After a lot anticipation, Pusha T and No Malice — collectively generally known as Clipse — lastly introduced that Let God Kind ‘Em Out, their first album in 15 years, will arrive on July eleventh. However when the press launch was despatched out final week, there was curiously no point out of Def Jam, who the duo had signed with final 12 months for the undertaking. As a substitute, distribution and advertising and marketing had been attributed to JAY-Z’s Roc Nation — and now Pusha T is opening up about why.
In a brand new interview with GQ, the rapper claimed their relationship with Def Jam crumbled over Kendrick Lamar’s verse on the tune “Chains & Whips.”
Common Music Group, the mum or dad firm of Def Jam, can be house to Drake (OVO Sound/Republic Data) and Lamar (pgLang/Interscope Data). Given final’s summer season extremely publicized beef between Drake and Lamar — which resulted in Drake’s submitting a lawsuit in opposition to UMG — Pusha T stated the label was hesitant on the concept of two of Drake’s largest enemies placing out a tune collectively.
“They wished me to ask Kendrick to censor his verse, which in fact I used to be by no means doing,” he stated. “After which they wished me to take the document off. And so, after a month of not doing it, Steve Gawley, the lawyer over there was like, ‘We’ll simply drop the Clipse.’ However that may’t work as a result of I’m nonetheless there [solo]. However [if] you allow us to all go… ”
For these unaware, Pusha T outed Drake for having a “secret” son in 2018 throughout their very own contentious battle on the incendiary observe “The Story of Adidon,” whereas Lamar buried Drake with the proverbial nail within the coffin, “Not Like Us,” final Could.
Def Jam finally determined to launch Clipse and drop Pusha as a solo artist, Pusha stated, permitting Clipse to seek for one other label house. A rep for Def Jam and UMG didn’t instantly reply to request for remark.
The transfer compelled Clipse to push again the album’s launch date, which was initially alleged to be someday in 2024. Nonetheless, Pusha T conceded all the course of was price it: “It felt good to even see how different labels had been shopping for for the undertaking.”
In January, Drake filed an 81-page federal lawsuit within the U.S. District Court docket for the Southern District of New York, alleging UMG “permitted, revealed and launched a marketing campaign to create a viral hit out of a rap observe that falsely accuses Drake of being a pedophile and requires violent retribution in opposition to him.”
The scenario was solely exacerbated by Lamar’s Tremendous Bowl halftime present efficiency of the tune the next month, which drew in a document variety of viewers. At one level in the course of the efficiency, Lamar seemed straight on the digicam when he obtained to the lyrics, “Say Drake, I hear you want ‘em younger…” a second that can endlessly stay in popular culture historical past. So as to add insult to harm, Lamar additionally swept the 2025 Grammy Awards’ rap classes, with “Not Like Us” taking house the trophies for finest rap efficiency, finest rap tune, finest music video, document and tune of the 12 months.
UMG strongly denies all of Drake’s allegations, calling the lawsuit “frivolous,” “reckless” and “misguided.” The label argues that the lyrics in query are “non-actionable opinion and rhetorical hyperbole” typical of rap battles—not statements of reality— and that taking them as literal defamation threatens free speech and inventive expression. UMG has filed a movement to dismiss the lawsuit, asserting that Drake’s claims are an try to easily salvage his picture after sorely shedding the general public feud with Lamar.
Drake’s lawsuit stays energetic as of now Discovery is underway, and either side are getting ready to current proof. UMG continues to hunt dismissal, whereas Drake’s authorized group is targeted on proving that UMG’s actions went past commonplace music promotion and crossed into deliberate character assassination with real-world penalties.
