Key Takeaways:
- Pusha T says Drake’s UMG lawsuit over Kendrick’s diss “cheapens the art” of rap beef.
- He reflects on his fallout with Kanye West, calling it a betrayal of loyalty.
- With Clipse’s new album on the way, Push is focused on family, not industry drama.
Pusha T never ducked a lyrical war, but these days, he’s choosing clarity over chaos. As he preps the long-awaited return of Clipse alongside his brother Malice, Push is making it clear where he stands with two former collaborators turned opponents: Kanye West and Drake.
In a new GQ cover story, Pusha didn’t mince words about the fallout with Ye, describing their final stretch together as a draining exercise in playing “industry games.” The turning point came during the DONDA sessions in Atlanta, where Pusha sensed the energy shift when he left the room. “Everybody had their own agendas… and I feel like I was the only one who didn’t. My agenda was for the squad.”
Why Pusha T walked away from Kanye West and G.O.O.D. Music
Things only got worse as Ye began publicly targeting Push. “He’s been screaming about me, got every soul believing I’ve done such a great injustice,” he said. “But that’s a lie. He knows what I really, really think of him. He’s showed me the weakest sides of him… and he knows how I think of weak people.”
Despite the bitterness, Pusha acknowledged that Kanye kept his word when it mattered most — by returning all the profits from their Def Jam-era G.O.O.D. Music contract. “That’s the greatest thing he did,” Push admitted. “And why I’m okay with where me and him are right now... and I’m cool with staying that way.”
Pusha T on Drake’s lawsuit, diss tracks, and why he’s done responding
Drake, on the other hand, barely warrants a full paragraph from Pusha at this point. While the 6 God spent the last few years baiting Push in verses and visuals (most notably by buying up Pharrell’s archived jewelry), Pusha remains unmoved. “I did the dance for real,” he said. “Not to come back and tiptoe around anything.” When asked if he’d only respond again if Drake went full tilt, he replied plainly: “I would only engage again if I felt like it.”
He also weighed in on Drake’s lawsuit against UMG following Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us,” comparing it to the behind-the-scenes label interference that followed Pusha’s 2018 diss “The Story of Adidon.” “I don't rate him no more,” Pusha said. “The suing thing is bigger than some rap s**t. It just kind of cheapens the art of it.”
Now, with Clipse’s new Pharrell-produced album Let God Sort Em Out on the way, Pusha found peace in real loyalty — specifically, in reuniting with his brother. “That’s been the biggest comfort and the biggest asset to me,” he said of Malice’s return. “All of [that other stuff] was new to me, but it got to a point where it got dangerous.”
Rather than engage with subliminals or lawsuits, Push is focused on enjoying life and delivering the best product to the masses. “I've really been in Paris, making my joints, doing my s**t,” he expressed. “When these people mention me, they're really going out of their way... This s**t ain’t coming out of nowhere. Bro, I be cool with all these guys. Everybody you mentioned today, bro, I promise you, they did the underhanded, weird s**t.”