Benny the Butcher facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Benny the Butcher
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 40) 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, is an American rapper and songwriter. He became well-known in 2018 after releasing his first album, Tana Talk 3.

Benny the Butcher is part of a music group called Griselda with his cousins, who are also rappers, Westside Gunn and Conway The Machine. They are famous for their rap songs that sound like music from the 1990s. Many people say they helped bring back a certain style of hip hop music that tells powerful stories.

After his brother, Machine Gun Blak, passed away, Jeremie Pennick released many mixtapes and albums with other artists. Some of his most famous works include the albums Butcher on Steroids, Tana Talk 3, Burden of Proof, Tana Talk 4, and the EP The Plugs I Met. Other musicians and critics have praised him for his amazing storytelling in his songs and his unique sound.

Early Life and Beginnings

Jeremie Pennick was born on November 27, 1984. He was the second oldest of eight children and was raised by his single mother. He grew up in Buffalo, New York, on Montana Avenue.

Starting His Music Journey

Early in his career, Jeremie Pennick started working with DJ Shay, a well-known hip hop artist from Buffalo. He began recording songs regularly. In 2004, Pennick released his first mixtape called Tana Talk. He printed 5,000 copies and gave them away for free to attract new fans. This first mixtape is now very rare, and even Pennick himself once said he didn't have a copy. However, he later hinted that he might still have the original files and could release it again someday. He released the next mixtape, Tana Talk 2, in 2005.

Music After a Family Loss

On October 3, 2006, Jeremie Pennick's older brother, Marchello Lowery (also known as Machine Gun Black), died in Buffalo, New York. Pennick was in jail at the time. His brother's death deeply affected Pennick and his cousins. This event became a big influence on the stories and feelings in their music.

Inspired by his brother's hard work, Pennick started recording songs and making mixtapes much more often. He released 12 mixtapes between 2007 and 2013.

Career Highlights

Joining Griselda Records

In 2014, Westside Gunn started Griselda Records. Through this label, Benny, Conway The Machine, and Westside Gunn released their own music. Pennick's music style changed a lot. Instead of using popular sounds and old beats, he started using more original music made by their in-house producer, Daringer. Pennick appeared on many Griselda Records releases and became more popular as a featured artist. Around this time, Pennick also started the Black Soprano Family, a group of rappers from Buffalo he worked with. They released a mixtape called Black Soprano Family on May 11, 2015. He then released the mixtape My 1 on a 1 in 2016. After The Black Soprano mixtape, he started using the name 'Benny the Butcher' for all his future music.

New Sound and Record Deals

In 2016, Pennick began working closely with Daringer, the producer for Griselda Records. He shaped his sound to match the unique style of other Griselda artists. He released his first solo mixtape under Griselda, called My First Brick, on October 8, 2016. This mixtape showed a big change in Pennick's style and the types of beats he chose. The music had a more "boom bap" feel, using live instruments instead of the electronic sounds common in his earlier mixtapes. He then released the EP 17 Bullets, which continued this new artistic direction.

On March 3, 2017, Griselda (as a group), along with Pennick's cousins Westside Gunn and Conway the Machine, signed a deal with Eminem's Shady Records. In April 2017, Benny the Butcher and his Black Soprano Family group signed a record deal with Entertainment One Music. While working on his first official album, he released the EP Tommy Devitos Breakfast on October 28, 2017.

Later that year, on November 17, 2017, Benny the Butcher released the mixtape Butcher On Steroids with DJ Green Lantern. This mixtape was part of a series that DJ Green Lantern made with other Griselda Records members. Fans and critics loved the mixtape, praising Pennick's growth and improved sound. To build on this success, Pennick worked with his friend and fellow rapper, 38 Spesh, to release the joint mixtape Stabbed and Shot on February 18, 2018.

Breakthrough Albums and Recognition

On November 23, 2018, Pennick released his first studio album, Tana Talk 3. It was produced by The Alchemist and Griselda Records' producer Daringer. This was the third album in the Tana Talk series, named after Montana Avenue, the street where Pennick grew up. The album cover features a painting of his late older half-brother, MachineGun Black, as a baby. The songs on the album often talk about Pennick's feelings about his brother's death. HipHopDX magazine said that "Benny the Butcher creates his best work with Tana Talk 3", noting that it had everything fans loved about Griselda's music, but with a stronger, consistent sound.

On June 21, 2019, he released his fourth extended play, The Plugs I Met. This EP featured famous guest artists like Black Thought, Pusha T, Jadakiss, and Conway the Machine. On August 6, it was announced that Pennick signed a management deal with Roc Nation, a company founded by Jay-Z. Critics praised Benny the Butcher's performance on The Plugs I Met, saying he shined even alongside big names.

Commercial Success and Def Jam Deal

On August 27, 2020, Benny the Butcher announced that he would release an album called Burden of Proof. The album was released on October 16 and received great reviews.

On March 19, 2021, Benny the Butcher released The Plugs I Met 2, a follow-up EP made with Harry Fraud. This EP also received widespread praise from music critics.

On November 12, 2021, he officially signed a record deal with Def Jam Recordings for his future music. This news was shared by American rapper Snoop Dogg.

On January 28, 2022, Benny released the song "Johnny P's Caddy" with rapper J. Cole. This song was the first single from Benny's album, Tana Talk 4, which he called the "album of the year." Tana Talk 4 was released on March 11 and was generally well-received.

Two years after Tana Talk 4, Benny released his first major album with Def Jam, Everybody Can't Go, on January 26, 2024. This album featured many guest artists, including Lil Wayne and Snoop Dogg. The album was produced by The Alchemist and Hit-Boy. In June 2024, Benny's song "Big Dog" featuring Lil Wayne was nominated for an award at the Hollywood Independent Music Awards.

Personal Life

In November 2020, in Houston, Texas, Benny the Butcher was injured during an incident in a Walmart parking lot.

On October 27, 2021, Benny the Butcher had to cancel a concert because he was hospitalized with asthma. He has talked about having asthma for 25 years and needing to go to the emergency room a few times a year. He mentioned that as he gets older, he takes better care of his health.

Benny had a disagreement with Indiana rapper Freddie Gibbs for about two years. In August 2022, after they had exchanged words online, Freddie Gibbs was involved in an incident in Buffalo, New York. Benny later posted images on social media that seemed to confirm his involvement. In a January 2024 interview, Benny stated that the disagreement between the two rappers was over, but he was not interested in becoming friends with Gibbs.

Discography

Studio albums

Collaboration albums

Extended plays

Mixtapes

Collaboration mixtapes

• Best of the Underworld (as B.E.N.N.Y. with Johnal) (2006)
• 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

Music Videos

Filmography

Images for kids

• Westside Gunn.jpg

  Westside Gunn, a cousin and fellow rapper in Griselda Records.

• Conway The Machine.jpg

  Conway The Machine, another cousin and rapper in Griselda Records.