Westside Gunn Blow Hendry Meaning and Review

Blow Hendry is a standout track on Westside Gunn’s Heels Have Eyes 2, blending emotive production with razor-sharp lyricism. The song opens with what sounds like bong rips or distorted clipping, immediately setting a hazy, almost surreal atmosphere. MIKE’s verse kicks things off with a deeply introspective tone, combining vulnerability and grit over a moody backdrop. The production mirrors the emotional weight of the lyrics, creating a sonic environment that feels both intimate and expansive, a perfect canvas for the storytelling that follows.

MIKE’s Verse

MIKE’s opening verse is a dense, reflective exploration of pain, growth, and survival. Lines like “Was hard to do the praying in the wind / I’m sorry bae, it’s hard to move when you made of brick” capture the tension of navigating personal relationships and internal struggles. He balances raw honesty with poetic wordplay, referencing “garden snakes” and “pulling out the phase of the pit” to convey both literal and metaphorical battles. MIKE’s delivery is measured yet emotive, allowing each phrase to land with weight while complementing the song’s moody instrumentation.

Westside Gunn’s Verse

Westside Gunn takes over in verse two with his signature bravado, effortlessly commanding attention. His verse oscillates between street narratives, fashion references, and sharp observations, demonstrating the duality of his world: luxury and danger, loyalty and betrayal. Lines like “I see a nigga sniff so much he lost fifty pounds / All you see was cheekbones when he smiled” juxtapose the grim realities of street life with the meticulous details of high fashion and personal flair. Gunn’s execution is impeccable, his cadence and enunciation emphasizing every punchline while maintaining an unmistakable sense of style.

The Outro

The track’s outro adds a layer of unexpected levity and nostalgia, featuring a 1993 WKBW promo with Hulk Hogan and Mike Randall. The playful threat of a bodyslam in downtown Buffalo contrasts sharply with the weightier lyrical content, offering listeners a moment of levity while cementing Gunn’s affinity for cinematic sampling. This touch of pop culture history adds texture to the song, demonstrating the careful curation that defines Heels Have Eyes 2.

Blow Hendry Review

Blow Hendry exemplifies Westside Gunn’s skill in blending storytelling, emotion, and swagger into a cohesive piece. MIKE’s introspective opening, Gunn’s dynamic verse, and the humorous, iconic outro create a multifaceted experience that resonates on multiple levels. The song strikes a balance between grit and artistry, making it a memorable highlight on an already impressive album. Blow Hendry is a testament to Gunn’s ability to turn raw narratives into compelling, cinematic hip-hop.

Listen to Westside Gunn Blow Hendry

Westside Gunn Blow Hendry Lyrics Meaning Explained 

The meaning of Blow Hendry by Westside Gunn is a vivid exploration of survival, loyalty, and personal growth within both street life and the broader world of luxury and culture. The track juxtaposes introspective reflection with braggadocious flair, beginning with MIKE’s contemplative verses about enduring hardship, navigating relationships, and confronting inner pain. Westside Gunn follows with a verse that blends street narratives, high fashion references, and observations on betrayal and addiction, showcasing the duality of struggle and success. The outro adds a playful, nostalgic element, sampling a 1993 Hulk Hogan and Mike Randall promo, further emphasizing the cinematic and layered storytelling that makes the song a standout on Heels Have Eyes 2. Through this combination of emotional depth, vivid imagery, and cultural commentary, Blow Hendry captures the complexity of life in Gunn’s world.

Introduction

Blow Hendry opens with MIKE reflecting on situations where running is no longer an option. He says, "When it's too late for you to dip, you gotta stay / See a newer day, different script, andale," emphasizing that sometimes endurance is necessary, and that hope comes in the form of a newer day or a fresh script, tying both to life and storytelling. He continues, "Get your shoes laced before you trip, it's lot of Ace," suggesting preparation is essential to navigate challenges, with Ace implying high stakes or skill. MIKE also sets the scene of his environment with lines like, "A lot of mood swinging in the crib, a lot at play," reflecting instability and the multiple forces shaping his life. He balances danger and opportunity in "A lot of dudes came in with stick, wasn't obvious ways / A lot of loot came into the grip, I ponder days," highlighting threats and temptation while showing contemplation on how these experiences affected him.

MIKE’s Verse

He writes, "And jot new pages to the script, I was not of age / Was not a school day I didn't skip, my heart of pain," illustrating the tension between youthful mistakes and the heavy emotional weight of growing up in a challenging environment. MIKE’s line, "Was hard to do the praying in the wind," conveys how faith can feel futile when life is chaotic, with wind symbolizing fleeting or ineffective attempts at grounding. In "I'm sorry bae, it's hard to move when you made of brick, from guarding rage," he explores the difficulty of navigating relationships when emotional defenses are high. MIKE employs his signature imagery in "My garden full of plates I'm tryna pitch, and garden snakes / Hardly moved but they still hissed," using his garden as a metaphor for survival and opportunity, with snakes representing latent threats that linger even when dormant. He continues to reflect on the ongoing nature of struggle in "Not as gloomy but they still exist / Tomorrows angst make me moody, made me fake this shit," expressing that healing is not linear and the shadow of past trauma persists.

MIKE also addresses the pursuit of growth and the impact of past trauma in "I was caught up banking on some newer things for me to get, guess we all the same / But how I grew up crazy as a bitch, I call for grace," suggesting a need for understanding in navigating survival and personal ambition. He references moving through dark periods in "Pulling out the phase of the pit / And my dawg was saying 'cause niggas wasn't raising us as kids, not a walk of shame," showing that there is no shame in overcoming hardship. The proof of survival, he states in "Niggas ran away from in the business, or all the pain / The proof was in the pain up in the written," lies in the very music he creates, channeling lived experience into his art.

Westside Gunn’s Verse

Westside Gunn takes over in verse two with a blend of street storytelling and cultural references. He opens with, "Ayo, [?] wears Celine, broke niggas can't stand me," juxtaposing fashion and social status to assert dominance. He references Michèle Lamy in "Rick to the knees, blowing kisses at Michèle Lamy," highlighting high fashion influence and cultural literacy. Gunn mixes nostalgia with grit in "Vanity Fair beware, whenever we was bored on the block / We made the fiends play truth or dare," contrasting societal glamour with formative street experiences. Lines such as "We dan dan, and hit the new badge back to back / Lets just say that nigga never coming back" hint at retaliation and street codes, while "You earthquake your soul when a nigga that you love turn to rat I spit on his kids, where the fuck he at?" conveys the deep impact of betrayal. Gunn also depicts the effects of addiction with "I see a nigga sniff so much he lost fifty pounds / All you see was cheekbones when he smiled," combining street observation with stark physical imagery.

Gunn’s verse also highlights personal growth and luxury in "My cartier retro, I'm gargling exo" and "When you in the streets so long it's hard to let go / I take off my chains and walk around for two days like my neck broke," showing the difficulty of shedding street identity while flaunting wealth and status. He ends with a confident flex in "My vision better, my beats better, my outlook on life better, I smell better, my kids dress better, whose neck wetter?" emphasizing improvement across all areas of life while maintaining bravado.

Outro

The track closes with a nostalgic, humorous outro featuring Hulk Hogan and Mike Randall in a 1993 WKBW promo. The lines, "Uh, could you look at the camera and ask my news director if he'll give me a raise / You know something Stiff Steve, I heard about what a cheapskate you are man...we're gonna bodyslam ya right in the center of downtown Buffalo dude," provide levity and cinematic flair. This reference ties MIKE into the narrative via the Maniac Mike nickname and shows Gunn’s penchant for blending pop culture history with hip-hop storytelling.

Westside Gunn Blow Hendry Lyrics 

[Verse 1: MIKE]

When it's too late for you to dip, you gotta stay

See a newer day, different script, andale

Get your shoes laced before you trip, it's lot of Ace

A lot of mood swinging in the crib, a lot at play

A lot of dudes came in with stick, wasn't obvious ways

A lot of loot came into the grip, I ponder days

And jot new pages to the script, I was not of age

Was not a school day I didn't skip, my heart of pain

Was hard to do the praying in the wind

I'm sorry bae, it's hard to move when you made of brick, from guarding rage

My garden full of plates I'm tryna pitch, and garden snakes

Hardly moved but they still hissed, the darker days

Not as gloomy but they still exist

Tomorrows angst make me moody, made me fake this shit

I was caught up banking on some newer things for me to get, guess we all the same

But how I grew up crazy as a bitch, I call for grace

Pulling out the phase of the pit

And my dawg was saying 'cause niggas wasn't raising us as kids, not a walk of shame

Niggas ran away from in the business, or all the pain

The proof was in the pain up in the written

[Verse 2: Westside Gunn]

Ayo, [?] wears Celine, broke niggas can't stand me

Rick to the knees, blowing kisses at Michèle Lamy

Vanity Fair beware, whenever we was bored on the block

We made the fiends play truth or dare

We dan dan, and hit the new badge back to back

Lets just say that nigga never coming back

You earthquake your soul when a nigga that you love turn to rat I spit on his kids, where the fuck he at? (where the fuck he at?)

I see a nigga sniff so much he lost fifty pounds

All you see was cheekbones when he smiled

My cartier retro, I'm gargling exo

When you in the streets so long it's hard to let go

I take off my chains and walk around for two days like my neck broke

My vision better, my beats better, my outlook on life better, I smell better, my kids dress better, whose neck wetter?

(super fly god)

[Outro: Hulk Hogan & Mike Randall]

Uh, could you look at the camera and ask my news director if he'll give me a raise

You know something Stiff Steve, I heard about what a cheapskate you are man, and you keep all that money in your back pocket

So me and my main man Maniac Mike here, we've decided if you don't double his income, double his vacation, and give his family all the Christmas presents they want next year, we're gonna bodyslam ya right in the center of downtown Buffalo dude

So what's it gonna do Stiff Steve when Hulk Hogan and Maniac Mike bodyslam you!