State Champ Radio Pusha T
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Source: L. Cohen / Getty / Chad Hugo / Pusha T / Pharrell
First Hall & Oates, now Chad and Pharrell. After the stunning news of the legendary music-producing duo’s legal beef hit the timelines, Pusha-T is now weighing in on the matter.
Spotted on XXL, Clipse member and our favorite cocaine rap supplier, Pusha-T, shared his thoughts on his favorite collaborator’s legal drama around the Neptunes trademark.
Hugo, 50, claims that Pharrell, 50, violated an agreement between the two in his attempt to secure the trademarks for The Neptunes’ name.
Taking to his Instagram Stories on Tuesday, April 2, Pusha-T touched on the matter, claiming that Hugo’s lawyer, Kenneth D. Freundlich, trying to fatten his pockets is the reason for what is going on.
Per XXL:
“There’s not a dollar involved in this stupidity,” Push commented on an Instagram post resharing the initial article. “Just a lawyer looking to drain Chad’s pocket. Unreal.”
Pusha T then reshared his comments again to his Instagram Story after IG user Artemus Gordon agreed with King Push’s assertions.
“SMH…nothing more nothing less,” Push wrote.
A Breakdown of Hugo’s Lawsuit
The Hip-Hop world collectively sighed when news broke of the two Virginia native’s legal drama. Billboard shared the details of the lawsuit.
“Throughout their over thirty year history, [Hugo] and Williams agreed to, and in fact, have divided all assets,” wrote Hugo’s attorney Kenneth D. Freundlich, a prominent music industry litigator. “By ignoring and excluding [Hugo] from the any and all applications filed by applicant for the mark ‘The Neptunes,’ applicant has committed fraud in securing the trademarks and acted in bad faith.”
In a statement via a representative, Williams claims the move was not to ice out Hugo but to ensure no other people can get their slimy hands on The Neptunes name.
“Pharrell is surprised by this. We have reached out on multiple occasions to share in the ownership and administration of the trademark and will continue to make that offer. The goal here was to make sure a third party doesn’t get a hold of the trademark and to guarantee Chad and Pharrell share in ownership and administration,” the statement says.
In response, Freundlich wrote, “If Pharrell’s intent was to include Chad in the filing, he should have registered it in the name of them jointly or as a partnership and not in his own name.”
We hope these two can settle this dispute amicably.
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The brothers Thorton, better known as the Clipse, were honored in Washington, D.C. last weekend and group member Pusha T documented the moment he shared with his brother, No Malice. Via an Instagram post, King Push saluted notable figures from the region and thanked Mayor Muriel Bowser for naming a day after the Clipse.
Through November 16 and 17, the Clipse had a busy two days with a conversation with veteran journalist and music executive Noah Callahan-Bever for IDEA GENERATION in partnership with Tres Generaciones tequila ahead of a performance at the famed Kennedy Center, which boasts a robust Hip-Hop programming schedule.
Via his Instagram post, Pusha T saluted Callahan-Bever, the Kennedy Center, and Washington overall for hosting him and his brother. Push also gave a strong salute to The Park club owner and legendary promoter Marc Barnes and local activist and author Tony Lewis Jr. Push went on to thank Mayor Bowser for naming November 17 “Clipse Day” in the city as well.
After the performance, Pusha T and No Malice visited the Rosebar club for an afterparty celebration.
Check out the Instagram post below.
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Photo: Getty
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Source: Cole Burston / Getty / Drake
After countless months of teasing his fans, Drake has finally released his highly anticipated album, For All The Dogs, and, of course, the reactions are all over the place.
Fans were wide awake at 6 a.m. and ready to hear lyrics that will end up being Instagram captions when the Canadian Hip-Hop star dropped his new album, For All The Dogs.
The album arrives three months after it was first revealed, featuring artwork by his no-longer secret son, Adonis. as the cover art.
The 23-song album, which is ridiculously long, serves as a follow-up to his other 2022 projects, Honestly, Nevermind, and Her Loss, and there are many features.
Drizzy gets assistance from big names like Bad Bunny and SZA, whom he revealed he dated at one point and is featured on the album’s lead single “Slime You Out” and “Rich Baby Daddy,” which also features Trump lover and victim of a sex tape leak Sexyy Red.
Other notable features include Drizzy’s homie, Lil Yachty, his recent tour mate 21 Savage, Teezo Touchdown, Yeat, and PartyNextDoor.
One standout feature comes from J. Cole, who used his appearance in the song ‘First Person Shooter,” where he addresses his beef with NBA Youngboy.
Did Drake Take A Shot At Pusha-T & Rihanna?
What many fans expected would happen on this album would be Drake taking a shot at his nemesis, Pusha T.
Everyone assumed that would be the case on the album’s first song, “Virginia Beach,” which samples Frank Ocean’s “Wiseman.”
Still, to the disappointment of everyone, it’s just a typical Drake song.
But, in what could be a reach or a clever observation, one X user noticed that in a skit on the 21 Savage assisted track “Calling For You,” a woman complains about not being in first class.
Hilariously, Pusha T hit United Air on X (formerly known as Twitter) on October 3 about the airline not having a first-class option despite letting an agent book a first-class ticket.
Is this a coincidence? Who knows, but if Drake did that in such a short turnaround, it’s pretty damn hilarious.
Another eyebrow-raising moment has the Navy reacting, thinking Drake could have possibly taken a shot at Rihanna on the song “Fear of Heights” on his latest album.
If true, we know Rihanna will have that smoke for Drizzla.
For All The Dogs Production
On the production, the side For All The Dogs boasts help from Bnyx, Boi-1da, Cash Cobain, Justin Raisen, Sadpony, and Southside.
OVO regulars Noah “40” Shebib, Oliver El-Khatib, Noel Cadastre, and Drake serve as executive producers. NBA superstar Kevin Durant serves as A&R on the project.
Of course, like with any significant Drake release, the reactions and crazy are up and down X timelines, with some folks calling the album mid.
Uh oh.
You can see those in the gallery below.
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Photo: Cole Burston / Getty
3. Ruh Roh
4. Accurate
5. Pretty much
7. Interesting
9. HOWLINNNNGGGG
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Source: Billionaire Boys Club and Moncler / Billionaire Boys Club and Moncler
When Pusha T speaks the culture listens. He recently conducted an interview and spoke on Pharrell Williams, The Clipse and more.
Source: Billionaire Boys Club and Moncler / Billionaire Boys Club and Moncler
Pusha T and his brother No Malice are the faces of the new Billionaire Boys Club x Moncler campaign. Moncler’s expertise in luxury innovation meets Billionaire Boys Club’s bold iconography in a capsule collection celebrating the 20th anniversary of Billionaire Boys Club. GQ Magazine caught up with King Push to speak on the drop and more. When asked what were his favorite pieces he revealed his top picks. “There were some knit sweaters, like cut-and-sew sweaters. The actual jacket itself, the puffer with the astronaut emblem on it, is super hard too” he said.
He also discussed a variety of topics including his long time collaborator Pharrell Williams. He made sure to remind the world that Skateboard P will forever be your favorite influencer’s favorite influencer. “He’s always been this guy who was forward-thinking. I mean, he actually was with Louis Vuitton back then” he rationalized. “He had us going crazy over the Millionaires [the sunglasses Pharrell and Nigo released with then Louis Vuitton designer Marc Jacobs in 2004], and so on and so forth.
The “Mercy” rapper also made it clear he is very selective when it comes to Rap beef. “When you look at who’s the talker and you look at what they’ve done and who they are and what they offer to you, it’s funny” he explained. “I’ve been in this game for a minute, and I’ve watched the game, and I’ve watched people at their highs and at their lows. And, mind you, most people are chasing things I’ve never chased in Hip-Hop.”
He also revealed that The Clipse are back in the studio. “I wouldn’t say consistently, but we definitely have been messing around with a few ideas. I’ve been working on a couple different projects at one time, in between touring, and he’s definitely been around and been there to be a part of it. So I think he has been finding the fun in it as well. I don’t be pressing it, but it is always fun to watch him have that fun again.”
The BBC x Moncler collection can be shopped here.
Photo: Billionaire Boys Club and Moncler
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Pusha T is easily one of the sharpest lyricists in Hip-Hop today and knows a thing or two about being an entrepreneur. In a recent interview, King Push shared his thoughts on Black Business Month, the upcoming Pepsi Dig In Day in Washington, D.C., and more.
Pusha T recently sat down to speak with Blavity about Black Business Month, the inaugural Dig In Day in the heart of Southeast Washington, D.C., and even shared one of his favorite spots to dine in the DMV. The Virginia Beach, Va. native spoke with the outlet about Pepsi Dig In Day, which the brand launched in 2020 to support underrepresented communities and support Black-owned businesses. The event, which takes place this weekend, was at the top of the mind of Pusha T as he shared his thoughts on Dig In Day.
“I’m expecting for it to be a time for music, community and networking just to clash all at once,” Pusha T said. “The actual event space of Anacostia is one of my favorite event spaces. It’s where a lot of events are held where the creative and the business minds of the DMV come together. It can be kind of artsy, kind of techie; it can be whatever the mix calls for that evening. I’m looking for the event to be community building, networking and a good time.”
The Sandlot rests near the Anacostia River in the historic Anacostia community, which continues to see rapid development. The free event will surely bring a good crowd that the businesses nestled along nearby Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue will hopefully benefit from.
Pepsi is working in partnership with The James Beard Foundation, Fig. 8, Okra, Black and Mobile, and a number of other companies and brands. Pepsi has awarded over $2 million in grants to 200 Black-owned businesses and 500 restaurants since the start of the Dig In Day campaign.
“I think prioritizing Black-owned businesses is important because it gives specifically the Black community a sense of hope,” Pusha continued. “It gives us the ‘I can do it’ mentality from the ground up, and I always think that’s good to see. A lot of people where we’re from and some of the areas we’re from and a lot of the positions that we’ve been put in, we may think it’s a heavy lift to start your own. One might think it’s too heavy of a lift, but when they see how many people took that leap of faith and how many people were involved and actually succeeded from sheer blood, sweat and tears, I think it’s good for the community to see and it lets everyone know that we can do it.”
As noted in the interview, Push is familiar with the DMV region and says that African-Asian fusion restaurant Bronze is his top choice with Jerk At Nite, one of the businesses that will serve Dig In Day revelers, being another.
Pusha T will headline the Pepsi Dig In Day Block Party happening this Saturday (August 19) at Sandlot Anacostia in Washington, D.C. Joining Push will be Alex Vaughn, Black Alley, with sound support from DJ Money and DJ Five9.
Learn more about Dig In Day here.
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Photo: Scott Dudelson / Getty
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Drake and Pusha T‘s feud might not have the spotlight it once did but it appears to be far from over. The Canadian superstar took a light shot at King Push and Pharrell on Travis Scott’s new album UTOPIA, and fans have their thoughts per usual.
Travis Scott dropped UTOPIA on Friday (July 28) and so far the early returns on the album say that Cactus Jack has another one in the can. Among several standout features that include the likes of Beyoncé, 21 Savage, Future, SZA, Young Thug, Playboy Carti, and more, Drake is also part of that star-studded list. Drizzy shows up on the track “MELTDOWN” and the last few bars of his feature had the aforementioned targets.
From “MELTDOWN”:
My schedule is out, come spin us, for realMan, f*ck all that spinnin’ the narrative sh*tI melt down the chains that I bought from yo’ bossGive a f*ck about all of that heritage sh*tSince V not around, the members done hung up the Louis, they not even wearing that sh*tDon’t come to the boy ’bout repairing some sh*tDon’t come to the boy about sparing some sh*tYou lucky that Vogue was suing, ’cause I would’ve been with the Wassas in Paris and sh*t
As it stands, Drake is alerting his opposition that he’s on his “It’s All A Blur” tour and inviting the smoke in the first line of the lyrics quoted above. On Twitter and Genius alike, fans are noting that the “melt down the chains” line is directed towards Pharrell, who reportedly designed a series of chains the rapper wore in the “Jumbotron Sh*t Poppin” video from Her Loss, his collaborative album with 21 Savage.
The lyric that begins with “Since V not around” is a clear nod to the late Virgil Abloh, who was the artistic director of Louis Vuitton’s menswear line, a role Pharrell now occupies.
On X (formerly known as Twitter), Drake, Pusha T, and Pharrell’s names are trending. We’ve got the best reactions below.
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The quasi-beef is on, and Jim Jones and Pusha T find themselves in a rap feud. Capo has dropped a teaser of a freestyle or song (however you want to call it) with bars aimed at Push A Ton, but the reaction from Twitter hasn’t been quite the home run he was swinging for.
As a quick catch-up, the tension started back in late April when Jim Jones was adamant in saying that Pusha T was not a “Top 50” rapper. “He’s nice as sh*t. He could rap his ass off, but what has he done?” said Jones in an interview with Rap Caviar at the time. “I don’t know too many n****s in this game that was leaning towards being like Pusha T. Pusha T don’t hold no weight out here. He not pushing no sh*t out here.”
Hey, the man is entitled to his opinion, and after a few days of the usual social media banter, it was soon forgotten. Flash forward to Louis Vuitton’s recent runway show, its first under new creative director Pharrell Williams, and an unreleased Clipse song was played that seemingly had bars aimed at Jones. “Beware of my name, that there’s delegate/ You know I know where you’re delicate/ Crush you to pieces, I’ll hum a breath of it/ I will close your heaven for the hell of it/ You think it’d be valor amongst veterans/ I’m watching your fame escape relevance/ We all in a room but here’s the elephant/ You chasing a feature out of your element,” spits Brick Flair on the track.
Initially, the Dipset rapper laughed it off, literally.
But on Friday (June 23) a clip started floating online of Jones in the streets (with a hanging mic) recording a new track over the same instrumental of the still unreleased Clipse joint with bars clearly aimed at Push. Shout to to Arby’s.
If we’re keeping it a bean, Jones has managed to create some dope hits and solid albums, but he’s never been considered as highly-skilled an MC as Push. However, he has held his own in various feuds with rappers over the years, including Jay-Z. But, Pusha T is a whole different animal when it comes to battle bars; just ask Drake.
Twitter’s reaction to Jones’ latest salvo was tepid at best. Hey don’t shoot the messenger, see some of the more incendiary, and slanderous reactions, in the gallery.
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Pusha T is in possession of an exact way of writing when it comes to his music, dating back to his days alongside his brother No Malice in the Clipse. A new track featuring the Thorton brothers surfaced earlier this week and it appears that Pusha T threw shots toward Jim Jones, sparking Twitter to debate the possibilities.
The unreleased track features strong verses from both Pusha T and No Malice over a busy track that played while the brothers walked in Pharrell Williams’ first Louis Vuitton show in Paris this past Tuesday (June 20). Jay-Z and Beyoncé were in attendance and both superstars were seen in the clip of the show enjoying the track.
Several snippets of the song made its way online and King Push’s signature snarl was in full effect on the track. However, many fans are examining the lyrics and believe Capo Jones is the target.
From the track:
Beware of my name, that there’s delegate/ You know I know where you’re delicate/ Crush you to pieces, I’ll hum a breath of it/ I will close your heaven for the hell of it/ You think it’d be valor amongst veterans/ I’m watching your fame escape relevance/ We all in a room but here’s the elephant/ You chasing a feature out of your element
This all may stem from Jones appearing on the Rap Caviar Podcast earlier this year and stating his opinion that Pusha T is not a top 50 rapper while also questioning his former drug dealing days. In the same breath, Jones did prop up King Push as a great lyricist and rapper but doesn’t believe the Virginia star has a great influence on the culture.
Jones is also aware of the track as it made its rounds and posted a video laughing at all the chatter while adding on his Instagram Story feed, “Let me know when they really ready.”
There is speculation that the new song from the Clipse will drop this coming Friday. For now, the reactions on Twitter to the track are all over the map. Check out the track in question below.
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Photo: Dominique Charriau / Getty
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Source: Bernard Beanz Smalls / Bernard Beanz Smalls,
Jim Jones is never short on hot takes. He has doubled down on his thoughts regarding Pusha T not being deserving on being on Rap’s GOAT list.
As spotted Complex the Harlem, New York native is not backing down from any Hip-Hop rankings smoke. Earlier this year Billboard Magazine released their “50 Greatest Rappers of All Time” list. In they slotted the Clipse member at 29. While most tastemakers and media outlets did not blink at Brick Flair’s placement Jim questioned him being in the top 50 talks on an interview with Rap Caviar. “He’s nice as sh*t. He could rap his ass off, but what has he done?” he asked. “I don’t know too many n****s in this game that was leaning towards being like Pusha T. Pusha T don’t hold no weight out here. He not pushing no sh*t out here.”
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Last week CAPO paid a visit to The Breakfast Club. While he discussed a variety of topics the hosts got him to clarify his original stance. “I don’t think Pusha T will reach out to me, I’m not the type of person you’re gonna reach out to about my opinion,” he said when asked by Charlamagne about his original take. “I ain’t cool with him like that. I know him to say, ‘What’s up?’ Give him a pound, you dig? I wasn’t trying to diss him. They asked me a question… My phone ain’t the line to be calling.” As the conversation between the trio progressed Jim went on to pose some questions to DJ Envy directly. “Could you name five Pusha T records?” he asked “No. Could you rap to five Pusha T records?”
Jim Jones went on to further clarify that while his opinion doesn’t hold the “Mercy” rapper in that regard; he isn’t a hater. Shoutout to Pusha T, I love your soul,” he explained. “You my dawg. You not in my top 50. You might be in Charlamagne’s top 50 and things like that, but you haven’t done that much for me in my life. I didn’t never want to be like Pusha, I never had a Pusha moment in my life.”
You can view the interview below.
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Photo: Bernard Beanz Smalls
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At this point no rapper is better equipped to talk white than Pusha T. He has updated a Melle Mel classic for the Cocaine Bear soundtrack.
As spotted on Hype Beast the Clipse member is back to doing what his fans love most. In support of the movie’s launch he has released “White Lines (Cocaine Bear Remix)”. In it he makes several clever references to the powdery substance that tie things back to Rap music but also films. “The dope boys go crazy, they know I get it out the jungle / I ain’t never been a runner, we ain’t never had to wonder / You heard the pilot lost the load, call that dumb and dumber”.
Cocaine Bear is a 2023 American comedy horror film directed and produced by Elizabeth Banks and written by Jimmy Warden. It is loosely inspired by the true story of the “Cocaine Bear”, an American black bear that ingested millions of dollars of lost cocaine in 1985. The film features an ensemble cast that includes Keri Russell, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Christian Convery, Alden Ehrenreich, Brooklynn Prince, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Margo Martindale, and Ray Liotta. The film marked the posthumous release for Liotta who died on May 26, 2022, with the film being dedicated to his memory.
You can listen to “White Lines (Cocaine Bear Remix)” below.
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Photo: Bernard Smalls
