Terrence LeVarr Thornton (born May 13, 1977), better known by his stage name Pusha T, is an American rapper, songwriter and record executive. He rose to prominence as one-half of the hip hop duo
Clipse, which was mainly active from 1994 to 2010, alongside his older brother
No Malice
Gene Elliott Thornton Jr. (born August 18, 1972), better known by his stage name No Malice (formerly known as Malicious and later Malice), is an American rapper from Virginia Beach, Virginia. He is best known for being one half of hip hop duo C ...
. As Clipse, the two released three studio albums and a number of
mixtapes, and had hit singles including "
Grindin'
"Grindin'" is the debut single from Virginia Beach rap duo Clipse. The song was produced by The Neptunes, and featured on the Clipse's debut album, ''Lord Willin. The song became a summer Top 40 hit, reaching number 30 on the ''Billboard'' ...
" and "
When the Last Time
"When the Last Time" is the second official single from the Clipse's album ''Lord Willin. It reached #19 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 on the issue dated December 21, 2002--becoming the group's highest-charting single. The video features a fr ...
" (both 2002).
In September 2010, Pusha T signed to
Kanye West
Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer.
Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the ea ...
's
GOOD Music
GOOD Music (also known simply as GOOD, stylized as G.O.O.D. Music; a backronym for Getting Out Our Dreams) is an American record label founded by rapper Kanye West in 2004. The label signed an exclusive long-term worldwide label agreement with t ...
imprint, under the aegis of
Def Jam Recordings
Def Jam Recordings (also simply known as Def Jam) is an American multinational record label owned by Universal Music Group. It is based in Manhattan, New York City, specializing predominantly in hip hop, contemporary R&B, soul and pop.
The l ...
. Later that year, he was featured on West's single "
Runaway," which peaked at number 12 on the
''Billboard'' Hot 100. In 2011, he released his first solo project, the mixtape ''Fear of God'', which was followed up with his debut solo album, ''
My Name Is My Name
''My Name Is My Name'' is the debut studio album by American rapper Pusha T. It was released on October 8, 2013, by GOOD Music and Def Jam Recordings. While leading up to the album's announcement, Pusha T released the mixtape ''Fear of God'' and ...
'', released in 2013. In November 2015, West appointed Pusha T to take over his role as president of GOOD Music. Pusha T remained a flagship artist for the label until ending his tenure with the company in 2022.
Pusha T has since then released three solo albums: ''
King Push – Darkest Before Dawn: The Prelude'' (2015), ''
Daytona'' (2018), and ''
It's Almost Dry'' (2022), all receiving widespread critical acclaim; the latter was Pusha T's first number one debut on the
''Billboard'' 200.
Early life
Pusha T was born Terrence LeVarr Thornton on May 13, 1977, in the
Bronx
The Bronx () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the state of New York. It is south of Westchester County; north and east of the New York City borough of Manhattan, across the Harlem River; and north of the New Y ...
borough of New York City, though the family soon relocated to
Virginia Beach, Virginia
Virginia Beach is an independent city located on the southeastern coast of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. The population was 459,470 at the 2020 census. Although mostly suburban in character, it is the most populous city ...
, where he and his brother,
Gene Thornton, grew up.
As teenagers, the brothers both sold drugs, with Gene eventually being kicked out of their parents' house after they discovered what he was doing. In 1992, alongside his brother, the two began to pursue a career in
hip hop, forming a group known as
Clipse. His older brother Gene, was known for most of the group's duration as Malice (the two were originally known as Terrar and Malicious, respectively, and in 2012 Gene changed his stage name to
No Malice
Gene Elliott Thornton Jr. (born August 18, 1972), better known by his stage name No Malice (formerly known as Malicious and later Malice), is an American rapper from Virginia Beach, Virginia. He is best known for being one half of hip hop duo C ...
, following a
conversion to Christianity).
Career
1993–2010: Clipse
![Pusha T in Cambridge 3](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7c/Pusha_T_in_Cambridge_3.jpg)
Shortly after forming Clipse, the brothers were introduced to record producer and fellow Virginian
Pharrell Williams of
The Neptunes
The Neptunes are an American songwriting and production duo composed of Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo, formed in Virginia Beach, Virginia, in 1992. Williams often provides additional vocals on records and appears in the duo's music videos ...
, who helped them secure a recording contract with
Elektra Records in 1997.
Terrence initially took the stage name Terrar. After being signed to Elektra, they began working on their debut album, ''
Exclusive Audio Footage
''Exclusive Audio Footage'' is the debut studio album from Virginia hip hop duo Clipse. The album spawned one single and music video "The Funeral", which hit airwaves in 1999. Promotional CD and vinyl copies exist and the LP has been leaked onli ...
''. After recording the entire album, they released one single, "The Funeral", which was commercially unsuccessful and eventually led to the release of the album being cancelled and Clipse being dropped from the label shortly after. After being dropped, Terrar changed his name to Pusha T, and despite not being signed to a major label, he made numerous appearances on other artists' songs, appearing on
Kelis
Kelis Rogers-Mora (; born August 21, 1979), known mononymously as Kelis, is an American singer, songwriter and a professionally trained chef. At age 14, she was admitted to New York's Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Perform ...
' 1999 single "
Good Stuff" and
Nivea
Nivea (, stylized as NIVEA) is a German personal care brand that specializes in skin and body care. It is owned by the Hamburg-based company Beiersdorf Global AG. The company was founded on 28 March 1882, by Paul Carl Beiersdorf. In 1890, it w ...
's 2001 single "
Run Away (I Wanna Be with U)
Runaway, Runaways or Run Away may refer to:
Engineering
* Runaway reaction, a chemical reaction releasing more heat than what can be removed and becoming uncontrollable
* Thermal runaway, self-increase of the reaction rate of an exothermic proce ...
", respectively, thanks to his relationship with The Neptunes, who produced both songs.
In early 2001, Pharrell Williams signed the duo to
Arista Records through his recently established
Star Trak
Star Trak was an American record label, founded by The Neptunes and Rob Walker in 2001. It operated as a division of Interscope Geffen A&M, a subsidiary of Universal Music Group. Its name is a reference to the 1960s TV program ''Star Trek''.
...
imprint. Clipse began working on their major label debut, executively produced by The Neptunes. Their debut single, ''
Grindin'
"Grindin'" is the debut single from Virginia Beach rap duo Clipse. The song was produced by The Neptunes, and featured on the Clipse's debut album, ''Lord Willin. The song became a summer Top 40 hit, reaching number 30 on the ''Billboard'' ...
'' was released on May 14, 2002, and became a summer Top 40 hit, reaching number 30 on the
''Billboard'' Hot 100 on July 30, 2002. Similar success followed with their second single, ''
When the Last Time
"When the Last Time" is the second official single from the Clipse's album ''Lord Willin. It reached #19 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 on the issue dated December 21, 2002--becoming the group's highest-charting single. The video features a fr ...
'', which peaked at #19. Fueled by two successful singles, Clipse released their commercial debut album ''
Lord Willin'
''Lord Willin is the major label debut and second studio album by hip hop duo Clipse. The album was released on August 20, 2002 in the United States by Star Trak and Arista. Recording sessions took place over a year, beginning in 2001. Produc ...
'' on August 20, 2002, debuting at #1 on Billboard's Top R&B/Hip-hop Album chart and #4 on the
Billboard 200
The ''Billboard'' 200 is a record chart ranking the 200 most popular music albums and EPs in the United States. It is published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine and is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of ar ...
, eventually being certified gold by the
Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on October 1, 2002.
In late 2003, Clipse began recording material for their second album, ''
Hell Hath No Fury''.
However, further work on the album ground to a halt in 2004, when
Arista Records's urban artists were absorbed into its sister label
Jive Records as part of a larger merger between
Sony Music Entertainment
Sony Music Entertainment (SME), also known as simply Sony Music, is an American multinational music company. Being owned by the parent conglomerate Sony Group Corporation, it is part of the Sony Music Group, which is owned by Sony Entertainmen ...
and
BMG.
Due to contractual requirements, Clipse was forced to stay on Jive, while Star Trak and the rest of its roster moved to their new home at
Interscope Records.
While Clipse resumed work on the album, and eventually finished recording it, the duo became increasingly frustrated with Jive, as the label was notorious for overlooking hip-hop artists such as Clipse,
UGK
UGK (short for Underground Kingz) was an American hip hop duo from Port Arthur, Texas, formed in 1987, by Chad "Pimp C" Butler and Bernard "Bun B" Freeman. They released their first major-label album, ''Too Hard to Swallow'', in 1992, followe ...
and
Keith Murray
Keith Omar Murray (born May 29, 1974) is an American rapper from New York. Murray grew up on Carleton Ave, in Central Islip, which is located on the South Shore of Long Island in Suffolk County. Murray was a known member of a local rap collec ...
in favor of the more pop-oriented acts on its roster, which caused numerous delays in the release of ''Hell Hath No Fury''.
As delays continued, the group asked for a formal release from its contract. When Jive refused to grant this request, the duo sued the label.
In response to this, in 2004, the brothers launched their own record label imprint,
Re-Up Records, and formed the hip hop group
Re-Up Gang
The Re-Up Gang are an American hip hop group formed in 2004, in Virginia Beach, Virginia. The group was formed by Pusha T and Malice, brothers and members of Virginia-based hip hop duo Clipse, alongside Philadelphia-based rappers Ab-Liva and S ...
, along with fellow rappers
Ab-Liva
The Re-Up Gang are an American hip hop group formed in 2004, in Virginia Beach, Virginia. The group was formed by Pusha T and Malice, brothers and members of Virginia-based hip hop duo Clipse, alongside Philadelphia-based rappers Ab-Liva and ...
and Sandman.
On May 9, 2006, Clipse finally reached an agreement with Jive to release the album through both Re-Up and Jive.
''Hell Hath No Fury'' was finally released on November 28, 2006. Once again produced by
The Neptunes
The Neptunes are an American songwriting and production duo composed of Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo, formed in Virginia Beach, Virginia, in 1992. Williams often provides additional vocals on records and appears in the duo's music videos ...
, it debuted at #14 on the
''Billboard'' 200 with over 80,000 copies sold in the 1st week. While the album received a great deal of critical acclaim, its sales were less successful than Lord Willin'.
It spawned two moderately successful singles: "
Mr. Me Too
"Mr. Me Too" is a song by American hip hop duo Clipse, released on May 23, 2006 as the lead single from their second studio album '' Hell Hath No Fury'' (2006). The song features guest vocals and production by American musician Pharrell Williams ...
" with
Pharrell Williams and "
Wamp Wamp (What It Do)" with
Slim Thug
Stayve Jerome Thomas (born September 8, 1980), better known by his stage name Slim Thug, is an American rapper. He initially gained mainstream attention for his contribution to the hit single by rapper Mike Jones, " Still Tippin'". In July 2005, ...
.
Clipse's frustrations with Jive were a constant theme of the album, with Pusha T saying ''"I'm sorry to the fans, but them crackers weren't playing fair at Jive"'' on the track ''Mr. Me Too''.
The
hip hop magazine ''
XXL'' gave the album a "XXL" rating, marking it as a five-star album. At the time only five albums had previously received that honor.
![Pusha T](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b6/Pusha_T.jpg)
In a May 19, 2007, interview with ''
Eye Weekly'', Clipse revealed that they had been officially released from any contractual obligations with Jive.
After this, the duo began discussions with several record labels, eventually signing with
Columbia Records on October 26, 2007.
The follow-up to ''Hell Hath No Fury'', titled ''
Til the Casket Drops'', was released on December 8, 2009, via Columbia Records.
In a departure from the group's previous works, which only featured production from the Neptunes, the album features production from
Sean "Diddy" Combs
Sean Combs (born Sean John Combs; November 4, 1969), also known by his stage names Puff Daddy, P. Diddy, Puffy, or Diddy, is an American rapper, actor, record producer, and record executive. Born in New York City, he worked as a talent directo ...
' production team
The Hitmen, and
DJ Khalil
Khalil Abdul-Rahman Hazzard (born October 16, 1973), professionally known as DJ Khalil, is an American music producer and DJ from Los Angeles. He is the instrumental half of the hip hop duo Self Scientific (along with rapper Chace Infinite) an ...
among others. The album did not fare as well commercially as the group's first two albums, peaking at only #41 on the Billboard 200.
2010–2011: Solo career beginnings
After releasing their third album, Pusha T and Malice announced Clipse would be going on indefinite hiatus so the brothers could focus on their solo careers. Shortly after this, Pusha T was signed to
Kanye West
Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer.
Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the ea ...
's
GOOD Music
GOOD Music (also known simply as GOOD, stylized as G.O.O.D. Music; a backronym for Getting Out Our Dreams) is an American record label founded by rapper Kanye West in 2004. The label signed an exclusive long-term worldwide label agreement with t ...
label in September 2010, and made his first appearance as a member of the GOOD roster on Kanye West's ''
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
''My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy'' is the fifth studio album by American rapper and producer Kanye West. It was released by Def Jam Recordings and Roc-A-Fella Records on November 22, 2010, following a period of public controversy for West. Re ...
'', appearing on his hit "
Runaway" and premiering the song with him at the
2010 MTV Video Music Awards on September 12, 2010. He was also featured on several tracks from West's
GOOD Fridays
GOOD Fridays was a weekly free music release by rapper Kanye West, launched in support of his fifth studio album '' My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy'' (2010). The original intention was to release a free new song every Friday for a few months to ...
series and made other appearances on
Swizz Beatz
Kasseem Daoud Dean (born September 13, 1978), known professionally as Swizz Beatz, is an American record producer, rapper, disc jockey (DJ) and songwriter. Born and raised in New York City, Dean embarked on his musical career as a DJ. At the ag ...
's Monster Mondays series,
Lloyd Banks
Christopher Charles Lloyd (born April 30, 1982), better known by his stage name Lloyd Banks, is an American rapper. He began his career as a member of East Coast hip hop group G-Unit, alongside childhood friends 50 Cent and Tony Yayo. After th ...
' ''
H.F.M. 2 (Hunger for More 2)'' and
Tabi Bonney
Tabiabuè Bonney, better known as Tabi Bonney, is a Togo-born, Washington, D.C.-based rapper. He is the son of Itadi Bonney, an afro-funk musician popular during the 1970s in Togo and West Africa. Bonney achieved recognition in the Washingt ...
's ''Fresh'', respectively. On the week of December 16, 2010, Pusha T signed an exclusive management deal with
NUE Agency. On February 11, 2011,
Funkmaster Flex
Aston George Taylor Jr. (born August 5, 1968), professionally known as Funkmaster Flex, is an American DJ, rapper, record producer, and host on New York City's Hot 97 radio station. In 1992, he became host of the first hip hop radio show on Hot 9 ...
debuted Pusha T's debut solo single on
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...
's
Hot 97
WQHT (97.1 FM, ''Hot 97'') is a commercial radio station, licensed to New York, New York, which broadcasts an urban contemporary music format. The station is owned by Mediaco Holding and operated by Emmis Communications under a shared ser ...
. The track, titled "My God", was produced by
Hit-Boy
Chauncey Alexander Hollis Jr. (born May 21, 1987), better known by his stage name Hit-Boy, is an American record producer, rapper, singer, and songwriter. In May 2011, he had signed a two-year deal with Kanye West's GOOD Music production branch. ...
and was generally well received by the public. Soon after, the song leaked onto the internet, however was not officially released through iTunes and Amazon until August 24, 2011. On August 31, 2011, it was announced Pusha had signed a solo record deal with
Def Jam.
On March 21, 2011, Pusha T released his solo debut, a
mixtape titled ''Fear of God'', which included "My God" and featured both
freestyles and original songs, and included features from Kanye West,
50 Cent,
Rick Ross,
Pharrell Williams and
Kevin Cossom
Kevin () is the anglicized form of the Irish masculine given name (; mga, Caoimhghín ; sga, Cóemgein ; Latinized as ). It is composed of "dear; noble"; Old Irish and ("birth"; Old Irish ).
The variant ''Kevan'' is anglicized from , an ...
. The mixtape was well received, and soon after he began working on his debut
extended play
An extended play record, usually referred to as an EP, is a musical recording that contains more tracks than a single but fewer than an album or LP record. (EP) ''
Fear of God II: Let Us Pray'', which initially included four songs from the mixtape and five new songs. The EP was originally set to be released on June 21, 2011;
however, it was pushed back to August 23, and for a while September 27 was believed to be the date, but after it came and went, on October 6, 2011, Pusha T announced the EP was set to be released on November 8, 2011. In addition, it was revealed he had added four more songs to the EP, bringing it to 12 tracks in total. Considered a re-release of the initial ''Fear of God'', it was released on November 8, 2011, and was well received by critics.
![Kanye at Lollapalooza Santiago 2011 9](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ae/Kanye_at_Lollapalooza_Santiago_2011_9.jpg)
The first single from ''Fear of God II: Let Us Pray'' was leaked onto the Internet on July 8, 2011. The song, titled "
Trouble on My Mind
"Trouble on My Mind" is a song by United States, American hip hop music, hip hop recording artist Pusha T, released as the lead single from his debut Extended play, EP ''Fear of God II: Let Us Pray''. It was Hip hop production, produced by longti ...
", features
Odd Future
Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All, better known as Odd Future and often abbreviated as OF, was an American hip-hop music collective formed in Los Angeles County, California in 2007. The original members were Tyler, the Creator, Casey Veggies, ...
frontman
Tyler, The Creator
Tyler Gregory Okonma (born March 6, 1991), known professionally as Tyler, the Creator, is an American rapper and record producer. He is one of the founding members of the music collective Odd Future.
Okonma self-released his debut mixtape ' ...
. The EP's second single, "Amen", was released September 13, 2011. The song, originally meant for
Young Jeezy
Jay Wayne Jenkins (born September 28, 1977), known by his stage name Jeezy (or Young Jeezy), is an American rapper. Signing to Def Jam Recordings in 2004, his major label debut, '' Let's Get It: Thug Motivation 101'', was released the followin ...
, was produced by
Shawty Redd
Demetrius Lee Stewart (born June 21, 1981), better known by his stage name Shawty Redd, is an American record producer and rapper. He is cited as one of the pioneers of the production style which would become synonymous with the trap subgenre.
...
and features verses from Kanye West and Young Jeezy, respectively. After the EP's release on November 8, the project debuted at number 66 on the
''Billboard'' 200 with 8,900 copies sold in its first week released.
It also entered at number ten on ''
Billboard''s
R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, at number eight on ''
Billboard''s
Top Rap Albums
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a music chart published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales in the United States and is compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The chart debuted as Hot R&B LPs in the issue dated ...
, and at number 25 on its
Digital Albums
The ''Billboard'' charts tabulate the relative weekly popularity of songs and albums in the United States and elsewhere. The results are published in ''Billboard'' magazine. ''Billboard'' biz, the online extension of the ''Billboard'' charts, pr ...
chart.
[R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Week of November 26, 2011](_blank)
''Billboard''. Retrieved on November 19, 2011.[Rap Albums – Week of November 26, 2011](_blank)
''Billboard''. Retrieved on November 19, 2011.
In 2011, Pusha T appeared on the second season of the
HBO series
Series may refer to:
People with the name
* Caroline Series (born 1951), English mathematician, daughter of George Series
* George Series (1920–1995), English physicist
Arts, entertainment, and media
Music
* Series, the ordered sets used in ...
''
How to Make It in America
''How to Make It in America'' is an American comedy-drama television series that ran on HBO from February 14, 2010, to November 20, 2011. The series follows the lives of Ben Epstein ( Bryan Greenberg) and his friend Cam Calderon ( Victor Rasuk) a ...
''. He played the role of a henchman for Urban Caribbean League. After the release of his EP, Pusha T started working on his solo debut studio album, which would be executively produced by Kanye West. Pusha also said that after the release of his solo debut album and the
Re-Up Gang
The Re-Up Gang are an American hip hop group formed in 2004, in Virginia Beach, Virginia. The group was formed by Pusha T and Malice, brothers and members of Virginia-based hip hop duo Clipse, alongside Philadelphia-based rappers Ab-Liva and S ...
mixtape, ''Long Live the Cane'',
Clipse would also reunite and release another album.
In late 2011, Pusha made a guest appearance on English pop music, pop singer
Pixie Lott
Victoria Louise Lott (born 12 January 1991), better known by her stage name Pixie Lott, is an English singer and songwriter. Her debut album, '' Turn It Up'', released in September 2009, reached number six on the UK Albums Chart and sold ov ...
's "
What Do You Take Me For?
"What Do You Take Me For?" is a song by English singer Pixie Lott from her second studio album, ''Young Foolish Happy'' (2011). The song features American rapper Pusha T and was released on 4 November 2011 as the album's second single. The track r ...
", the second single from her second studio album ''
Young Foolish Happy
''Young Foolish Happy'' is the second studio album by English singer Pixie Lott, released on 11 November 2011 by Mercury Records. Lott enlisted previous collaborators Mads Hauge, Phil Thornalley, Toby Gad, Steve Kipner and Andrew Frampton to hand ...
''. The song was a
hit single in the UK, peaking at number ten on the
UK Top 40
The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
.
2012–2014: ''My Name Is My Name''
On October 19, 2011, via
Twitter
Twitter is an online social media and social networking service owned and operated by American company Twitter, Inc., on which users post and interact with 280-character-long messages known as "tweets". Registered users can post, like, and ...
, Kanye West announced plans for a Spring 2012
GOOD Music
GOOD Music (also known simply as GOOD, stylized as G.O.O.D. Music; a backronym for Getting Out Our Dreams) is an American record label founded by rapper Kanye West in 2004. The label signed an exclusive long-term worldwide label agreement with t ...
album, featuring all artists from the label as well as numerous guest appearances. On April 6, 2012, "
Mercy
Mercy (Middle English, from Anglo-French ''merci'', from Medieval Latin ''merced-'', ''merces'', from Latin, "price paid, wages", from ''merc-'', ''merxi'' "merchandise") is benevolence, forgiveness, and kindness in a variety of ethical, relig ...
", the lead single from the GOOD Music compilation album ''
Cruel Summer'' was released. The song, produced by newly signed in-house producer Lifted, features Pusha T along with Kanye West,
Big Sean
Sean Michael Leonard Anderson (born March 25, 1988), known professionally as Big Sean, is an American rapper. Anderson began his music career in 2007 and gained popularity in 2010 with his third mixtape '' Finally Famous Vol. 3: Big''. He then s ...
and
southern rapper 2 Chainz
Tauheed K. Epps (born September 12, 1977), known professionally as 2 Chainz (or Tity Boi), is an American rapper. Born and raised in College Park, Georgia, he initially gained recognition as one-half of the Southern hip hop duo Playaz Circle, a ...
. On May 24, 2012, Pusha T released a song titled "Exodus 23:1" featuring
The-Dream
Terius Youngdell Nash (born September 20, 1977), better known by his stage name The-Dream, is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. His co-writing credits include songs with "Me Against the Music" (2003) for Britney Spears, " Rid ...
. It is speculated that the song is a
diss track
A diss track, diss record or diss song (diss – abbr. from ''disrespect'') is a song whose primary purpose is to verbally attack someone else, usually another artist. Diss tracks are often the result of an existing, escalating feud between the ...
aimed at
Young Money
Young Money Entertainment is an American record label founded by rapper Lil Wayne. Young Money's president is Lil Wayne's lifelong friend and fellow rapper Mack Maine. The label was an imprint of Cash Money Records and is distributed by Republi ...
rappers
Drake
Drake may refer to:
Animals
* A male duck
People and fictional characters
* Drake (surname), a list of people and fictional characters with the family name
* Drake (given name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name
* ...
and
Lil Wayne
Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. (born September 27, 1982), known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record executive. His career began in 1995, at the age of 12, when he was signed by rapper Birdman, joining ...
.
This resulted in a diss-song by Lil Wayne, which Pusha T did not directly respond to, but branded it as "horrible" in an interview. He was featured alongside West on the third single for ''Cruel Summer'' - "
New God Flow". In October 2012, Pusha T made an appearance on the
soundtrack to the film ''
The Man with the Iron Fists
''The Man with the Iron Fists'' is a 2012 American martial arts film directed by RZA and written by RZA and Eli Roth. The film stars RZA, Russell Crowe, Cung Le, Lucy Liu, Byron Mann, Rick Yune, Dave Bautista, and Jamie Chung. Set in 19th cen ...
'' on a track titled "Tick Tock" alongside fellow American rappers
Raekwon
Corey Woods (born January 12, 1970), better known by his stage name Raekwon The Chef, or simply Raekwon (), is an American rapper. He rose to prominence as a founding member of the hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan, which achieved mainstream success ...
,
Joell Ortiz and
Danny Brown
Daniel Dewan Sewell (born March 16, 1981), better known by his stage name Danny Brown, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. He has been described by MTV as "one of rap's most unique figures in recent memory".
In 2010, after amassing ...
.
On October 8, 2012, Pusha T released "
Pain" featuring southern rapper
Future, the first single from his debut album. That same day
''Spin'' magazine reported that Pusha T's debut album had been pushed back until 2013. While performing in
Vancouver
Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the ...
, Canada, it was reported that Pusha T announced he would be releasing a mixtape entitled ''Wrath of Caine'' preceding the release of his debut studio album.
Later in November, Thornton announced the title of his debut studio album to be ''
My Name Is My Name
''My Name Is My Name'' is the debut studio album by American rapper Pusha T. It was released on October 8, 2013, by GOOD Music and Def Jam Recordings. While leading up to the album's announcement, Pusha T released the mixtape ''Fear of God'' and ...
''. On December 5, 2012, Pusha T released "Blocka" the first single from his ''Wrath of Caine'' mixtape. The song features
Travis Scott and
Popcaan
Andrae Hugh Sutherland (born 19 July 1988), known professionally as Popcaan, is a Jamaican singer.
In 2008, Popcaan joined Vybz Kartel's Gaza Music Empire. In 2010, he released his breakthrough international hit "Clarks" with Kartel, an ode ...
. The music video for the song was released on December 11, 2012. The mixtape was released on January 28, 2013, along with the announcement of his album coming at the end of the first quarter of 2013. In January 2013 it was announced that Pusha would be performing at the 2013
Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.
![Pusha T 2013](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/dd/Pusha_T_2013.jpg)
''My Name Is My Name'' was scheduled to be released on July 16, 2013, but was pushed back to October. Pusha T's debut studio album was released on October 8, 2013, featuring guest appearances from
Rick Ross,
Young Jeezy
Jay Wayne Jenkins (born September 28, 1977), known by his stage name Jeezy (or Young Jeezy), is an American rapper. Signing to Def Jam Recordings in 2004, his major label debut, '' Let's Get It: Thug Motivation 101'', was released the followin ...
,
2 Chainz
Tauheed K. Epps (born September 12, 1977), known professionally as 2 Chainz (or Tity Boi), is an American rapper. Born and raised in College Park, Georgia, he initially gained recognition as one-half of the Southern hip hop duo Playaz Circle, a ...
,
Big Sean
Sean Michael Leonard Anderson (born March 25, 1988), known professionally as Big Sean, is an American rapper. Anderson began his music career in 2007 and gained popularity in 2010 with his third mixtape '' Finally Famous Vol. 3: Big''. He then s ...
,
Future,
Pharrell Williams,
Chris Brown and
Kendrick Lamar
Kendrick Lamar Duckworth (born June 17, 1987) is an American rapper and songwriter. Known for his progressive musical styles and socially conscious songwriting, he is often considered one of the most influential hip hop artists of his generat ...
, among others. The album was met with acclaim from music critics and was positioned high on many "Best Albums of 2013" lists by major publications. The album also fared well commercially, debuting at number 4 on the US
''Billboard'' 200, selling 74,000 copies in its first week of release. As of July 8, 2017, the album has sold 182,000 copies in the United States. The album was promoted by five singles: "
Pain" featuring Future, "Numbers on the Boards", "
Sweet Serenade
"Sweet Serenade" is a song by American hip hop recording artist Pusha T from his debut studio album ''My Name Is My Name'' (2013). "Sweet Serenade" features vocals from American singer Chris Brown, with Hip hop production, production by Swizz Beat ...
" featuring Chris Brown, "Let Me Love You" featuring
Kelly Rowland
Kelendria Trene Rowland (born February 11, 1981) is an American singer, actress, and television personality. She rose to fame in the late 1990s as a member of Destiny's Child, one of the world's best-selling girl groups of all time. During the gr ...
, and "
Nosetalgia
"Nosetalgia" is a song by American hip hop recording artist Pusha T from his debut studio album ''My Name Is My Name'' (2013). "Nosetalgia" features vocals from American rapper Kendrick Lamar, with production handled by Nottz, Kanye West and addi ...
" featuring Kendrick Lamar, along with the promotional single "Who I Am" featuring 2 Chainz and Big Sean. The album includes production from Kanye West,
The Neptunes
The Neptunes are an American songwriting and production duo composed of Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo, formed in Virginia Beach, Virginia, in 1992. Williams often provides additional vocals on records and appears in the duo's music videos ...
,
The-Dream
Terius Youngdell Nash (born September 20, 1977), better known by his stage name The-Dream, is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. His co-writing credits include songs with "Me Against the Music" (2003) for Britney Spears, " Rid ...
,
Just Blaze
Justin Gregory Smith (born January 8, 1978), known professionally as Just Blaze, is an American hip hop record producer and DJ. Born in Paterson, New Jersey, Blaze attended Rutgers University for three years before dropping out to pursue his mu ...
,
No I.D.
Ernest Dion Wilson (born June 23, 1971), professionally known as No I.D. (formerly Immenslope), is an American hip hop and R&B producer from Chicago, Illinois. Wilson is also a disc jockey (DJ), music arranger and former rapper, having relea ...
,
Nottz
Dominick J. Lamb, (born February 21, 1977) better known by his stage name Nottz (or Nottz Raw), is an American hip hop record producer and rapper from Norfolk, Virginia. Nottz has produced for some of the biggest names in hip hop, including Bu ...
,
Don Cannon
Donald Cannon (born August 2, 1979) is an American DJ, record producer, songwriter, and record executive. Cannon is a co-founder of the Atlantic Records imprint, Generation Now. He was also a member of the prominent Atlanta mixtape collective, ...
and
Swizz Beatz
Kasseem Daoud Dean (born September 13, 1978), known professionally as Swizz Beatz, is an American record producer, rapper, disc jockey (DJ) and songwriter. Born and raised in New York City, Dean embarked on his musical career as a DJ. At the ag ...
, among others. In an April 2013 interview with ''
AskMen
AskMen is a free online men's web portal, with international versions in Australia, Canada, the Middle East, the United Kingdom and the United States. It is owned by Ziff Davis and operates through the IGN Entertainment unit.
History
AskMen was ...
'', Pusha revealed that shortly after his debut album was released, he would finish working on his second album, titled ''King Push''.
In 2013, Pusha T provided guest vocals over a Vice remix of "
I'll Be Gone" for the remix album, ''
Recharged'', by American rock band
Linkin Park.
2014–2018: ''King Push – Darkest Before Dawn''
On November 19, 2014, Pusha released a single titled "
Lunch Money", produced by Kanye West.
In December 2014, Pusha T ''King Push'' for a Spring 2015 release. In May 2015, he announced the album would be pushed back to June. On November 9, 2015, Pusha revealed to ''
Billboard'' that he had been appointed the new president of GOOD Music.
![Pusha T (21898809281)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/41/Pusha_T_%2821898809281%29.jpg)
On November 12, 2015, Pusha T released a single titled "Untouchable", produced by
Timbaland
Timothy Zachery Mosley (born March 10, 1972), known professionally as Timbaland, is an American record producer, rapper, singer, songwriter, and record executive. He has received widespread acclaim for his innovative production work and distinc ...
. On November 23, 2015, it was announced that Pusha T would release a new album, ''
King Push – Darkest Before Dawn: The Prelude'' before the aforementioned ''King Push'' album, serving as a prelude to ''King Push''. It was released on December 18, 2015, and received widespread acclaim from critics.
''Darkest Before Dawn'' reached over 17 million streams in its first week. On May 31, 2016, Pusha T released the lead single from his upcoming ''King Push'' album, ''
Drug Dealers Anonymous
"Drug Dealers Anonymous" is a song by American rapper Pusha T. It was released on May 31, 2016. The hip-hop track was produced by DJ Dahi
Dacoury Dahi Natche (born March 10, 1983), professionally known as DJ Dahi, is an American DJ, songwrit ...
'' featuring
Jay Z, initially exclusively through Jay Z's streaming service
Tidal
Tidal is the adjectival form of tide.
Tidal may also refer to:
* ''Tidal'' (album), a 1996 album by Fiona Apple
* Tidal (king), a king involved in the Battle of the Vale of Siddim
* TidalCycles, a live coding environment for music
* Tidal (servic ...
.
In a June 2016 interview, former record executive
Steve Stoute claimed that Pusha T had allegedly written the
McDonald's "I'm lovin' it" jingle. Thornton later confirmed the news on Twitter. However, this claim has been disputed by advertising executives who created the campaign, and a McDonald's marketing executive. Neither Stoute nor Pusha T have commented on the dispute.
In 2017, he collaborated once again with Linkin Park on the song "
Good Goodbye
"Good Goodbye" is a promotional single by American rock band Linkin Park, featuring guest vocals from American rapper Pusha T and British rapper Stormzy. The song is a promotional single from their seventh studio album, '' One More Light''. The s ...
" of the band's seventh studio album ''
One More Light
''One More Light'' is the seventh studio album by American rock band Linkin Park. It was released on May 19, 2017, through Warner Bros. Records and Machine Shop. It is the last Linkin Park album to feature lead vocalist Chester Bennington befo ...
''. In the same year, Pusha T collaborated with the virtual band
Gorillaz on the song "
Let Me Out" from their studio album ''
Humanz
''Humanz'' is the fifth studio album by British virtual band Gorillaz. It was released on 28 April 2017 in the United Kingdom by Parlophone and in the United States by Warner Bros. Records. The album was announced on the band's official Instagr ...
''.
2018–present: ''Daytona'' and ''It's Almost Dry''
On April 19, 2018, Kanye West announced on his Twitter page that Pusha T's ''King Push'' album would be released on May 25, 2018. On May 23, 2018, Pusha T announced on his Twitter page that he changed the album title from ''King Push'' to
''Daytona''. The album garnered controversy when West spent $85,000 to acquire the cover art: a photo of
Whitney Houston
Whitney Elizabeth Houston (August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012) was an American singer and actress. Nicknamed " The Voice", she is one of the bestselling music artists of all time, with sales of over 200 million records worldwide. Houston i ...
's drug-filled bathroom, taken in her
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,7 ...
residence in 2006. Not only did the content of the album cover cause outside controversy, but Pusha T claims to not have agreed with the price West paid for the photo. On May 25, 2018, ''Daytona'' released to critical acclaim. It received an 86 on Metacritic, indicating "universal acclaim". Subsequently, he was named the "Best Rapper Alive" by
Complex
Complex commonly refers to:
* Complexity, the behaviour of a system whose components interact in multiple ways so possible interactions are difficult to describe
** Complex system, a system composed of many components which may interact with each ...
for 2018 for his work on ''Daytona'' and his diss track "
The Story of Adidon
"The Story of Adidon" is a diss track by American rapper Pusha T aimed at Canadian rapper Drake, released on May 29, 2018. It reuses the instrumental track from Jay-Z's "The Story of O.J.", which was produced by No I.D. and sampled " Four Women" ...
". The album received praise from hip-hop veterans Nas and P. Diddy, calling it "a classic album" and "a modern day masterpiece".
In February 2020, Pusha T started a new record label, Heir Wave Media Group, to sign and develop artists from the
Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
area. He remained the president of
G.O.O.D. Music while focusing on building a roster of artists from his home state. In creating the label, Pusha cited his desire to recruit "album artists" who craft narratives and larger stories throughout their projects.
Local artists were encouraged to submit music to the Heir Wave Music YouTube channel and a weekly radio show on a local station,
103 Jamz FM.
In the label's first year, Heir Wave Music signed Kahri 1k, Shaolinn, Leeto, and WhyNotDuce.
On February 7, 2022, Pusha T released "
Diet Coke
Diet Coke (also branded as Coca-Cola Light, Coca-Cola Diet or Coca-Cola Light Taste) is a sugar-free and low-calorie soft drink produced and distributed by the Coca-Cola Company. It contains artificial sweeteners instead of sugar. Unveiled on ...
", the lead single from his fourth studio album ''
It's Almost Dry'', which was produced by Kanye West and
88-Keys
Charles Misodi Njapa (born March 5, 1976), better known by his stage name 88-Keys, is an American record producer and rapper from New York City.
Biography
Born in New York City to West African parents from Cameroon, he was raised in the Eastches ...
. The music video for the single was released the next day, directed by Omar Jones, and features Pusha T and West moving around over a white backdrop, which pays direct homage to
Craig Mack
Craig Jamieson Mack (May 10, 1971 – March 12, 2018) was an American rapper and record producer, and was famous during his tenure under Bad Boy Records.
Early life and career
Craig Jamieson Mack was born in The Bronx, New York, and raised on ...
's
Flava in Ya Ear (Remix)" music video.
88-Keys later revealed that the beat for the single was made 18 years before the song was made, on a beat tape named ''The Makings of Crack Cocaine''.
On March 4, Pusha T and
Nigo released the single "Hear Me Clearly" for Nigo's album ''
I Know Nigo!'', the song is also set to appear on ''It's Almost Dry''. He also appeared alongside his brother No Malice as Clipse on the song "Punch Bowl" on the ''I Know Nigo!'' album as well. The music video also for "Hear Me Clearly" released on March 30.
On that same month on the 21st, Pusha T appeared in a commercial for fast food chain
Arby's
Arby's is an American fast food sandwich restaurant chain with more than 3,300 restaurants system wide and third in terms of revenue. In October 2017, ''Food & Wine'' called Arby's "America's second largest sandwich chain (after Subway)".
Arby ...
, with a diss track named "Spicy Fish Diss" aimed at fellow fast food chain
McDonald's
McDonald's Corporation is an American multinational fast food chain, founded in 1940 as a restaurant operated by Richard and Maurice McDonald, in San Bernardino, California, United States. They rechristened their business as a hambur ...
because of their Fillet-O-Fish sandwich, and states that Arby's' Fish Sandwich is better.
On April 6, Pusha T released the third single for ''It's Almost Dry'', "
Neck & Wrist" featuring rapper
Jay-Z and Pharrell, and would later appear in an interview with
Charlamagne tha God, which released on the 11th.
On the 18th, Pusha T announced the release date of ''It's Almost Dry'' as April 22,
and also announced a listening party in New York City named "Cokechella".
The long-awaited album was officially released on April 22, produced by artists
Pharrell
Pharrell Lanscilo Williams (; born April 5, 1973) is an American record producer, rapper, singer, and songwriter. Alongside close colleague Chad Hugo, he formed the hip hop and R&B production duo the Neptunes in the early 1990s, with whom h ...
and
Ye and featuring artists such as
Jay-Z,
Kid Cudi,
Lil Uzi Vert
Symere Bysil Woods ( ; born July 31, 1995), known professionally as Lil Uzi Vert, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. They are characterized by their facial tattoos, facial piercings, eccentric hairstyles and androgynous fashion, ima ...
,
Nigo, and his brother
No Malice
Gene Elliott Thornton Jr. (born August 18, 1972), better known by his stage name No Malice (formerly known as Malicious and later Malice), is an American rapper from Virginia Beach, Virginia. He is best known for being one half of hip hop duo C ...
, among others. The album received critical acclaim from fans and critics alike.
In May 2022, Pusha T topped the Billboard chart for the first time. ''It's Almost Dry'' won No.1 Album and topped the
Billboard 200
The ''Billboard'' 200 is a record chart ranking the 200 most popular music albums and EPs in the United States. It is published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine and is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of ar ...
dated May 7, 2022, with a total of 55,000 album equivalent units.
Feuds
Consequence
After Pusha T released "My God", the first single from his solo mixtape, his former
GOOD Music
GOOD Music (also known simply as GOOD, stylized as G.O.O.D. Music; a backronym for Getting Out Our Dreams) is an American record label founded by rapper Kanye West in 2004. The label signed an exclusive long-term worldwide label agreement with t ...
label-mate
Consequence
Consequence may refer to:
* Logical consequence, also known as a ''consequence relation'', or ''entailment''
* In operant conditioning, a result of some behavior
* Consequentialism, a theory in philosophy in which the morality of an act is determi ...
took to
Twitter
Twitter is an online social media and social networking service owned and operated by American company Twitter, Inc., on which users post and interact with 280-character-long messages known as "tweets". Registered users can post, like, and ...
and claimed Pusha T stole his flow and lyrics from a song of his that Pusha T was supposed to appear on, titled "The Last Supper". On July 22, 2011, Consequence released a song titled "The Plagiarist Society" where he takes shots and questions Pusha T's
coke-dealing raps. Towards the end of the record, the Queens native promises to take aim at Kanye West next saying "You're nothing but a body shield, for that coward from the mid-west/ so yes you can bet, that your boss is next".
Pusha T responded to the diss track when he appeared on
Chicago's 107.5 WGCI's The Morning Riot and said nobody is looking for Consequence, as for if he would respond on a record, Pusha T went on to say "At the end of the day I am an artist and this whole rap thing is fun to me, so I can't say you won't hear nothing, but to go back and forth with him, it's not right, I won't get anything out of it." Later that day, Consequence called into Chicago's WGCI's The Morning Riot in retaliation to the remarks Pusha T made about him. He also premiered a song titled "Everybody Told Me 2 (Straighten It Out)" where he disses West, Pusha T and GOOD Music in general. Since then Pusha T has responded to Consequence on a record. The song was the remix to
Ace Hood
Antoine Franklin McColister (born May 11, 1988), better known by his stage name Ace Hood, is an American rapper. He was born in Port St. Lucie, Florida and raised in Deerfield Beach, Florida. He was signed to record producer DJ Khaled's label W ...
's "
Go 'N' Get It" which also featured
Beanie Sigel,
Busta Rhymes and
Styles P
David R. Styles (born November 28, 1974), better known by his stage name Styles P (also known mononymously as Styles), is an American rapper, best known as a member of hip hop group the Lox, alongside childhood friends Sheek Louch and Jadakiss ...
. In the song Pusha raps "Consequence, nigga, talk is cheap You don't want a problem? Off the beef Before I off his ass with his awful teeth". On August 19, Consequence released ''Movies on Demand 3'' and continued to
diss his former label and Pusha T on songs such as "Career Killer" and "Mr.RapFix (Hot Water)".
On September 15, 2011, Consequence appeared on
MTV's Rap Fix and announced his feud with Kanye West and GOOD Music was over. While out in Chicago in October 2011, Pusha T appeared on WGCI radio for a second time, and confirmed that the "beef" was indeed over, that it had died out and they have moved on. In January 2015, the two officially ended the feud when Consequence took to his Instagram page to let the people know: "All G.O.O.D. in 2015, Pusha
and I deaded everything and we creatively vibed with Kanye for this
new LP."
Lil Wayne
The tension between Pusha T and rapper
Lil Wayne
Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. (born September 27, 1982), known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record executive. His career began in 1995, at the age of 12, when he was signed by rapper Birdman, joining ...
had been going on for years, beginning soon after
Clipse and
Birdman worked on "What Happened to That Boy", the latter's 2002 single. In 2006, Wayne felt the Clipse song "
Mr. Me Too
"Mr. Me Too" is a song by American hip hop duo Clipse, released on May 23, 2006 as the lead single from their second studio album '' Hell Hath No Fury'' (2006). The song features guest vocals and production by American musician Pharrell Williams ...
" was directed at him, and in 2012 Pusha T's "Exodus 23:1" song caused Lil Wayne to vent on
Twitter
Twitter is an online social media and social networking service owned and operated by American company Twitter, Inc., on which users post and interact with 280-character-long messages known as "tweets". Registered users can post, like, and ...
, later releasing a diss track titled "Goulish", in which he says "Fuck Pusha T and anybody that love him / His head up his ass, I'mma have to head-butt him". Pusha T has called Wayne's diss track "horrible" and said he felt it did not deserve a response. Both men have downplayed the feud, with Wayne saying he is over it. However, in September 2012, Pusha T appeared on the remix of
Chief Keef's
I Don't Like, where he accused Wayne of using
ghostwriter
A ghostwriter is hired to write literary or journalistic works, speeches, or other texts that are officially credited to another person as the author. Celebrities, executives, participants in timely news stories, and political leaders often ...
s saying, "My pen's better, you don't write, trendsetter, you clone-like", he has since confirmed that the line was a Wayne diss. In late November 2012, Pusha T once again dissed Wayne and
Birdman on a
Ludacris
Christopher Brian Bridges (born September 11, 1977), known professionally as Ludacris (, homophonous with 'ludicrous' in American English), is an American rapper, actor, record producer and record executive.
Born in Champaign, Illinois, Ludac ...
song titled "Mad Fo" from his ''#IDGAF'' mixtape. Pusha T later revealed his motivation for the verse: "Oh because it's a
Swizz beat. You got to blame Swizz. See, when Wayne got a Swizz beat... with the "Ghoulish" track; he got busy, well he tried to."
Drake
After the release of Pusha T's song "Exodus 23:1" in 2012,
Drake
Drake may refer to:
Animals
* A male duck
People and fictional characters
* Drake (surname), a list of people and fictional characters with the family name
* Drake (given name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name
* ...
seemingly responded to Pusha on the intro to his 2013 album ''
Nothing Was the Same
''Nothing Was the Same'' is the third studio album by Canadian rapper Drake. It was released on September 24, 2013, through OVO Sound, Young Money Entertainment, Cash Money Records, and Republic Records. Work on the record began in 2012 and ...
'', calling Pusha T a "bench player acting like a starter". The two directed subliminal disses towards each other between 2012 and 2017 with Pusha T rapping on the song "H.G.T.V", "It's too far gone when the realest ain't real / I walk amongst the clouds, so your ceilings ain't real/ These niggas Call of Duty 'cause they killings ain't real / With a questionable pen so the feeling ain't real," with Drake later responding on the diss track "
Two Birds, One Stone
"Two Birds, One Stone" is a hip hop song recorded by Canadian rapper Drake. It was released worldwide by OVO Sound, as one of the promotional singles for Drake's fifth mixtape, ''More Life'', on October 29, 2016. Written in the wake of Drake's high ...
" questioning Pusha T's drug dealing past.
Pusha T further escalated the feud on the song "Infrared" from his 2018 album ''
Daytona'', where he accused Drake of using a
ghostwriter
A ghostwriter is hired to write literary or journalistic works, speeches, or other texts that are officially credited to another person as the author. Celebrities, executives, participants in timely news stories, and political leaders often ...
. Drake responded to the song less than one day later, releasing a track titled "
Duppy Freestyle
"Duppy Freestyle" is a song by Canadian rapper Drake (musician), Drake. Released on May 25, 2018, the song is a diss track aimed at American rappers Pusha-T and Kanye West. The song was produced by Boi-1da and Jahaan Sweet.
Background
On the fina ...
" where he insults both Pusha T and
Kanye West
Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer.
Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the ea ...
, accusing Pusha of being a fake drug dealer and claiming that he would boost sales of Pusha T's album just by dissing him. Pusha T responded to Duppy on May 29, 2018, with the track "
The Story of Adidon
"The Story of Adidon" is a diss track by American rapper Pusha T aimed at Canadian rapper Drake, released on May 29, 2018. It reuses the instrumental track from Jay-Z's "The Story of O.J.", which was produced by No I.D. and sampled " Four Women" ...
" which featured Pusha responding to Drake over the instrumental of Jay-Z's 2017 single "
The Story of O.J." The song debuted on Hot 97 and has lines directed towards rumors Drake has an illegitimate child and
his producer's multiple sclerosis. The song additionally referenced Pusha's ongoing beef with Lil Wayne and Birdman. The song's cover art also attracted controversy, showing an unedited picture of Drake wearing a
Jim Crow t-shirt and hoodie and
blackface makeup. Drake eventually admitted to losing the feud in an interview with RapRadar, saying it was his "first loss in the competitive sport of rapping."
Personal life
On June 11, 2020, Pusha T and his wife Virginia Williams welcomed their first child, Nigel Brixx Thornton. The child's name attracted reactions online for "Brixx" being an apparent slang term for cocaine, something which Pusha T raps about often.
Discography
Studio albums
* ''
My Name Is My Name
''My Name Is My Name'' is the debut studio album by American rapper Pusha T. It was released on October 8, 2013, by GOOD Music and Def Jam Recordings. While leading up to the album's announcement, Pusha T released the mixtape ''Fear of God'' and ...
'' (2013)
* ''
King Push – Darkest Before Dawn: The Prelude'' (2015)
* ''
Daytona '' (2018)
* ''
It's Almost Dry'' (2022)
Awards and nominations
Grammy Awards
, -
, ,
2003
, , "
Like I Love You
"Like I Love You" is the debut solo single of American singer-songwriter Justin Timberlake from his debut studio album, '' Justified'' (2002), which features American hip hop duo Clipse. It was co-written by Timberlake and the Neptunes (Chad H ...
"
(as part of Clipse, with Justin Timberlake)
,
Best Rap/Sung Collaboration
The Grammy Award for Best Melodic Rap Performance (awarded as Best Rap/Sung Collaboration until 2017, and Best Rap/Sung Performance from 2018 to 2020) is an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and original ...
, rowspan=4
, -
, rowspan="2",
2013
File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fa ...
, rowspan="2", "
Mercy
Mercy (Middle English, from Anglo-French ''merci'', from Medieval Latin ''merced-'', ''merces'', from Latin, "price paid, wages", from ''merc-'', ''merxi'' "merchandise") is benevolence, forgiveness, and kindness in a variety of ethical, relig ...
"
(with Kanye West
Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer.
Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the ea ...
, Big Sean
Sean Michael Leonard Anderson (born March 25, 1988), known professionally as Big Sean, is an American rapper. Anderson began his music career in 2007 and gained popularity in 2010 with his third mixtape '' Finally Famous Vol. 3: Big''. He then s ...
and 2 Chainz
Tauheed K. Epps (born September 12, 1977), known professionally as 2 Chainz (or Tity Boi), is an American rapper. Born and raised in College Park, Georgia, he initially gained recognition as one-half of the Southern hip hop duo Playaz Circle, a ...
)
,
Best Rap Song
The Grammy Award for Best Rap Song is an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards, to recording artists for quality songs in the rap music genre. Honors in several c ...
, -
,
Best Rap Performance
The Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance is an honor presented to recording artists for quality rap performances. It was first presented at the 31st Annual Grammy Awards in 1989 and again at the 32nd Annual Grammy Awards in 1990, after which p ...
, -
,
2019
File:2019 collage v1.png, From top left, clockwise: Hong Kong protests turn to widespread riots and civil disobedience; House of Representatives votes to adopt articles of impeachment against Donald Trump; CRISPR gene editing first used to experim ...
, ''
Daytona''
, rowspan="2",
Best Rap Album
The Grammy Award for Best Rap Album is an award presented to recording artists for quality albums with rapping at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards. Honors in several categories ...
, -
,
2023
Events
Predicted and scheduled events
* January 1
** In the United States, books, films, and other works published in 1927 will enter the public domain, assuming there are no changes made to copyright law.
** Croatia will adopt the eu ...
, ''
It's Almost Dry''
,
, -
References
External links
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pusha T
1977 births
Living people
21st-century American rappers
21st-century American male musicians
African-American male rappers
African-American songwriters
Def Jam Recordings artists
East Coast hip hop musicians
GOOD Music artists
Gangsta rappers
Musicians from Virginia Beach, Virginia
Rappers from Virginia
Songwriters from Virginia
21st-century African-American musicians
20th-century African-American people
American male songwriters