Conway the Machine, a Buffalo rapper, embodies a resurgence of gritty, old-school New York hip-hop through his solo work and involvement with the Griselda collective. In his early 20s, Conway turned to music after a period of incarceration and a life-threatening shooting incident in 2012 that resulted in partial facial paralysis from Bell’s palsy, contributing to his unique delivery style. His journey with Griselda Records began in 2014 when his half-brother, Westside Gunn, established the label. Since then, Conway has released a series of mixtapes and collaborations, leading up to his debut studio album, "From King to a God," which topped the Billboard Heatseekers Albums chart in 2020.