Following a turbulent start to the Memorial Day weekend — a weekend that welcomed in fiery new diss songs and an added nominee for rap album of the year (so far) — Pusha-T opened the new week with a song, “The Story of Adidon,” aimed at his longstanding rival, Drake. But unlike most rap feuds in the 2010s, an era where rap feuds have turned into pop culture spectacles (memes, hashtags), Pusha’s scathing new song changes the climate, taking things from zero to ugly— real quick. “If we all go to hell, it’ll be worth it,” he sneers. By the song’s end, we see the first chink in Drake’s armor since July 22, 2015..
Where “Back to Back” was like a classic page from “The 48 Laws of Power,” Pusha’s “Story of Adidon” is the sonic version to Sun Tzu’s “The Art of War. Everything is calculated. On the song, he accuses Drake of biracial remorse, and to supplement his point, he finds an actual photo of the rapper in blackface and then makes it the cover art to the very song that uses JAY-Z’s “The Story of O.J. instrumental. He digs in the archives, pulls out a forgotten headline about Drake’s alleged relationship with Sophie Brussaux, and reveals the rapper is fathering a secret child. He even goes as far as suggesting that Drake’s own alleged paternity issues was passed down to him from his parents. It’s truly scathing stuff. And if all of these jabs weren’t enough, Pusha then mocks Drake’s best friend and longtime producer, Noah “40” Shebib, for his multiple sclerosis. As Push said sometime ago, “Rap ain’t been this hard since ‘Hit Em Up’.”
With its sheer level of viciousness, “The Story of Adidon” is one of the most disrespectful rap disses of this decade — perhaps, the most. But how does it measure up against other savage rap disses? See below.
JAY-Z “Supa Ugly” (2001)
Most savage line: “I came in your Bentley backseat/Skeeted in your Jeep/Left condoms in your baby seat / Here nigga, the gloves is off, the love is done / It’s whatever, whenever, however nigga – one”
Cam’Ron “Dear Stan”
Most savage line: “You forgotten where you’re really from, you’re really a bum / On top of that, you’re silly and dumb/ But I was nice to you, a real brother instead/ Hung out with you on mothers day, because your mother’s dead”
Meek Mill “Kendrick You Next”
Most savage line: “This verse gon’ hit this nigga harder than that car crash/That you should’ve died in, I’m mad that you survived it”
The Lox “Jigga That Nigga” Freestyle
Most savage line: “Keep fucking with Kiss, I’ll see to it that you visit your man’s girl“
Ice Cube “No Vaseline”
Most savage line: “Calling me Arnold, but you bent-a-dick / Eazy-E saw your ass and went in it quick / You got jealous when I got my own company / But I’m a man, and ain’t nobody humping me”
Ja Rule “Loose Change”
Most savage line: “Em, you claim your mother’s a crackhead /And Kim is a known slut /So what’s Hailie gonna be when she grows up”
Cam’Ron “Hate Me Now” Freestyle
Most savage line: “Before the AK’s in your face / Take your daughter, R Kelly, have my way with her face”
Shyne “For the Record”
Most savage line: “You got yo break come finish the job / Just don’t get the feds involved and I’mma reunite you with yo moms / RIP”