black Thought. Next song Jadakiss, and closing out the project with Pusha T's second best guest appearance of 2019 on 18 Wheeler. No matter who was with him Benny blew like Sonny Rollins on the Sax, whether Conway The Machine or Eminem was coming on next...it didn't matter. The Butcher has a gift and no fear."

2020–present: Commercial success and Def Jam deal

On August 27, 2020, Benny the Butcher announced in an interview with Adam22 for No Jumper that he would release an album under eOne called Burden of Proof between late September and early October. The album was eventually released on October 16 to rave reviews.

On March 19, 2021, Benny the Butcher released the sequel to The Plugs I Met EP, with a collaboration EP with Harry Fraud, named The Plugs I Met 2. This EP received widespread critical acclaim from various music critics.

On November 12, 2021, he officially signed a record deal with Def Jam Recordings for upcoming releases. The announcement was made by American rapper Snoop Dogg, a creative consultant for the label, on Joe Rogan's podcast The Joe Rogan Experience a week after Benny the Butcher was featured on Snoop Dogg's single "Murder Music" alongside Jadakiss and Busta Rhymes.

On January 28, 2022, Benny released the single, "Johnny P's Caddy", with rapper J. Cole. The song is the lead single from Benny's album, Tana Talk 4, which he has labeled "album of the year". Tana Talk 4 was eventually released on March 11 to generally favorable reviews.

Two years following the release of Tana Talk 4, Benny made his major label debut under Def Jam on January 26, 2024, with the release of his fourth full-length studio album, Everybody Can't Go. The album included guest appearances from Armani Caesar, Babyface Ray, Conway the Machine, Jadakiss, Kyle Banks, Lil Wayne, Peezy, Rick Hyde, Snoop Dogg, Stove God Cooks, and Westside Gunn. The album was solely produced by The Alchemist and Hit-Boy, with Corbett providing additional production on the title track.

Personal life

In November 2020, in Houston, Texas, Benny the Butcher was shot in the leg during an attempted robbery in a Walmart parking lot.

On October 27, 2021, Benny the Butcher cancelled a concert at Detroit's Saint Andrew's Hall after he was hospitalized with asthma, a condition he has both rapped about and spoken about in interviews. In a verified annotation on Genius's lyric page for his song "Where Would I Go" off the 2020 album Burden of Proof, he wrote he has lived with asthma for 25 years and the condition forces him to go to the emergency room two or three times a year: "I got to be careful, I got to make sure I wear my mask, I got to make sure I'm taking my medicine. Running the streets and being in and out of prison, it's probably something I haven't done the best of. But being older, that's something that I take care of".

Discography

Studio albums

Title Album details Peak chart positions
US
US
R&B/HH
US
Rap
US
Ind.
CAN
UK
DL
Tana Talk 3
  • Released: November 23, 2018
  • Label: Griselda, Black Soprano Family
  • Format: LP, digital download, streaming
Burden of Proof
  • Released: October 16, 2020
  • Label: Griselda, Empire
  • Format: LP, digital download, streaming
27 14 15 8 100
Tana Talk 4
  • Released: March 11, 2022
  • Label: Griselda, Black Soprano Family, Empire
  • Format: LP, digital download, streaming
22 12 9 6
Everybody Can't Go
  • Released: January 26, 2024
  • Label: 5 to 50, Def Jam
  • Format: CD, LP, digital download, streaming
93 37 46

Collaboration albums

List of mixtapes, with selected chart positions
Title Album details
Butcher on Steroids
(with DJ Green Lantern)
  • Released: November 27, 2017
  • Formats: LP, digital download, streaming
Trust the Sopranos
(with 38 Spesh)
  • Released: May 21, 2021
  • Formats: LP, digital download, streaming

Extended plays

Title EP details Peak chart positions
US
US
R&B/HH
US
Rap
US
Ind.
UK
R&B
17 Bullets
  • Released: December 26, 2016
  • Label: Black Soprano Family
  • Format: Digital download, streaming
Tommy Devito's Breakfast
(with Cuns)
  • Released: October 28, 2017
  • Label: Tuff Kong
  • Format: Digital download, streaming
A Friend of Ours
  • Released: June 1, 2018
  • Label: Black Soprano Family
  • Format: Digital download, streaming
The Plugs I Met
  • Released: June 21, 2019
  • Label: Black Soprano Family
  • Format: Digital download, streaming
22
Statue of Limitations
(with Smoke DZA)
  • Released: October 18, 2019
  • Label: RFC, Cinematic
  • Format: Digital download, streaming
38
The Plugs I Met 2
(with Harry Fraud)
  • Released: March 19, 2021
  • Label: Black Soprano Family, SRFSCHL
  • Format: Digital download, streaming
33 16 13 5 21
Pyrex Picasso
  • Released: August 13, 2021
  • Label: Black Soprano Family, Rare Scrilla
  • Format: Digital download, streaming

Mixtapes

List of mixtapes, with selected chart positions
Title Album details
Tana Talk
(as B.E.N.N.Y.)
  • Released: 2004
  • Formats: LP
B.E.N.N.Y. vs. Lil Wayne
(as B.E.N.N.Y.)
  • Released: 2007
  • Formats: LP
The American D.Boy
(as B.EY)
  • Released: February 9, 2007
  • Formats: LP
American D.Boy II: Lindsay Lohan
(as B.E.N.N.Y.)
  • Released: October 2007
  • Formats: LP
American D.Boy III: Paris Hilton & Kate Moss
(as B.E.N.N.Y.)
  • Released: February 2, 2009
  • Formats: LP
B.E.N.N.Y. Best Ever
(as B.E.N.N.Y.)
  • Released: February 7, 2009
  • Formats: LP
The Mayor's Back
(as B.E.N.N.Y.)
  • Released: February 11, 2009
  • Formats: LP
American D.Boy IV: Amy Winehouse
(as B.E.N.N.Y.)
  • Released: February 12, 2009
  • Formats: LP
Tana Talk 2
(as B.E.N.N.Y.)
  • Released: February 12, 2009
  • Formats: LP
American D.Boy V
(as B.E.N.N.Y.)
  • Released: 2009
  • Formats: LP
Chains Bond
(as 2 Chain Bennymane)
  • Released: April 8, 2009
  • Formats: LP
Benny Montana
(as B.E.N.N.Y.)
  • Released: 2007
  • Formats: LP
Benny Montana
(as B.E.N.N.Y.)
  • Released: June 22, 2010
  • Formats: LP
Married 2 Da Game: The Mixtape
(as B.E.N.N.Y.)
  • Released: 2007
  • Formats: LP
B.E.N.N.Y. Best Ever
(as B.E.N.N.Y.)
  • Released: February 26, 2013
  • Formats: LP
Black Soprano Family
(as Benny)
  • Released: May 11, 2015
  • Formats: LP
1 on a 1
(as Benny)
  • Released: March 8, 2016
  • Formats: LP
1 on a 1
  • Released: March 8, 2016
  • Formats: LP, digital download, streaming
My First Brick
  • Released: October 8, 2016
  • Formats: LP, digital download, streaming

Collaboration mixtapes

  • Best of the Underworld (as B.E.N.N.Y. with Johnal) (2006)
  • ... Cowboys (as B.E.N.N.Y. with .38 Special) (2009)
  • Who Wants What (with Street Entertainment and DJ Kay Slay) (2006)
  • SE ... Bang (with Street Entertainment) (2005)
  • The Pre-season: Mixtape Series (with Buff City Music Group) (2012)
  • Stabbed & Shot (with 38 Spesh) (2018)
  • Searchin' for a Purpose (with Black Soprano Family) (2020)
  • Da Respected Sopranos (with Black Soprano Family and DJ Drama) (2020)
  • Long Live DJ Shay (with Black Soprano Family) (2022)

With Griselda

  • WWCD (2019)

Charted songs

Title Year Peak chart positions Album
US
US
R&B/HH

US
Rap
CAN
WW
"Johnny P's Caddy"
(with J. Cole)
2022 72 22 14 84 139 Tana Talk 4

Music videos

As lead artist
Year Album Title Director Featured artist
2015 Black Soprano Family La Familia Austin Martinelli G Herbo
2016 1 On A 1 All In My Head n/c
My First Brick Me & Doug AK.Reed Films
2017 Butcher on Steroids Change THC Films
...'s Wife
2018 Stabbed & Shot 2 Weapons n/c 38 Spesh
Man Of The Kitchen GrecTVfilms
A Friend of Ours India Solo Visions El Camino
Long Way Slim Gus. The Video Shotta
Jackpot D. Hawks
Tana Talk 3 Joe Pesci 38 Slim Gus. The Video Shotta
Broken Bottles Mercenary Films
2019 Rubber Bands & Weight Slim Gus. The Video Shotta
Scarface Vs. Sosa Pt. 2 Condido Verona
The Plugs I Met 5 to 50 Otto the Director India
Took the Money to the Plug's House Condido Verona
Sunday School (Live Version) 1000 Words Jadakiss, 38 Spesh
2020 Burden of Proof Legend Joe Lombard Hit-Boy
Famous The Wizard
Trade It All
2021 The Plugs I Met 2 Thanksgiving Harry Fraud
Plug Talk Harry Fraud, 2 Chainz
Survivor's Remorse The Digggers Harry Fraud, Rick Hyde
When Tony Met Sosa Harry Fraud
Overall Paperface Harry Fraud, Chinx
Long Live DJ Shay Mr. Pyrex Man The Wizard
2022 Tana Talk 4 Johnny P's Caddy Heirs J. Cole
10 More Commandments The Wizard Diddy
Bust a Brick Nick Kat, Tony Deniro, Blu
Uncle Bun Nitro4K 38 Spesh
Super Plug CMDelux
/ Welcome to the States n/c
Tana Talk 4 Thowy's Revenge Max Toshiro
2023 / Big Dog Ricky Alvarez Lil Wayne
One Foot In The Wizard Stove God Cooks
2024 Everybody Can't Go BRON
Back Again Thirdeyeraz Snoop Dogg

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
2021 Conflicted Nick Film Debut
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