In June 2018, acclaimed rapper Pusha T (Terrence LeVarr Thornton) appeared on Drink Champs, the popular hip-hop podcast hosted by N.O.R.E. and DJ EFN, during a pivotal career moment following the release of his critically acclaimed album "Daytona" and amid his highly publicized feud with Drake. Throughout this interview, Pusha provided insights into his artistic development from Virginia Beach roots alongside his brother No Malice (formerly Malice) in Clipse, his breakthrough with the Pharrell Williams-produced "Grindin'," his creative partnership with Kanye West including the controversial Whitney Houston bathroom photograph album cover, his presidency of G.O.O.D. Music where he signed Desiigner, his strategic approach to the Drake conflict culminating in "The Story of Adidon," his artistic philosophy of thematic consistency ("I've made the same album basically my whole career"), commercial ventures including his uncredited role in McDonald's "I'm Loving It" jingle and later Arby's deal where he secured 40% ownership, his evolving understanding of mental health issues, and his reflection on maintaining relevance through multiple hip-hop eras.
In June 2018, rapper Pusha T appeared on Drink Champs, the popular hip-hop podcast hosted by N.O.R.E. and DJ EFN. This interview occurred at a pivotal moment in Pusha's career, shortly after the release of his critically acclaimed album "Daytona" and during his highly publicized feud with Drake. Throughout the conversation, Pusha T (born Terrence LeVarr Thornton) provided insights into his artistic development, business ventures, and perspective on hip-hop culture.
Pusha T detailed how growing up in Virginia Beach profoundly shaped his artistic identity. He described Virginia as "a melting pot" with heavy New York hip-hop influences but lacking its own established rap identity. This regional context created unique challenges for emerging artists like Pusha and his brother No Malice (then known as Malice), who would later form the duo Clipse.
The rapper recounted how his relationship with Pharrell Williams developed through a mutual friend. While Pusha's older brother Malice was already active in the Virginia Beach rap scene alongside Pharrell and Timbaland, Pusha initially showed little interest in pursuing music professionally. He revealed: "By the time I got into late middle school, junior high, into high school, man, I was ashamed to tell people that I started rapping." This reluctance stemmed from the street culture that prioritized hustling over artistic pursuits.
Pusha T provided the definitive account of how Clipse's breakthrough single "Grindin'" came into existence. He recalled Pharrell's urgent call: "He called me and said, 'Hey, if you do not get here, I'm going to give this record to Jay-Z, and you better be here in 15 minutes.'" This ultimatum prompted immediate action, though Pusha admitted initial skepticism about the unconventional beat. "I was like, 'This is crack?' And he was like, 'No, listen, I'm telling you this is special.'"
The success of "Grindin'" transformed not only Clipse's career but Virginia's place in hip-hop geography. As Pusha explained: "That video, grinding, to me sort of gave Virginia a face and a look and an identity that the world resonated with." He noted how he still encounters people who appeared in the video 16 years later, who were still happy that they were in the video.
During the interview, Pusha also clarified that the group was initially called "The Clipz" but changed their name to avoid confusion with Puff Daddy's group "The Clips," providing historical context for their brand development.
A significant portion of the interview focused on Pusha T's creative partnership with Kanye West, particularly regarding his 2018 album "Daytona." Pusha revealed that the album was initially completed with different producers before Kanye decided to produce it entirely himself. "My album was done," Pusha explained, showing his willingness to revamp completed work in pursuit of artistic excellence.
Pusha discussed the controversial Whitney Houston bathroom photograph used for the album cover, explaining Kanye's last-minute decision: "My manager had called me back and was like, 'Yo, you know he want to change the artwork and [it] cost a lot of money.'" Despite initially resisting the $85,000 expenditure, Pusha ultimately embraced Kanye's vision connecting the image to the album's themes of street glamour and its pitfalls.
The rapper provided insight into the album's real-time creation process within the larger Wyoming sessions that produced five consecutive album releases for G.O.O.D music in summer 2018. He described receiving urgent requests for verses even while traveling: "I'm on a flight to Montreal, [Kanye] hits me, 'Yo, I need a verse, can you go to studio right now?'"
Pusha T's role as president of Kanye West's G.O.O.D. Music label received thorough examination. He articulated his approach to talent discovery, exemplified by his signing of Brooklyn rapper Desiigner after hearing "Panda" on SoundCloud. "I was heavily into Future... and I heard Desiigner, I want to say through SoundCloud," Pusha recalled, noting he initially mistook it for a Future track before recognizing a distinctive new voice.
Pusha T emphasized the importance of cultural awareness for industry longevity: "I feel like that's my calling in music right now... you have to sort of be able to identify with what's going on outside." Pusha distinguished between trend-chasing and cultural awareness, positioning the latter as essential for sustained relevance.
The most widely anticipated segments addressed Pusha T's 2018 feud with Drake. Pusha provided detailed context for each phase of the conflict, beginning with his track "Infrared" on "Daytona," which referenced ghostwriting allegations against Drake. When Drake responded with "Duppy Freestyle" less than 24 hours later, Pusha noted his reaction: "It immediately just put me in... response mode."
Pusha explicitly identified Drake's mention of his fiancée Virginia Williams as the line that removed all limitations on his response: "Why would you mention her? You don't do that... women and kids, leave them alone." This boundary violation prompted his devastating reply "The Story of Adidon," which revealed Drake's previously undisclosed child.
When questioned about his information sources regarding Drake's private life, Pusha offered a revealing response: "Information came through disloyal people... not on my side." He confirmed having this information before the conflict escalated.
The interview addressed J. Prince's involvement in ending the beef, with Pusha clarifying: "Those conversations were had without that soundbite." He distinguished between private conflict resolution and subsequent public narratives about "career-ending" responses. When asked if the feud was finished, Pusha simply stated: "As far as I know, it's over," though acknowledging they had never had direct conversations.
Throughout the conversation, Pusha T articulated a distinctive artistic philosophy centered on authenticity and thematic consistency. "I've made the same record my whole career," he stated without apology. "I've made the same album basically my whole career. I've talked about the same thing my whole career." Rather than viewing this consistency as limiting, Pusha positioned it as strategic specialization in an increasingly fragmented musical landscape.
His memorable metaphor—"You don't have to be a part of the wave when you provide the water"—encapsulated his approach to hip-hop trends. This positioning as a creator of foundational elements explained his ability to maintain relevance across multiple eras without compromising his artistic identity. N.O.R.E. acknowledged this unique position, noting: "I've never seen an artist grow and get better the way you grow and get better."
Pusha attributed his longevity partly to understanding broader cultural trends while maintaining his core identity: "When I think about all the greats... their windows were so short because they didn't embrace what was next."
A surprising revelation emerged regarding Pusha T's commercial writing portfolio. He disclosed his uncredited role in creating McDonald's "I'm Loving It" jingle circa 2003, receiving only a one-time payment instead of publishing rights. "I took a super L," Pusha admitted, contrasting this early business misstep with his more recent Arby's commercial deal, for which he secured 40% ownership.
"Keep your publishing," he advised, noting how the McDonald's jingle has continued generating revenue long after his initial compensation. The conversation also touched on his clothing line Play Cloths and his partnership with Adidas.
The interview's final segments revealed Pusha T's evolving understanding of mental health issues within the entertainment industry. Reflecting on Kanye West's public struggles and Anthony Bourdain's suicide, Pusha acknowledged his developing perspective: "I'm just now understanding like mental health issues... I didn't know that there was like a real thing."
Pusha explained how his upbringing in a "super black household, religious black" environment had initially limited his understanding of psychological challenges, particularly for successful individuals. "We use 'crazy' so loosely," he observed, noting the disconnect between perceived success and internal struggles.
As the interview concluded, hosts N.O.R.E. and DJ EFN emphasized Pusha T's significant contributions to hip-hop culture throughout his multi-decade career. "We want to praise our legends... we want to give the people their flowers where they can smell them," they noted, highlighting Pusha's rare achievement of maintaining relevance and artistic integrity beyond the typical career timeline.
Pusha reflected on his longevity with a mixture of surprise and pride: "That revelation hit me the other day... from 2012, like the 10-year anniversary of Lord Willing, 2016, the 10-year anniversary of Hell Hath No Fury." He recognized the significance of his extended career: "Now when I really think about it, it's like... really been here 16 joints."
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