Pusha T

First making a huge impression as one-half of <a href="spotify:artist:2J257euzcjnDLipsyJH3F2">Clipse</a>, Pusha T's solo career came after years of honing his lyrical skills and grinding in the music industry. After reaching legend status in a lengthy run with <a href="spotify:artist:2J257euzcjnDLipsyJH3F2">Clipse</a>, the rapper signed with G.O.O.D. Music in 2010 and took his intricate wordplay and imposing presence to albums like 2018's critically lauded Daytona. His complex depictions of both drug hustling and emotional struggles continued on his fourth solo album, 2022's <a href="spotify:artist:5K4W6rqBFWDnAN6FQUkS6x">Kanye West</a>- and <a href="spotify:artist:2RdwBSPQiwcmiDo9kixcl8">Pharrell Williams</a>-produced It's Almost Dry.

Pusha T was born Terrence Thornton in the Bronx but was raised in Virginia Beach, Virginia along with his brother Gene Thornton. With Gene taking on the name Malice, the brothers formed <a href="spotify:artist:2J257euzcjnDLipsyJH3F2">Clipse</a> in the early '90s, quickly forming a relationship with <a href="spotify:artist:0KuF7reCTOZwV7YJnHQqgr">the Neptunes</a>' <a href="spotify:artist:2RdwBSPQiwcmiDo9kixcl8">Pharrell Williams</a> and embarking on a career that would include major-label record deals and critically revered albums. In 2010, the duo announced they were taking a break to focus on solo careers. Pusha would sign with <a href="spotify:artist:5K4W6rqBFWDnAN6FQUkS6x">Kanye West</a>'s G.O.O.D. Music imprint and land on his new label boss' album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy that same year.

In 2011, he issued both the Fear of God street-level mixtape and its officially released sequel, Fear of God II: Let Us Pray, which appeared via G.O.O.D. The label released his official debut album, My Name Is My Name, in 2013, with guest appearances from <a href="spotify:artist:1sBkRIssrMs1AbVkOJbc7a">Rick Ross</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:17lzZA2AlOHwCwFALHttmp">2 Chainz</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:2YZyLoL8N0Wb9xBt1NhZWg">Kendrick Lamar</a>, and others. The "Untouchable" single arrived in 2015, along with the album King Push - Darkest Before Dawn: The Prelude. King Push peaked at number 20 on the Billboard 200 and rose to the number three spot on the R&B/hip-hop chart. In 2017, the rapper appeared on tracks by <a href="spotify:artist:6XyY86QOPPrYVGvF9ch6wz">Linkin Park</a> ("Good Goodbye") and <a href="spotify:artist:3AA28KZvwAUcZuOKwyblJQ">Gorillaz</a> ("Let Me Out"). He returned to his own material in 2018, recording a follow-up to King Push with <a href="spotify:artist:5K4W6rqBFWDnAN6FQUkS6x">Kanye West</a>, Daytona, which arrived in May. His highest-charting release to date, Daytona was a critical and commercial success for Pusha T, appearing on dozens of year-end Best Albums lists and receiving a Grammy nomination for Best Rap Album. A rivalry with <a href="spotify:artist:3TVXtAsR1Inumwj472S9r4">Drake</a> that had been simmering in the form of restrained lyrical slights and diss tracks came to a head in 2018. Things had been escalating in songs where <a href="spotify:artist:3TVXtAsR1Inumwj472S9r4">Drake</a> questioned Pusha T's drug-dealing past and Pusha T accused <a href="spotify:artist:3TVXtAsR1Inumwj472S9r4">Drake</a> of not writing his own rhymes. In May of 2018, Pusha T released "The Story of Adidon," a vicious track aimed directly at <a href="spotify:artist:3TVXtAsR1Inumwj472S9r4">Drake</a> that included references to his illegitimate child, his producer <a href="spotify:artist:4vQEj0zCIa6CvDruKZCLNk">40</a>'s failing health, and other non-stop low blows. The song, a self-released standalone track, received overwhelming critical acclaim and led many to declare Pusha T the winner of the ongoing rap battle. Moving on from there, he continued to release new music, including "Sociopath" with <a href="spotify:artist:3u579Gdap91lMptBSdXTpf">Kash Doll</a> and "Coming Home" featuring <a href="spotify:artist:2Mu5NfyYm8n5iTomuKAEHl">Lauryn Hill</a>, both in 2019. "Diet Coke," produced by <a href="spotify:artist:5K4W6rqBFWDnAN6FQUkS6x">Kanye West</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:6RedK3o51NbUJuJxXlT4kj">88-Keys</a>, appeared in 2022 as the lead single for Pusha T's fourth solo album, It's Almost Dry. Released in April of 2022, It's Almost Dry was produced entirely by industry giants <a href="spotify:artist:5K4W6rqBFWDnAN6FQUkS6x">Kanye West</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:2RdwBSPQiwcmiDo9kixcl8">Pharrell Williams</a>, both of whom also appeared on different tracks on the album. Along with those big-name producers, It's Almost Dry featured guest contributions from <a href="spotify:artist:0fA0VVWsXO9YnASrzqfmYu">Kid Cudi</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:3nFkdlSjzX9mRTtwJOzDYB">Jay-Z</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:4Gso3d4CscCijv0lmajZWs">Don Toliver</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:4O15NlyKLIASxsJ0PrXPfz">Lil Uzi Vert</a>, and others. ~ David Jeffries, Rovi