Westside Gunn released Heelmatic today, November 13, 2026, as a joint release through Griselda Records and Mass Appeal. It is his first album for Mass Appeal, the label Nas co-founded, and it runs 16 tracks at roughly 54 minutes. Benny the Butcher, Conway the Machine, Stove God Cooks, Rome Streetz and Brother Tom Sos appear across the album, and Nas joins on "Martin 4sese." The production credits list Denny LaFlare, JR Swiftz, Cee Gee and Camoflauge Monk.
Gunn had originally been working on Awesome God 3, which he had announced as his final solo album. On X he explained that Mass Appeal's Legend series changed his plans and led him to record a new tape instead. The title plays on Nas's Illmatic and on the wrestling term heel, the villain of a storyline. Heelmatic follows the Heels Have Eyes trilogy, which Gunn completed in 2025 with an EP in April, Heels Have Eyes 2 in August and Heels Have Eyes 3 on Halloween.
Heelmatic Tracklist
- Grant Heel
- Blowdysseus (feat. Stove God Cooks)
- Zilla
- Koke Slam
- Sock a Knee (feat. Stove God Cooks)
- Don Pistola (feat. Benny the Butcher & Conway the Machine)
- Martin 4sese (feat. Nas & Rome Streetz)
- Tommy Heelfiger (feat. Stove God Cooks)
- Hurt + Heel (feat. Benny the Butcher)
- Price Choppers
- Egyptian Cadillac
- Bottom Bunk Legends (feat. Benny the Butcher)
- Bavettes (feat. Stove God Cooks)
- Giant Leather
- The Bastard Pac (Hall N Nash: Westside Gunn & Conway the Machine)
- Upstate Farms (feat. Brother Tom Sos)
ZILLA Set the Tone
"ZILLA" was the first preview. Gunn premiered the video on Instagram in late August, and the song returned as the official lead single when he announced the album on October 22. Denny LaFlare produced it, and The Daily Gems directed the video, which shows Gunn riding a camel to the pyramids. "ZILLA" is one of my favorites on the album.
For transparency: I built my own remix around the ZILLA acapella earlier this month, paco in action – Westside Gunn x ZILLA (Remix). My first post on the single is here: Westside Gunn – ZILLA (prod. Denny LaFlare).
Griselda at Full Strength
"Don Pistola" puts Gunn, Benny the Butcher and Conway the Machine on one track, the founding core of Griselda together again. It belongs to my favorites here. Benny returns on "Bottom Bunk Legends" and shares "Hurt + Heel" with Gunn across almost seven minutes. That one splits me a little. The beat gets on my nerves after a while, but the sample underneath is beautifully hypnotic, and it made my list of favorites anyway.
Stove God Cooks appears four times: on "Blowdysseus," "Sock a Knee," "Tommy Heelfiger" and the drumless "Bavettes." "Sock a Knee," produced by JR Swiftz, is one of my favorites on the album.
Martin 4sese: Nas on a Westside Gunn Album
"Martin 4sese" is where the Mass Appeal deal shows most clearly. Nas and Rome Streetz join Gunn on a two-part track. Rome has released his recent albums through Mass Appeal, so the label's current roster and its co-founder meet on Gunn's turf. The track is on my list of favorites.
The Beats That Stand Out for Me
Two productions stand out for me on their own: "Tommy Heelfiger" and "Upstate Farms." Camoflauge Monk produced "Tommy Heelfiger" together with Westside Gunn, and Stove God Cooks is featured. The title turns Tommy Hilfiger into a wrestling pun. Gunn told Highsnobiety that Tommy Hilfiger was among the brands he wore as a kid.
"Upstate Farms" closes the album. Cee Gee produced it with Gunn, and Brother Tom Sos joins him on the mic. Upstate Farms is the milk brand of a Buffalo dairy cooperative, so the album ends on a hometown reference.
A Cam'ron Moment on Egyptian Cadillac
As a Dipset and Cam'ron fan, I was happy to hear a Cam'ron voice sample at the very end of "Egyptian Cadillac." The source is unconfirmed. My guess is that it comes from It Is What It Is, his talk show.
The Bastard Pac and the Wrestling Thread
Wrestling runs through the track titles as usual, and Gunn runs his own promotion, 4th Rope, alongside the music. One track carries real weight. "The Bastard Pac" is credited to Hall N Nash, the duo name Gunn and Conway took from the tag team of Scott Hall and Kevin Nash. The title honors Benjamin Satterley, who wrestled as PAC and used "The Bastard" as his moniker. He died on September 27, 2026, at age 40, a day after competing at AEW All Out, as the Associated Press reported.
Where Heelmatic Lands for Me
Looking at my list, four of my five favorites are tracks with guests: "Don Pistola," "Sock a Knee," "Martin 4sese" and "Hurt + Heel." The fifth is "ZILLA," the solo single. That fits how Gunn describes his own role. In a 2020 interview with The Ringer, he said he sees himself as a curator who likes putting different people together.
Other reviews land in a similar place. whudat counts Heelmatic among his stronger releases, and Ratings Game Music calls it one of his better projects.
Heelmatic is out now via Griselda Records and Mass Appeal.
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