Pusha T Complex Cover Story 2016

Terrence "Pusha T" Thornton began his journey in Virginia Beach, where at age 8 he would tear up his older brother Gene's rhyme books to gain attention. This early mischief evolved into genuine musical interest as a teenager when he began skipping school to join his brother, friend Traci, and producers Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo (The Neptunes). During one creative session, Pusha wrote his first rap, impressing the group enough that Williams suggested forming a musical collective. Gene became Malice, Terrence became Pusha T, and Clipse was established, achieving mainstream success in 2002 with their gold-certified debut "Lord Willin'" and hit single "Grindin'."The duo faced significant challenges when a 2004 Sony-BMG merger forced label transitions, creating a four-year gap between albums that led Pusha to what he termed "double-dutching between rap and the streets." Their struggles intensified in 2009 when their manager Anthony Gonzalez was charged with operating a multimillion-dollar drug ring and sentenced to 32 years in federal prison, while several of Pusha's close associates received sentences ranging from 10 to 34 years. As Malice departed Clipse, reconnecting with his Christian faith and renouncing drug-related lyrics, Pusha faced an important decision and chose to focus exclusively on music, signing with Kanye West's G.O.O.D. Music in 2010 after they connected during West's Glow in the Dark Tour.Pusha contributed verses to West's "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy" before developing his solo identity through mixtapes and his 2013 debut "My Name Is My Name," followed by "King Push—Darkest Before Dawn: The Prelude" in 2015. His relationship with West expanded beyond artist-label dynamics when West appointed him president of G.O.O.D. Music in November 2015, where Pusha demonstrated industry foresight by signing Brooklyn rapper Desiigner, who achieved a Billboard Hot 100 #1 with "Panda." When criticized for this decision, Pusha defended his commitment to "ground-breaking creativity" regardless of perceived similarities to established artists.Pusha's personal experiences increasingly informed his advocacy against mass incarceration, which he identifies as "probably the single most pressing issue that I've seen affect my demographic, my people, my culture." Collaborating with activist Dream Hampton, President Obama, and filmmaker Ava DuVernay, Pusha gained deeper insights into how the criminal justice system disproportionately impacts communities of color. He campaigned for Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election despite her controversial support of the 1994 Crime Bill, highlighting her willingness to acknowledge past policy mistakes and engage with those directly affected by mass incarceration as potential for meaningful reform.*There may be errors on this page.