Pusha T is continuing his campaign to push for the ‘best rap album’ Grammy nod next year.
The rapper, whose latest album It’s Almost Dry is up for the award, has done a new interview with XXL where he discusses the importance of him possibly winning the Grammy, why he stands up for street rap, repeatedly rapping about coke, family life, disagreeing with Kanye West, the past beef with Drake and next album plans.
On Drake beef:
When the topic of Drake came up, Push says he loves it when Drake throws subliminals in his songs these days because he knows the past beef really hurt him. “Every time I hear a subliminal in one of his songs, it just lets me know how deep it hurt him,” the rapper said. “Because it’s been four years now. And we still talking about it. He is. I don’t. I’m cool. But every time it’s a subliminal, I’m like, Yes. It burns. It still burns. It lets me know. I love it.”
He also expressed his thoughts about whether he thinks Drake will ever diss him again directly. “We should see. I don’t know what he’ll do. At this point, that’s contradictory. Would he jump out the window? And he wanna say I took it too far? Then he gon’ tell people. Tell the label. Tell J Prince. My God. It’s a lot. With all of that being said, it’s like I’m not interested anymore. I’m just really not,” he continued.
Pusha confirmed during the conversation that he’s no longer the president of G.O.O.D. Music but has a direct 50/50 deal with Def Jam.
On Kanye’s recent hate speech:
As he’s previously stated, Pusha isn’t too happy about Kanye’s recent hate speech but says he disagrees with him all the time and they both are comfortable with that scenario.
“I was still on tour. I just expressed myself. I express myself to him a lot. He expressed his thoughts to me. And he got off the phone saying, ‘Thank you. I know you don’t agree with me, but you never kill me in the public. And some people can’t wait to do that’.”
He continued: “We started working together in 2010. So, my relationship with him has never been like everybody else’s in regard to the filter. I never had a filter with him. I’ve always spoke my mind. People gotta remember, too. This isn’t new for me, when it comes to disagreeing with him politically and things like that.”
Regarding his thoughts on ‘Ye appearing on far-right radio/podcast host Alex Jones’ InfoWars podcast in December, he added: “It’s beyond that and it’s nothing to tap dance around. It’s wrong. Period. But to me, it’s just me and him having a difference of opinion yet again. ’Cause we done had this for years.”
Working on new album:
The street rap legend revealed that he’s already working on a new album but doesn’t have a direction yet. He’s also putting together a mixtape. “Definitely working on another solo album. Just gathering a whole bunch of ideas. I never really stopped working. I sort of made a three-year plan and I’m trying to follow it. We get past [the Grammys], it’s back-to-back-to-back,” he said.
“Right now, it’s no real direction. Just trying to find the music and find the energy. I been working with Pharrell. I actually went in with No I.D. as well. Steve Lacy, he came through with some shit. You mentioned working on a couple of special projects.”