Classic rap duo Clipse, comprised of brothers Pusha T and No Malice, are preparing to drop their highly anticipated reunion album "Let God Sort 'Em Out," as the title indicates, but it doesn't sound like they're holding anything back in 2022. And it's not just the music that's raising eyebrows. In a revealing new interview with GQ, Pusha T spoke about the project, separating from Def Jam and, most explosively, his estranged relationship with Kanye West.
Pusha T and Kanye's history is stacked, and in 2015, West even declared Pusha president of G.O.O.D. Music. Together, they sculpted a streamlined, minimalist sound that critics and fans ate up, and Daytona was the crown jewel of that run. But as far as Push is concerned, the relationship could no longer be salvaged.
"We made some great s###, bro. We did," Pusha admitted." But I'll tell you what. He's a genius, and His intuition is even more genius-level. "But that's why he and I don't get along; he sees through my fakeness with him. He knows I don't believe him to be a man. He knows it."
There appear to be more than creative differences between them; tension exists. Pusha says he's observed what he considers the "weakest sides" of the West, and he doesn't pull any punches about how it influenced his perception. Yet there's nuance even in frustration. Push holds no stan for West's business moves, though, particularly where money and ownership are concerned.
In 2020, as Pusha started publicly skewering major labels for offering unfair splits, Kanye made a surprising move: he returned his portion of master rights to the G.O.O.D. Music roster. That's the moment, Pusha says, he is the sum equals, and that's why he's not mad "at all right now" about how things are.
"The biggest thing he ever did was give me all the profit off the Def Jam deal," Pusha said. "So yeah, we may not be cool. But I can live with that."
Speaking of Def Jam, that door is also shut. The Clipse's new effort initially hit a snag when label execs bristled at Kendrick Lamar's guest verse on the cut "Chains & Whips." The song arrived amid tensions between Drake, Lamar, and UMG, and Def Jam asked Push to censor Kendrick or remove the song entirely.
"That was never happening," he flatly said. "So after a month, their lawyer was just like, 'We'll drop the Clipse.'"
It's done. The pair walked and landed at Roc Nation, their new home, where the vibe feels right. "It was a good feeling even to see how other labels were purchasing for the project," he added.
Sea Weeds is now out. Their debut album, Let God Sort 'Em Out, drops July 11. The first single, "Ace Trumpets," is already controversial . Clipse is not just back, but they are kicking the door in. And with Pusha T unrepentantly speaking his truth, one thing's sure: this reunion isn't about nostalgia. It's about legacy.
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