Pusha T and the Fallout From Jim Jones' Pusha-T Diss

  Pusha T took aim at Jim Jones with a post on Friday that featured photos from Jerry Lorenzo's Fear of God fashion show at the Hollywood Bowl and wrote, "Places they'll never go, stages they'll never see..." Jim Jones further reinforced his position during an interview on The Breakfast Club on Friday by challenging Charlamagne Tha God and DJ Envy to perform five Pusha T songs as they could rapped along. 1. Pusha-T’s Career Pusha T is one of the most acclaimed figures in rap history. Born and raised in Virginia, Pusha first rose to fame with Clipse before going solo in 2001 with solo albums that garnered critical acclaim and established himself as an expert of wordplay. Pusha T has never become an overnight sensation, yet his steady development over the years has seen him ride the ebb and flow of music business while consistently producing top-tier projects every few years. His most recent project It's Almost Dry stands out among them all as an outstanding 12-track release that surpasses any he's put out previously. As an observer of hip-hop culture, Push has witnessed the ascension and fall of groundbreaking artists such as KRS One, Rakim, Phife Dawg, Lil' Kim, J Dilla. Push is especially fascinated by long-running artists without commercial success. Pusha T is frequently criticized for his lack of mainstream success throughout his long career. Rap is a competitive industry with rappers jostling for fans and money, making it easy for rappers to get caught up in celebrity culture or succumb to popular songs and styles rather than remaining true to themselves and their craft. Pusha doesn't seek commercial success with his career; instead, he prefers focusing on quality music and building connections with fans rather than seeking it as a goal. He credits his creative process and consistency for keeping him from falling victim to stardom, while his longstanding relationship with manager Steven Victor has ensured his music remains relevant and elevated in high-art contexts. In 2022, Daytona-based rapper J-Cole unveiled It's Almost Dry as his fourth studio album and an ambitious artistic and commercial success that dwarfed all previous projects both artistically and commercially. Produced by heavyweight hip-hop producers Pharrell Williams and Kanye West (Ye) respectively who shared production duties equally; It remains one of rap music's most groundbreaking releases to date. Pusha T is no stranger to multifaceted careers outside the music industry; he co-owns fashion label PUSH and was involved with several Oscar-nominated film projects (A Star Is Born among them). Additionally, Pusha also runs Re-Up Records which was founded with his brother. 2. Pusha-T’s Relationships Pusha T is widely recognized for his open interactions with both fans and fellow musicians, frequently hosting events and making frequent stage appearances throughout his career. Pusha T first became known through his partnership in Clipse, alongside Malice (now No Malice). Because of their popularity within hip-hop culture, they were able to secure a deal with Japanese lifestyle brand A Bathing Ape and secure sponsorship deals from them as a duo. Brand dominating culture in early 2000s; rappers such as Pharrell Williams and Clipse quickly adopted it, becoming faces for it in America. Throughout their time together, they established themselves by developing their own style of rap music and collaborating with other artists such as Kelis and Nivea. Pusha T is one of the most revered rappers today, owing to his innovative style and signature sound. This can be attributed to being an adaptable MC who can switch styles easily between hip-hop, neo-soul and R&B rapping. Pusha T is notable for maintaining his personal life out of public view, yet his relationships with other artists remain well-known. Although public discussions regarding his personal life may occur from time to time. On his Instagram account, he recently posted a picture with the words, "Places they'll never be, stages they'll never see". This can be taken to mean that he is unafraid to express his views even when others might disagree with them. He also voiced his dissatisfaction with Kanye West for his recent antisemitic tweets and comments, telling the Los Angeles Times in an interview that Ye's behavior had affected him personally and caused him to reconsider their relationship. As a result of Ye's statements, more rappers have decided to distance themselves from his behavior, particularly American-based artists. 3. Pusha-T’s Albums After Jim Jones made headlines with his viral diss of Pusha-T, there was an immediate rush to understand what he meant by his comments. Charlamagne Tha God, DJ Envy, and others on RapCaviar podcast probed and probed Jim on these remarks. The Harlemite made an argument against Pusha-T as being stuck in the 90s and that his lyrics weren't having much of an impact on culture today. Furthermore, they called into question his longevity within the industry compared to others like Jay-Z or Drake who have become icons over time. Jones' remarks may not have been intended as malicious, but they do make a valid point about how culture has shifted over the years. Artists could only stay in the limelight for so long before being forced out; thanks to social media and technology advancements, however, newer generations of rappers can reach out directly to their fans and spread their message more efficiently than ever. Pusha-T is one of the most acclaimed artists in music today and remains popular and relevant despite his longstanding career. Pusha-T has also enjoyed maintaining strong working relationships with Kanye West and Pharrell Williams, who both contributed significantly to Pusha-T's recent albums such as Darkest Before Dawn: The Prelude, Daytona and It's Almost Dry. This collaboration led to some of his most celebrated releases such as Darkest Before Dawn: The Prelude, Daytona and It's Almost Dry. Pusha-T's Darkest Before Dawn explores the perils of drug and gangster music, with lines filled with fiery grandstanding while still managing to craft some of his finest songs in years. "Drug Dealers Anonymous" is one such track which showcases his distinct style and swagger, featuring some of hip hop's coveted verses from Jay-Z and Pharrell among many others. Alongside these verses, this track also features beautiful spacey synths which will have you dreaming of a South Beach spring break getaway. Its mesmerizing rhythm may become one of the summer's biggest hits! 4. Pusha-T’s Style Pusha T is one of hip-hop's greatest rappers who is often underappreciated. Yet this Virginia native has been producing quality rap music as long or longer than Kendrick Lamar, Jay-Z, Kanye West, Lil Wayne and J Cole among others. He's widely considered one of the pioneers of "coke rap," an emerging subgenre of hip-hop characterized by lyrics about buying and selling cocaine with all of its associated problems. While some criticize his music for this reason, he works to change public perception by adding some regality to it on new albums such as It's Almost Dry. Pharrell and Kanye West, two visionary producers in hip-hop history, came together on this record to produce what may well be one of the finest albums of this decade. Pusha T demonstrates throughout It's Almost Dry that he isn't afraid to stretch himself creatively and explore different artistic avenues, particularly after working alongside Kanye West on his solo album DAYTONA and taking up more unconventional concepts. But this time around, he goes a step further by challenging himself to create his most accomplished work ever - one which affirms the force of his career and feels effortless like his raps do - making It's Almost Dry so enjoyable. Pusha T's tracks like 'Diet Coke' and 'Neck and Wrist' provide insight into his childhood struggles, without sounding as harsh or raspy as usual. His lyrics also showcase his ability to tell a tale through songs like 'Open Air' and 'I Pray For You.' Pusha even expresses his faith on mic, something not always easy.