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Terrence LeVarr Thornton (born May 13, 1977), better known by his stage name Pusha T, is an American rapper. He rose to prominence as one half of the Virginia-based hip hop duo
Clipse Clipse, also known as the Clipse, is an American hip-hop, hip hop duo from Virginia Beach, Virginia. Formed in 1994, it consists of brothers No Malice, Gene "Malice" and Pusha T, Terrence "Pusha T" Thornton. Pusha T was known as Terrar during t ...
, which he formed with his older brother Malice. Mainly active from 1994 to 2010, the duo were discovered by
Pharrell Williams Pharrell Lanscilo Williams (; born April 5, 1973), also known mononymously as Pharrell, is an American musician, singer, songwriter, rapper, record producer, and fashion designer. He first became known as one half of the music production duo ...
and signed with his record label
Star Trak Entertainment Star Trak Entertainment was an American record label, founded by the Neptunes and Rob Walker in 2001. It was launched as an imprint of Arista Records, a subsidiary of Sony Music Entertainment from its formation until 2003, after which it opera ...
, an imprint of
Arista Records Arista Records ( ) is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the American division of the Japanese conglomerate Sony. The label was previously a division of Bertelsmann Music G ...
in 2001. They released three studio albums—''
Lord Willin' ''Lord Willin is the debut studio album by the American Hip-hop, hip hop duo Clipse. The album was released on August 20, 2002, in the United States by Star Trak Entertainment, Star Trak and Arista Records, Arista. Recording sessions took place ...
'' (2002), '' Hell Hath No Fury'' (2006) and '' Til the Casket Drops'' (2009)—to mild commercial success; the former spawned the ''Billboard'' Hot 100-top 40 singles "
Grindin' "Grindin'" is the debut single by the American hip-hop duo Clipse. The song was produced by the Neptunes, and was issued as the lead single for Clipse's debut studio album, ''Lord Willin (2002) on May 14, 2002. The song became a summer top 40 ...
" and " When the Last Time", for which they became best known. After the duo disbanded in 2010, Thornton began pursuing a solo career. He signed with
Kanye West Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer and record producer. One of the most prominent figures in hip-hop, he is known for his varying musical style and polarizing cultural and political commentary. After ...
's record label
GOOD Music GOOD Music (often stylized as G.O.O.D. Music; a backronym for Getting Out Our Dreams) is an American independent record label founded by rapper Kanye West in 2004. The label entered an exclusive long-term worldwide music distribution, distributi ...
, an imprint 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 ...
following his work on West's fifth album, ''
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy ''My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy'' is the fifth studio album by the American rapper Kanye West. It was released by Def Jam Recordings and Roc-A-Fella Records on November 22, 2010. Retreating to a self-imposed exile in Hawaii after a period of ...
'' (2010). He guest appeared on the album's single " Runaway" in October of that year—which peaked at number 12 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100—as well as its track " So Appalled". He released his first two solo projects—''Fear of God'' and '' Fear of God II: Let Us Pray''—in 2011, before releasing his debut studio album, '' My Name Is My Name'' (2013). A critical and commercial success, it peaked at number four on the ''Billboard'' 200 and was followed by his second and third albums '' King Push – Darkest Before Dawn: The Prelude'' (2015) and '' Daytona'' (2018), which peaked at numbers 20 and three on the chart, respectively. His fourth album, '' It's Almost Dry'' (2022) became his first to debut atop the ''Billboard'' 200. West appointed Thornton to take over his role as president of GOOD Music in late 2015, where he remained one of the label's flagship artists until his departure and dissociation with West in 2022. In 2020, he launched his record label Heir Wave Music Group, which aims as a platform for Virginia-based artists. Thornton has received five
Grammy Award The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious ...
nominations.


Early life

Pusha T was born Terrence LeVarr Thornton on May 13, 1977, in
the Bronx The Bronx ( ) is the northernmost of the five Boroughs of New York City, boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. It shares a land border with Westchester County, New York, West ...
borough of
New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
, though the family soon relocated to
Virginia Beach, Virginia Virginia Beach (colloquially VB) is the most populous city in the U.S. commonwealth of Virginia. The city is located on the Atlantic Ocean at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay in southeastern Virginia. It is the sixth-most populous city in the ...
, 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.


Career


1993–2010: Clipse

In 1992, alongside his brother, Thornton began to pursue a career in
hip hop Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hip- ...
, forming a group known as
Clipse Clipse, also known as the Clipse, is an American hip-hop, hip hop duo from Virginia Beach, Virginia. Formed in 1994, it consists of brothers No Malice, Gene "Malice" and Pusha T, Terrence "Pusha T" Thornton. Pusha T was known as Terrar during t ...
. 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). Shortly after forming Clipse, the brothers were introduced to record producer and fellow Virginian
Pharrell Williams Pharrell Lanscilo Williams (; born April 5, 1973), also known mononymously as Pharrell, is an American musician, singer, songwriter, rapper, record producer, and fashion designer. He first became known as one half of the music production duo ...
of
The Neptunes The Neptunes were an American record production duo composed of Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo, formed in Virginia Beach, Virginia, in 1992. Williams often provided backing vocals and music video appearances on the duo's productions, while H ...
, who helped them secure a recording contract with
Elektra Records Elektra Records (or Elektra Entertainment) is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group, founded in 1950 by Jac Holzman and Paul Rickolt. It played an important role in the development of contemporary folk and rock music between the ...
in 1997. Terrence initially took the stage name Terrar. After being signed to Elektra, they began working on their debut album, '' Exclusive Audio Footage''. 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 (; born August 21, 1979) is an American singer-songwriter and chef. She attended Manhattan, New York's Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, where she played saxophone and was selected for the Girls Ch ...
' 1999 single " Good Stuff" and Nivea's 2001 single "
Run Away (I Wanna Be with U) ''Nivea'' is the debut studio album by American singer Nivea (singer), Nivea. It was released on February 18, 2002, by Jive Records. Nivea worked with a wide range of producers and songwriters on the album, including Leslie Braithwaite, Bryan-Mic ...
", respectively, thanks to his relationship with The Neptunes, who produced both songs. In early 2001, Pharrell Williams signed the duo to
Arista Records Arista Records ( ) is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the American division of the Japanese conglomerate Sony. The label was previously a division of Bertelsmann Music G ...
through his recently established Star Trak imprint. Clipse began working on their major label debut, executively produced by The Neptunes. Their debut single, ''
Grindin' "Grindin'" is the debut single by the American hip-hop duo Clipse. The song was produced by the Neptunes, and was issued as the lead single for Clipse's debut studio album, ''Lord Willin (2002) on May 14, 2002. The song became a summer top 40 ...
'' 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'', which peaked at #19. Fueled by two successful singles, Clipse released their commercial debut album ''
Lord Willin' ''Lord Willin is the debut studio album by the American Hip-hop, hip hop duo Clipse. The album was released on August 20, 2002, in the United States by Star Trak Entertainment, Star Trak and Arista Records, Arista. Recording sessions took place ...
'' 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 to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists. Sometimes, a rec ...
, eventually being certified gold by the
Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
(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 Arista Records ( ) is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the American division of the Japanese conglomerate Sony. The label was previously a division of Bertelsmann Music G ...
's urban artists were absorbed into its sister label
Jive Records Jive Records (later stylized as JIVE Records) was a British-American independent record label founded by Clive Calder in 1981 as a subsidiary of the Zomba Group of Companies, Zomba Group. In the US, the label had offices in New York City and Chic ...
as part of a larger merger between
Sony Music Entertainment Sony Music Entertainment (SME), commonly known as Sony Music, is an American multinational music company owned by Japanese conglomerate Sony Group Corporation. It is the recording division of Sony Music Group, with the other half being the ...
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 Interscope Records is an American record label based in Santa Monica, California, owned by Universal Music Group through its Interscope Geffen A&M imprint. Founded in late 1990 by Jimmy Iovine and Ted Field as a $20 million joint venture ...
. 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 various hip-hop/R&B artists in favor of more pop-oriented acts on its roster. The label's musical strategy expansion 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 was an American hip hop music, hip hop group formed in 2004, in Virginia Beach, Virginia. The group was formed by Pusha T and No Malice, Malice, brothers and members of Virginia-based hip hop duo Clipse, alongside Philadelphia-ba ...
, along with fellow rappers Ab-Liva 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 were an American record production duo composed of Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo, formed in Virginia Beach, Virginia, in 1992. Williams often provided backing vocals and music video appearances on the duo's productions, while H ...
, 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" with
Pharrell Williams Pharrell Lanscilo Williams (; born April 5, 1973), also known mononymously as Pharrell, is an American musician, singer, songwriter, rapper, record producer, and fashion designer. He first became known as one half of the music production duo ...
and "
Wamp Wamp (What It Do) "Wamp Wamp (What It Do)" is the second single from the 2006 Clipse album ''Hell Hath No Fury (Clipse album), Hell Hath No Fury''. The song features Slim Thug and was produced by The Neptunes. It was the Unleashed video on MTV2 on October 30, 200 ...
" with
Slim Thug Stayve Jerome Thomas (born September 8, 1979), better known by his stage name Slim Thug, is an American rapper. He gained mainstream attention for his guest performance alongside Paul Wall on Mike Jones' 2004 single "Still Tippin'". The followi ...
. 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 Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hip- ...
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. In a May 19, 2007, interview with ''
Eye Weekly ''Eye Weekly'' was a free weekly newspaper published in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was owned by Torstar, the parent company of the ''Toronto Star'', and was published by their Star Media Group until its final issue on May 5, 2011. The followin ...
'', 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 Columbia Records is an American reco ...
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' production team The Hitmen, and
DJ Khalil Khalil Abdul-Rahman Hazzard (born October 16, 1974), professionally known as DJ Khalil, is an American music producer and disc jockey, DJ from Los Angeles. The son of National Basketball Association, NBA player Walt Hazzard, he signed with rapp ...
among others. The album peaked at No. 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 and record producer. One of the most prominent figures in hip-hop, he is known for his varying musical style and polarizing cultural and political commentary. After ...
's
GOOD Music GOOD Music (often stylized as G.O.O.D. Music; a backronym for Getting Out Our Dreams) is an American independent record label founded by rapper Kanye West in 2004. The label entered an exclusive long-term worldwide music distribution, distributi ...
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 the American rapper Kanye West. It was released by Def Jam Recordings and Roc-A-Fella Records on November 22, 2010. Retreating to a self-imposed exile in Hawaii after a period of ...
'', 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), and again for his seventh studio album ''The Life of Pablo'' (2016). The original inte ...
series and made other appearances on
Swizz Beatz Kasseem Daoud Dean (born September 13, 1978), known professionally as Swizz Beatz, is an American rapper and record producer. Born and raised in the Bronx borough of New York City, Dean embarked on his musical career as a DJ in 1994. At the age ...
'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, East Coast hip hop group G-Unit, which he formed with childhood friends ...
' '' H.F.M. 2 (Hunger for More 2)'' and Tabi Bonney'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, 1967), 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 Ho ...
debuted Pusha T's debut solo single on
New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...
's Hot 97. The track, titled "My God", was produced by
Hit-Boy Chauncey Alexander Hollis Jr. (born May 21, 1987), known professionally as Hit-Boy, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He first signed with fellow producer Polow da Don in 2007 as in-house production staff for his l ...
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 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 ...
. On March 21, 2011, Pusha T released his solo debut, a
mixtape In the modern music industry, a mixtape is a musical project, typically with looser constraints than that of an album or extended play. Unlike the traditional album or extended play, mixtapes are labeled as laid-back projects that allow artists mo ...
titled ''Fear of God'', which included "My God" and featured both freestyles and original songs, and included features from Kanye West,
50 Cent Curtis James Jackson III (born July 6, 1975), known professionally as 50 Cent, is an American rapper, actor, and television producer. Born in Queens, a borough of New York City, Jackson began pursuing a musical career in 1996. In 1999–2000, ...
,
Rick Ross William Leonard Roberts II (born January 28, 1976), known professionally as Rick Ross, is an American rapper. An influential figure in modern Hip-hop, hip hop music, Rick Ross has become known for his "Wiktionary:booming, booming" vocal perfor ...
,
Pharrell Williams Pharrell Lanscilo Williams (; born April 5, 1973), also known mononymously as Pharrell, is an American musician, singer, songwriter, rapper, record producer, and fashion designer. He first became known as one half of the music production duo ...
and Kevin Cossom. The mixtape was well received, and soon after he began working on his debut
extended play An extended play (EP) is a Sound recording and reproduction, musical recording that contains more tracks than a Single (music), single but fewer than an album. Contemporary EPs generally contain up to eight tracks and have a playing time of 1 ...
(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. 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", features
Odd Future Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All, better known as Odd Future and often abbreviated as OF or OFWGKTA, was an American alternative hip-hop Musical collective, music collective formed in Los Angeles, California in 2007. The group consisted of rap ...
frontman
Tyler, The Creator Tyler Gregory Okonma (born March 6, 1991), known professionally as Tyler, the Creator, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He has been cited as an influential figure in alternative hip-hop during the 2010s. Tyler beca ...
. 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. He is credited, alongside fellow Georgia-based rappers T.I. and Gucci Mane, with pioneering the hip hop subgenre trap music fo ...
, was produced by Shawty Redd 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 A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...
''s R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, at number eight on ''
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...
''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 Luminate. The chart debuted as Hot R&B LPs in the issue dated January 30, ...
, and at number 25 on its Digital Albums chart.R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Week of November 26, 2011
. ''Billboard''. Retrieved on November 19, 2011.
Rap Albums – Week of November 26, 2011
. ''Billboard''. Retrieved on November 19, 2011.
In 2011, Pusha T appeared on the second season of the
HBO Home Box Office (HBO) is an American pay television service, which is the flagship property of namesake parent-subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is based a ...
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 i ...
'' How to Make It in America''. 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 was an American hip hop music, hip hop group formed in 2004, in Virginia Beach, Virginia. The group was formed by Pusha T and No Malice, Malice, brothers and members of Virginia-based hip hop duo Clipse, alongside Philadelphia-ba ...
mixtape, ''Long Live the Cane'',
Clipse Clipse, also known as the Clipse, is an American hip-hop, hip hop duo from Virginia Beach, Virginia. Formed in 1994, it consists of brothers No Malice, Gene "Malice" and Pusha T, Terrence "Pusha T" Thornton. Pusha T was known as Terrar during t ...
would also reunite and release another album. In late 2011, Pusha made a guest appearance on English pop singer
Pixie Lott Victoria Louise "Pixie" Lott (born 12 January 1991) is an English singer, songwriter, and actress. Her debut studio album, ''Turn It Up (Pixie Lott album), Turn It Up'' (2009), reached number six on the UK Albums Chart and sold over 1.5 millio ...
's " What Do You Take Me For?", the second single from her second studio album '' Young Foolish Happy''. The song was a
hit single A hit song, also known as a hit record, hit single, or simply hit, is a recorded song or instrumental that becomes broadly popular or well-known. Although ''hit song'' means any widely played or big-selling song, the specific term ''hit record'' ...
in the UK, peaking at number ten on the UK Top 40. Clipse then went on a full hiatus as his brother renamed himself "No Malice" and pursued a brief Christian hip-hop career.


2012–2014: ''My Name Is My Name''

On October 19, 2011, via
Twitter Twitter, officially known as X since 2023, is an American microblogging and social networking service. It is one of the world's largest social media platforms and one of the most-visited websites. Users can share short text messages, image ...
, Kanye West announced plans for a Spring 2012
GOOD Music GOOD Music (often stylized as G.O.O.D. Music; a backronym for Getting Out Our Dreams) is an American independent record label founded by rapper Kanye West in 2004. The label entered an exclusive long-term worldwide music distribution, distributi ...
album, featuring all artists from the label as well as numerous guest appearances. On April 6, 2012, "
Mercy Mercy (Middle English, from Anglo-French , from Medieval Latin , "price paid, wages", from Latin , "merchandise") is benevolence, forgiveness, and kindness in a variety of ethical, religious, social, and legal contexts. In the social and le ...
", 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. He met Kanye West as a teenager, and signed with his record label GOOD Music, an imprint of Def Jam Recordings in 2007. He gained popul ...
and southern rapper
2 Chainz Tauheed K. Epps (born September 12, 1977), known professionally as 2 Chainz (formerly Tity Boi), is an American rapper and actor. Born and raised in College Park, Georgia, he gained recognition as one-half of the Southern hip-hop duo Playaz Ci ...
. On May 24, 2012, Pusha T released a song titled " Exodus 23:1" featuring
The-Dream Terius Adamu Ya Gesteelde-Diamant ('' né'' Youngdell Nash; born September 20, 1977), known professionally as The-Dream, is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is known for having written or co-produced songs for artists in ...
. It is speculated that the song is a
diss track A diss track, diss record or diss song (an abbreviation of ''disrespect'' or ''disparage'') 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 feu ...
aimed at Young Money rappers
Drake Drake may refer to: Animals and creatures * A male duck * Drake (mythology), a term related to and often synonymous with dragon People and fictional characters * Drake (surname), a list of people and fictional characters with the family ...
and
Lil Wayne Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. (born September27, 1982), known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an American rapper. He is often regarded as one of the most influential hip hop artists of his generation, as well as one of the greatest rappers of all ...
. 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 cent ...
'' on a track titled "Tick Tock" alongside fellow American rappers
Raekwon Corey Woods (born January 12, 1970), better known by his stage name 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 following the release of the ...
, Joell Ortiz and
Danny Brown Daniel Dewan Sewell (born March 16, 1981), better known as Danny Brown, is an American rapper, singer and songwriter from Detroit, Michigan. He was described by MTV in 2011 as "one of rap's most unique figures in recent memory". After amassing ...
. On October 8, 2012, Pusha T released "
Pain Pain is a distressing feeling often caused by intense or damaging Stimulus (physiology), stimuli. The International Association for the Study of Pain defines pain as "an unpleasant sense, sensory and emotional experience associated with, or res ...
" featuring southern rapper
Future The future is the time after the past and present. Its arrival is considered inevitable due to the existence of time and the laws of physics. Due to the apparent nature of reality and the unavoidability of the future, everything that currently ex ...
, 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 cit ...
, 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''. On December 5, 2012, Pusha T released "Blocka" the first single from his ''Wrath of Caine'' mixtape. The song features Travis Scott and Popcaan. 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 Coachella (officially called the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival and sometimes known as Coachella Festival) is an annual music and arts festival held at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, in the Coachella Valley in the Colora ...
. ''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 William Leonard Roberts II (born January 28, 1976), known professionally as Rick Ross, is an American rapper. An influential figure in modern Hip-hop, hip hop music, Rick Ross has become known for his "Wiktionary:booming, booming" vocal perfor ...
,
Young Jeezy Jay Wayne Jenkins (born September 28, 1977), known by his stage name Jeezy (or Young Jeezy), is an American rapper. He is credited, alongside fellow Georgia-based rappers T.I. and Gucci Mane, with pioneering the hip hop subgenre trap music fo ...
,
2 Chainz Tauheed K. Epps (born September 12, 1977), known professionally as 2 Chainz (formerly Tity Boi), is an American rapper and actor. Born and raised in College Park, Georgia, he gained recognition as one-half of the Southern hip-hop duo Playaz Ci ...
,
Big Sean Sean Michael Leonard Anderson (born March 25, 1988), known professionally as Big Sean, is an American rapper. He met Kanye West as a teenager, and signed with his record label GOOD Music, an imprint of Def Jam Recordings in 2007. He gained popul ...
,
Future The future is the time after the past and present. Its arrival is considered inevitable due to the existence of time and the laws of physics. Due to the apparent nature of reality and the unavoidability of the future, everything that currently ex ...
,
Pharrell Williams Pharrell Lanscilo Williams (; born April 5, 1973), also known mononymously as Pharrell, is an American musician, singer, songwriter, rapper, record producer, and fashion designer. He first became known as one half of the music production duo ...
,
Chris Brown Christopher Maurice Brown (born May 5, 1989) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and actor. A Pop music, pop and hip-hop-influenced contemporary R&B, R&B musician who works in a variety of genres, he has been called the "Honorific nic ...
and
Kendrick Lamar Kendrick Lamar Duckworth (born June 17, 1987) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter and record producer. Regarded as one of the greatest rappers of all time, he was awarded the 2018 Pulitzer Prize for Music, becoming the first music ...
, 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 Pain is a distressing feeling often caused by intense or damaging Stimulus (physiology), stimuli. The International Association for the Study of Pain defines pain as "an unpleasant sense, sensory and emotional experience associated with, or res ...
" featuring Future, "Numbers on the Boards", " Sweet Serenade" 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 List of best-selling girl groups, best-selling gir ...
, and " Nosetalgia" 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 were an American record production duo composed of Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo, formed in Virginia Beach, Virginia, in 1992. Williams often provided backing vocals and music video appearances on the duo's productions, while H ...
,
The-Dream Terius Adamu Ya Gesteelde-Diamant ('' né'' Youngdell Nash; born September 20, 1977), known professionally as The-Dream, is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is known for having written or co-produced songs for artists in ...
,
Just Blaze Justin Gregory Smith (born January 8, 1978), known professionally as Just Blaze, is an American record producer and DJ. Born in Paterson, New Jersey, Smith attended Rutgers University for three years before dropping out to pursue a career in mus ...
, No I.D., Nottz, Don Cannon and
Swizz Beatz Kasseem Daoud Dean (born September 13, 1978), known professionally as Swizz Beatz, is an American rapper and record producer. Born and raised in the Bronx borough of New York City, Dean embarked on his musical career as a DJ in 1994. At the age ...
, 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 wa ...
'', 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 Linkin Park is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Agoura Hills, California, in 1996. The band's current lineup consists of vocalist/rhythm guitarist/keyboardist Mike Shinoda, lead guitarist Brad Delson, DJ/turntablist Joe Hahn, bass ...
.


2014–2017: ''King Push – Darkest Before Dawn''

On November 19, 2014, Pusha released a standalone 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 T revealed to ''
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...
'' that he had been appointed the new president of GOOD Music. 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 and rapper. Born and raised in Norfolk, Virginia, he is widely acclaimed for his distinctive production work and "stuttering" rhythm ...
. 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 favorable reception from critics, and reached at number 20 on the ''Billboard'' 200. The album was executive produced by one of Pusha T's inspirations,
Puff Daddy Sean John Combs (born November 4, 1969), better known by his stage name Diddy, and formerly Puff Daddy and P. Diddy, is an American rapper, record producer, and record executive. Born in Harlem and raised in Mount Vernon, Combs worked as a ...
as well as manager Steven Victor. ''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" featuring
Jay-Z Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American Rapping, rapper, businessman, and record executive. Rooted in East Coast hip-hop, he was named Billboard and Vibe's 50 Greatest Rappers of All Time, the ...
, initially exclusively through Jay-Z's streaming service Tidal. In 2017, he collaborated once again with Linkin Park on the song " Good Goodbye" 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 band's first album to have a title track, as they felt that the song " ...
''. In the same year, Pusha T collaborated with the virtual band
Gorillaz Gorillaz are an English virtual band created by musician Damon Albarn and artist Jamie Hewlett in London, England in 1998. The band primarily consists of four fictional members: (vocals, keyboards), Murdoc Niccals (bass guitar), Noodle (gui ...
on the song " Let Me Out" from their studio album ''
Humanz ''Humanz'' is the fifth studio album by British virtual band Gorillaz, released on 28 April 2017 by Parlophone in the United Kingdom and Warner Bros. Records in the United States. It was the band's first studio album released in seven years, fo ...
''.


2018–2022: ''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, actress, film producer, model, and philanthropist. Commonly referred to as "Honorific nicknames in popular music, the Voice", she is List of awards and no ...
's drug-filled bathroom, taken in her
Atlanta, Georgia Atlanta ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state), most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the county seat, seat of Fulton County, Georg ...
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 written and recorded by American rapper Pusha T. It was released on May 29, 2018 on SoundCloud, amidst his feud with Canadian rapper Drake. The track is a response to Drake's " Duppy Freestyle". The ...
". The album received praise from hip-hop veterans Nas and P. Diddy, calling it "a classic album" and "a modern day masterpiece". In 2024,
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...
named it as the 2nd 'Most Scathing Hip-Hop Diss of All Time'. 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 U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...
area. He remained the president of GOOD 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. 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, 1970 – March 12, 2018) was an American rapper and record producer. He is best known for his tenure with Bad Boy Records, during which he released his 1994 single " Flava in Ya Ear" (1994), which peaked within the ' ...
'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 is a Japanese fashion designer, disc jockey (DJ), record producer and entrepreneur. He is best known as the creator of the streetwear brand, A Bathing Ape (Bape), and currently serves as artistic director for Kenzo. Additionally he is a member ...
released the single "Hear Me Clearly" for Nigo's album ''
I Know Nigo! ''I Know Nigo!'' (stylized as ''I Know NIGO!'') is the second studio album by Japanese fashion designer and record producer Nigo. It was released through Republic Records and Victor Victor Worldwide on March 25, 2022. The album contains guest appe ...
'', the song is also set to appear on ''It's Almost Dry''. He also appeared alongside his brother (once again credited as Malice) on the Clipse song "Punch Bowl" on the ''I Know Nigo!'' album as well. The music video also for "Hear Me Clearly" released on March 30. On April 6, Pusha T released the third single for ''It's Almost Dry'', " Neck & Wrist" featuring rapper
Jay-Z Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American Rapping, rapper, businessman, and record executive. Rooted in East Coast hip-hop, he was named Billboard and Vibe's 50 Greatest Rappers of All Time, the ...
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 much-delayed album, primarily produced by frequent collaborators
Pharrell Williams Pharrell Lanscilo Williams (; born April 5, 1973), also known mononymously as Pharrell, is an American musician, singer, songwriter, rapper, record producer, and fashion designer. He first became known as one half of the music production duo ...
and
Kanye West Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer and record producer. One of the most prominent figures in hip-hop, he is known for his varying musical style and polarizing cultural and political commentary. After ...
, was released on April 22 to widespread critical acclaim. On the week dated May 7, 2022, it debuted atop the ''Billboard'' 200 with a total of 55,000 album equivalent units, becoming Pusha T's first number-one album on the chart.


2022–2023: Heir Wave Music Group and departure from GOOD Music

In December 2022, Pusha T announced his departure from GOOD Music after founder Kanye West's
antisemitic Antisemitism or Jew-hatred is hostility to, prejudice towards, or discrimination against Jews. A person who harbours it is called an antisemite. Whether antisemitism is considered a form of racism depends on the school of thought. Antisemi ...
and pro-race remarks. Speaking on West's support for "White Lives Matter", his 2024 presidential campaign and other public outbursts, Pusha T stated that they were nothing to "tap dance around". His departure also ended his tenure as the label's president. Shortly after, he changed his focus on his own label, Heir Wave Music Group. During an interview with ''
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 ...
'', Pusha T stated: "I have a particular need to build out Heir Wave as a platform and build out a circuit for artists within this region, simply because I feel like it's something that we've never had." He further added: " he labelwas made in the spirit of an “album artist”—artists who have a story to tell. They have a background for the fan who wants to be fully invested in that particular artist, their whole movement, and everything about them. That's how we’re picking artists. It's about authenticity. It's about pure music, whatever type of music it is. It must be pure."


2023–present: Post-GOOD Music

To promote the film, '' Cocaine Bear'', which was released on February 24, 2023, Pusha T remade the
Grandmaster Flash Joseph Robert Saddler (born January 1, 1958), known by his stage name Grandmaster Flash, is a Barbadian-American musician and DJ. He created a DJ technique called the Quick Mix Theory. This technique serviced the break-dancer and the rapper by el ...
and
Melle Mel Melvin Glover (born May 15, 1961), better known by his stage name Grandmaster Melle Mel or simply Melle Mel (), is an American rapper who was the lead vocalist and songwriter of Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five. Career Glover began per ...
1983 classic, " White Lines (Don't Don't Do It)", keeping the original chorus, but replacing the original verses with his own. He later performed at the 22nd Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in April 2023. In November 13, 2024, Thornton announced Grindin Coffee, which takes its name from the 2002 Clipse hit "Grindin'", which will launch nationwide in 2025. Ahead of
Clipse Clipse, also known as the Clipse, is an American hip-hop, hip hop duo from Virginia Beach, Virginia. Formed in 1994, it consists of brothers No Malice, Gene "Malice" and Pusha T, Terrence "Pusha T" Thornton. Pusha T was known as Terrar during t ...
's reunion and upcoming fourth studio album after fifteen years, '' Let God Sort Em Out'', Pusha T and his brother No Malice premiered an interview with '' GQ'', where the duo revealed that they were dropped from the Def Jam label as well as Pusha T as a solo artist, and also confirmed Kendrick Lamar's appearance in their upcoming album. The next day, Pusha T's longtime manager Steven Victor revealed during an interview with ''
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...
'' that the rapper actually had to pay an undisclosed seven-figure, up to $1 million to their label Def Jam, in order to be released from both Clipse's and his own contractual obligations, elaborating further how the label has been suppressing Pusha T's collaborations with other artists and even his own music releases since his feud with
Canadian Canadians () are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of their being ''C ...
rapper
Drake Drake may refer to: Animals and creatures * A male duck * Drake (mythology), a term related to and often synonymous with dragon People and fictional characters * Drake (surname), a list of people and fictional characters with the family ...
in 2018.


Feuds


Consequence

After Pusha T released "My God", the first single from his solo mixtape, his former
GOOD Music GOOD Music (often stylized as G.O.O.D. Music; a backronym for Getting Out Our Dreams) is an American independent record label founded by rapper Kanye West in 2004. The label entered an exclusive long-term worldwide music distribution, distributi ...
label-mate Consequence took to
Twitter Twitter, officially known as X since 2023, is an American microblogging and social networking service. It is one of the world's largest social media platforms and one of the most-visited websites. Users can share short text messages, image ...
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), known professionally Ace Hood, is an American rapper. Born in Port St. Lucie and raised in Deerfield Beach, Florida, he was discovered by DJ Khaled and became the first act to sign with his rec ...
's " Go 'N' Get It" which also featured
Beanie Sigel Dwight Equan Grant (born March 6, 1974), better known by his stage name Beanie Sigel, is an American rapper from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He is best known for his association with Jay-Z and his label Roc-A-Fella Records, to which Grant signed ...
,
Busta Rhymes Trevor George Smith Jr. (born May 20, 1972), known professionally as Busta Rhymes, is an American rapper, singer and actor. Chuck D of Public Enemy gave him the moniker Busta Rhymes, after National Football League, NFL and Canadian Football Lea ...
and Styles P. 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 MTV (an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable television television channel, channel and the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group sub-division of the Paramount Media Networks division of Paramount Global. Launched on ...
'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 September27, 1982), known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an American rapper. He is often regarded as one of the most influential hip hop artists of his generation, as well as one of the greatest rappers of all ...
had been going on for years, beginning soon after
Clipse Clipse, also known as the Clipse, is an American hip-hop, hip hop duo from Virginia Beach, Virginia. Formed in 1994, it consists of brothers No Malice, Gene "Malice" and Pusha T, Terrence "Pusha T" Thornton. Pusha T was known as Terrar during t ...
and Birdman worked on "What Happened to That Boy", the latter's 2002 single. In 2006, Wayne felt the Clipse song " Mr. Me Too" was directed at him, and in 2012 Pusha T's "Exodus 23:1" song caused Lil Wayne to vent on
Twitter Twitter, officially known as X since 2023, is an American microblogging and social networking service. It is one of the world's largest social media platforms and one of the most-visited websites. Users can share short text messages, image ...
, 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 a person hired to write literary or journalistic works, speeches, or other texts that are credited to another person as the author. Celebrities, executives, participants in timely news stories, and political leaders often h ...
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 (, spoken as "ludicrous" in American English), is an American rapper and songwriter. Born in Champaign, Illinois, Ludacris moved to Atlanta, Georgia, at age ...
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 and creatures * A male duck * Drake (mythology), a term related to and often synonymous with dragon People and fictional characters * Drake (surname), a list of people and fictional characters with the family ...
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 the Canadian rapper Drake (musician), Drake. It was released on September 24, 2013, through OVO Sound, Young Money Entertainment, Cash Money Records, and Republic Records. Work on the record ...
'', 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" 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 a person hired to write literary or journalistic works, speeches, or other texts that are credited to another person as the author. Celebrities, executives, participants in timely news stories, and political leaders often h ...
. Drake responded to the song less than one day later, releasing a track titled " Duppy Freestyle" where he insults both Pusha T and
Kanye West Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer and record producer. One of the most prominent figures in hip-hop, he is known for his varying musical style and polarizing cultural and political commentary. After ...
, 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 written and recorded by American rapper Pusha T. It was released on May 29, 2018 on SoundCloud, amidst his feud with Canadian rapper Drake. The track is a response to Drake's " Duppy Freestyle". The ...
" 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 The Jim Crow laws were state and local laws introduced in the Southern United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries that enforced racial segregation, " Jim Crow" being a pejorative term for an African American. The last of the ...
t-shirt and hoodie and
blackface Blackface is the practice of performers using burned cork, shoe polish, or theatrical makeup to portray a caricature of black people on stage or in entertainment. Scholarship on the origins or definition of blackface vary with some taking a glo ...
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."


McDonald's

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. On March 21, 2022, Pusha T recorded a freestyle for a commercial presented by fast food chain
Arby's Arby's is an American fast-food restaurant, fast food sandwich restaurant chain with more than 3,300 restaurants. The flagship property of Inspire Brands, it ranked third in systemwide sales in the United States in the quick-service and fast-ca ...
, naming it "Spicy Fish Diss", aimed at rival fast food chain
McDonald's McDonald's Corporation, doing business as McDonald's, is an American Multinational corporation, multinational fast food chain store, chain. As of 2024, it is the second largest by number of locations in the world, behind only the Chinese ch ...
. On the track, he states that their Filet-O-Fish sandwich was "disgusting", and states that Arby's Fish Sandwich is better. This was revenge toward the company for not crediting him for helping popularize the "I'm lovin' it" advertising campaign.


Jim Jones

Pusha T entered into a dispute with
Jim Jones James Warren Jones (May 13, 1931 – November 18, 1978) was an American cult leader, preacher and mass murderer who founded and led the Peoples Temple between 1955 and 1978. Jones and the members of his inner circle planned and orchestrat ...
, which began in May 2023 after the latter dismissed the former on the ''Breakfast Club'', when he claimed that he "couldn't name any top five Pusha T songs". A month later, on June 25, a snippet of an unnamed diss track by Pusha T was released. The following week, on July 6, Jim Jones responded with "Summer Collection". Podcaster
Joe Budden Joseph Anthony Budden II (born August 31, 1980) is an American broadcaster and former rapper. He first gained recognition with his 2003 single " Pump It Up", which peaked in the top 40 of the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and preceded the release of h ...
also defended "Summer Collection", while calling Pusha T a "sore loser". Jones' former collaborator and friend,
Cam'ron Cameron Ezike Giles (born February 4, 1976), known Mononym, mononymously as Cam'ron, is an American rapper. Beginning his career in the early 1990s as Killa Cam, Giles signed with Lance Rivera, Lance "Un" Rivera's Lance Rivera, Untertainment, a ...
, also sided with him in the midst of the falling out.


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 Cocaine is a tropane alkaloid and central nervous system stimulant, derived primarily from the leaves of two South American coca plants, ''Erythroxylum coca'' and ''Erythroxylum novogranatense, E. novogranatense'', which are cultivated a ...
, something which Pusha T raps about often. In November 2021, Pusha T's mother died as did his father four months later.


Discography

Studio albums * '' My Name Is My Name'' (2013) * '' King Push – Darkest Before Dawn: The Prelude'' (2015) * '' Daytona'' (2018) * '' It's Almost Dry'' (2022)


Awards and nominations

, - , ,
2003 2003 was designated by the United Nations as the International Year of Fresh water, Freshwater. In 2003, a Multi-National Force – Iraq, United States-led coalition 2003 invasion of Iraq, invaded Iraq, starting the Iraq War. Demographic ...
, , " Like I Love You" (as part of
Clipse Clipse, also known as the Clipse, is an American hip-hop, hip hop duo from Virginia Beach, Virginia. Formed in 1994, it consists of brothers No Malice, Gene "Malice" and Pusha T, Terrence "Pusha T" Thornton. Pusha T was known as Terrar during t ...
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Justin Timberlake Justin Randall Timberlake (born January 31, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, actor, record producer, and dancer. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Prince of Pop", ''Billboard (magazine), Billboard'' honored him as the b ...
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2013 2013 was the first year since 1987 to contain four unique digits (a span of 26 years). 2013 was designated as: *International Year of Water Cooperation *International Year of Quinoa Events January * January 5 – 2013 Craig, Alask ...
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Mercy Mercy (Middle English, from Anglo-French , from Medieval Latin , "price paid, wages", from Latin , "merchandise") is benevolence, forgiveness, and kindness in a variety of ethical, religious, social, and legal contexts. In the social and le ...
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Kanye West Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer and record producer. One of the most prominent figures in hip-hop, he is known for his varying musical style and polarizing cultural and political commentary. After ...
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Big Sean Sean Michael Leonard Anderson (born March 25, 1988), known professionally as Big Sean, is an American rapper. He met Kanye West as a teenager, and signed with his record label GOOD Music, an imprint of Def Jam Recordings in 2007. He gained popul ...
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2 Chainz Tauheed K. Epps (born September 12, 1977), known professionally as 2 Chainz (formerly Tity Boi), is an American rapper and actor. Born and raised in College Park, Georgia, he gained recognition as one-half of the Southern hip-hop duo Playaz Ci ...
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2019 This was the year in which the first known human case of COVID-19 was documented, preceding COVID-19 pandemic, the pandemic which was declared by the World Health Organization the following year. Up to that point, 2019 had been described as ...
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2023 Catastrophic natural disasters in 2023 included the Lists of 21st-century earthquakes, 5th-deadliest earthquake of the 21st century 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquakes, striking Turkey and Syria, leaving up to 62,000 people dead; Cyclone Freddy ...
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References


External links

* * * * * {{Authority control 1977 births Living people 21st-century American rappers 21st-century American male musicians African-American male rappers 20th-century American male rappers African-American songwriters Def Jam Recordings artists East Coast hip-hop musicians GOOD Music artists Rappers from the Bronx Gangsta rappers Musicians from Virginia Beach, Virginia Rappers from Virginia Songwriters from Virginia 21st-century African-American musicians 20th-century African-American musicians American male songwriters