Presented by EMPIRE x Hoodclips
Conway the Machine
Over the last decade, rapper Conway theMachine has carved a lane for himself that most won’t dare travel. The Buffalo, New York native has
maintained authenticity and grit, punctuated with bars that have transferred from the muddy waters
of the streets into the mainstream. His Shady Records debut album God Don’t Make Mistakes
continues in that progression, as Conway remains one of rap’s most prolific lyricists and curators of
cutthroat bangers. His first single “John Woo Flick” reunites him with his Griselda co-conspirators
Westside Gunn and Benny The Butcher, crystalizing his new Shady era with his brothers beside
him.
Conway’s history is well-documented, yet the story is still unfolding. After leaving the gates of prison
in his twenties, he took it as a lesson to make his music a priority instead of the street life. However,
many years later, a shootout left him partially paralyzed in his face. He used the near-fatal injury as
his superpower, making the permanent sideways talking slur his signature style in his rhymes.
In 2014, Conway joined Griselda Records, with Westside Gunn at the helm as the label’s founder.
Conway’s mixtapes under Griselda—including Physikal Therapy, The D
Programming descriptions are generated by participants and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of SXSW.