The first direct shot that Pusha T took at Drake was released back in 2012 by the name of ‘Exodus 23:1’. Pusha commented on the contractual standings of Young Money Cash Money Records – the record label run by Bryan “Birdman” Williams.
Cash Money is akin to some of the most popular and successful hip-hop acts in history. Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj, and Drake all come from the YMCMB family and for the most part have been very loyal to one another.
On the other hand, Birdman has been accused by his label mates and signees of jerking them in their deals. He’s been criticized for unfairly compensating his artists, using the fine print of their contractual agreements as a tool.
Pusha plays on this in ‘Exodus 23:1’:
You signed to one n***a that’s signed to another n***a/
That’s signed to three n***s, now that’s bad luck.
Two Birds, One Stone
Since then, Drake has been the only YMCMB member to engage in the lyrical warfare with Pusha. His responses came in the form of slick shots taken on the record ‘Two Birds One Stone’. Obviously, Pusha T is notorious for his cocaine cowboy driven lyrical content, hence his rap alias.
On this track, Drizzy chooses to put Pusha’s drug dealing claims to question:
But really it’s you with all the drug dealer stories
That’s gotta stop, thoughYou made a couple chops and now you think you Chapo
If you ask me though, you ain’t lining the trunk with kilosYou bagging weed watching Pacino with all your n****s
Like, “This what we need to be on,” but you never went live
You middle-man in this s**t, boy, you was never them guysI can tell, ’cause I look most of you dead in your eyes
And you’ll be tryna sell that story for the rest of your lives
https://open.spotify.com/track/3m62bJJXGyQKdR9XyRocnl
Infared
Pusha T took some time away from the music as he was appointed President of G.O.O.D Music by CEO Kanye West. With a business to run and artists to manage, his plate was full. However, when album time came around for Pusha, he had a certain pop star in his sights.
On Pusha T’s latest album Daytona, Pusha is back in rare form and is undeniably at the top of his game. The sixth track on the 7-song album is titled ‘What Would Meek Do?’ featuring Kanye West.
There aren’t any direct shots on that record but it’s no coincidence that the next and final song on the album ‘Infared’ is the attack on Drake that Meek Mill was never able to provide.
N****s’ beats is bangin’, n***a, ya hooks did it
The lyric pennin’ equal the Trumps winnin’The bigger question is how the Russians did it
It was written like Nas, but it came from Quentin
Push took several more shots at Drake and the rest of the Cash Money family including Lil Wayne and Birdman, commenting on the disloyalty among the label mates and the financial strain that it’s put on Wayne.
Oh, now it’s okay to kill Baby
N****s looked at me crazy like I really killed a babySalute Ross ’cause the message was pure
He see what I see when you see Wayne on tourFlash without the fire
Another multi-platinum rapper trapped and can’t retireN****s get exposed, I see the cracks and I’m the liar?
S**t, I’ve been exposed, I took the crack and built the wire
Now who do you admire?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ytzc6ehAvOM
Duppy Freestyle
There hasn’t been a rap beef like this in some odd years. ‘Infared’ was released on Friday, May 25th and on that very evening, Drake responded with a freestyle of his own.
The response points to the hypocritical nature of Pusha discrediting Drake because of ghost writing accusations. It’s well-known that Kanye West has had ghost writers at various points of his career.
So if you rebuke me for workin’ with someone else on a couple of Vs
What do you really think of the n***a that’s makin’ your beats?I’ve done things for him I thought that he never would need
Father had to stretch his hands out and get it from meI pop style for 30 hours then let him repeat
Now you poppin’ up with the jokes, I’m dead, I’m asleepI just left from over by y’all puttin’ pen to the sheets
Tired of sittin’ quiet and helpin’ my enemies eat
This response was executed perfectly by Drake – if only it were Kanye that was dissing.
The Story of Adidon
‘The Story of Adidon’ is Pusha’s response to Drake’s ‘Duppy Freestyle’ and quite honestly, there’s not much more that could be said about the severity of this record.
For shock value alone I won’t preface this one. If you haven’t heard it, give it a listen.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmwOMtkDxtk
Conclusion
As of today the very well respected J. Prince has called the beef off. He advised Drake not to respond to Pusha even though he claims that Drake was “locked and loaded” with a record that was “career damaging & likely to effect the livelihood of his opponents”.
Strong words from the Prince. However, people seldom disobey his commands and it’s likely that the record he speaks of will never see the light of day.
Credit-MCA/Universal
