King Push has returned to his throne. Mostly known for his wildly creative coke raps that both depict and trivialize his intense drug dealing lifestyle, Pusha T has delivered more of that and then some on his new studio album It’s Almost Dry.
With trademark bars like these being the main attraction for Push fans, there were plenty other topics and motifs touched on throughout the project, as his collaborators like longtime G.O.O.D Music companion Kanye West, brother and second half of former Clipse duo Malice, idol and drug rap royalty Jay-Z and many more set the stage for a lyrically intensive exhibition.
Here are our 15 favorite lyrics from Pusha T’s latest tape
If kilograms is the groove
I done sold the golden goose
I got em’, baby, I’m Jim Perdue
Cocaine’s Dr. Seuss
Pusha T on “Let The Smokers Shine The Coupes”
As he has done persistently in the past, Pusha T champions himself as one of the best cocaine distributors there is, comparing his “golden goose” (coke) to Jim Perdue’s, who is the CEO of the chicken distributing company Perdue, prized bird, the chicken.
My n****s get money, get money, get money like Ye samplin’
Gun stutter, make the drum line like Grambling
MGM gamblin’, blew a small mansion
Pusha T on “Dreamin Of The Past”
Pusha T rapping over Kanye West sampled beats has never missed, and that is proven again here on “Dreamin Of The Past.” The Ye beat impressively samples Donny Hathaway’s cover of John Lennon‘s song “Jealous Guy,” as Push alludes to his team’s wealth with a bar about Kanye’s sampling of Black Moonโs “Make Munne” on “No More Parties In LA” with Kendrick Lamar.
Walk it down like Brady, gets better with time
Didn’t have to reinvent the wheel, just a better design
Critics: “He’s out of his mind”; haters: “He’s out of his prime”
Yet, always where the money’s at like lottery signs
Pusha T on “Dreamin Of The Past”
Pusha directly aims at critics who whine about his repeated themes of cocaine in his raps. Comparing himself to the timeless GOAT quarterback Tom Brady, he explains that his rapping keeps improving as he ages, and that he does not have to fix what is not broken.
The money counter ding is so exciting
Summertime, Winterfell, I’m the Night King
The Colgate kilo, the hood needs whitening
We fishscale n****s like we all Pisces
Pusha T on “Neck & Wrist”
References to Game Of Thrones, toothpaste and astrology all in the same monorhyme, and they said coke rap is boring. *eyeroll*
They like, “If BIG was alive, Hov wouldn’t be in his position”
If BIG had survived, y’all would have got The Commission
Hov was gon’ always be Hov
It ’twas the universe will ’cause Allah said so, and now I’m here
Jay-Z on “Neck & Wrist”
Many have claimed that if Notorious B.I.G. had never passed away, then Jay-Z would not as big as he is now. Jay-Z essentially calls those people idiots here, and rightfully so.
My Joker smile, you know who the villain is (Hahahahaha!)
Just so you remember who you dealin’ with
Pusha T on “Just So You Remember”
Throughout the entire album, Pusha inserts the audio clip of Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker’s sinister laughter. He explained in interviews before the album that he and Pharrell would watch The Joker on mute while creating songs for the album, hoping it could soundtrack the movie effectively.
Far as I’m concerned, who’s the best? Me and Yezos
Wash, then dry, so give me all of mine in pesos
Pusha T on “Diet Coke”
When Kanye West allowed for Pusha T to be released from his G.O.O.D Music contract, he referred to him as Yezos because of his wealth and power being comparable to Jeff Bezos. So, on the Ye-produced “Diet Coke,” Pusha can’t see anyone eclipsing the greatness of he and his beloved collaborator.
I been gettin’ at these coins as I’m breakin’ down the brick
Make the jump to each level, Super Mario exists
All the spoons that were bent, all the fumes through the vents
I don’t care what they do, this ain’t that, that ain’t this
I’m the trap, I’m the fix, I’m the broker, I’m The Joker
In the deck, Arthur Fleck, when he’s pissed, triple six
Pusha T on “Rock N Roll”
Again, Pusha is alluding to The Joker, referring to himself as Phoenix’s character’s government name Arthur Fleck.
I accepted you the lie
All the times, selfish, thinking you was mine
I showed up, then you arrived, I thought I could turn the tides
How I make it through the Chi’, get to you, and almost die?
Finally tired of comin’ and goin’, make up your mind
I ain’t come to pick up the kids to pick a fight
Goin’ off all of the time, showin’ off all of the time
Pushing me over the edge, don’t know if I’m fallin’ or flyin
Kanye West on “Rock N Roll”
Just as he did on the album’s third song “Dreamin Of The Past,” although not as subtly this time, Ye uses his second feature verse on the album to touch on his tumultuous divorce with Kim Kardashian. He raps about how he just wanted to achieve harmony in their relationship, but that his efforts almost killed him.
Wash the dirty money with Oxi
I miscount ’cause I’m off of Oxy
Yeah, these n****s faker than a damn proxy
Callin’ my shooter, he said, “Copy”
Lil Uzi Vert on “Scrape It Off”
Uzi laundering money and commanding his shooter to do a hit? Looks like Push’s drug dealer ways have rubbed off on him.
Buy your bitch a Richard Mille, if she like Meek’s
Let no n***a claim rich, and let ’em buy you sneaks
Wish upon a star that’s beyond yo’ reach
Or you can lay with him in misery, and grind yo’ teeth
Pusha T on “Hear Me Clearly”
Pusha T’s infatuation with Meek Mill‘s activity has always been intriguing, considering how much he trusts his taste in watches and asks him himself “What Would Meek Do?” on Daytona.
Finally made your first million, but what’s it to me?
Million-dollar dog collar, I’m pluckin’ you fleas
See, none of those barkin’ can fuck with the tree
And when they legalize that, the discussion’s with me
Pusha T on “Open Air”
Whether it be about money or cocaine, Pusha T will always be the big dog in the pound, or in this case, the wrong tree that smaller dogs bark up at.
The married drug dealer, even named my son Brixx
He raps what he lives, so fuck the nanny, gon’ sit
It’s the grown man in me
Searchin’ for the plug, that’s the nomad in me
Pusha T on “I Pray For You”
It’s true, Pusha T’s son’s middle name is Brixx (bricks). Look it up.
The past ten years, screamin’, “Uno”
Then side step back into the duo
The kings of the Pyrex
I’m my brother’s keeper if you listen and you dissect
All I talk is money if you listen to my dialect
Bitch, I shot “Grindin'” in my momma’s momma’s projects
I’m just being honest with you, how is that for context?
You can live forever when the shit you write is timeless
We gon’ live forever ’cause the shit we write is timeless
Pusha T on “I Pray For You”
Back in 2019 on JESUS IS KING‘s “Use This Gospel,” Kanye helped set in motion the reuniting of Pusha T and his brother Malice, as they reigned as the coke rap dynamic duo Clipse in the early 2000s. During this later era, however, Malice was going by No Malice and was a Christian rapper. But now, as part of their second collaborative track of 2022 after “Punch Bowl” on I Know Nigo, Pusha christens Malice’s return to secular rap with references to their 2002 hit “Grindin” and his heartfelt tribute to his brother as a feature on Anderson .Paak‘s 2018 track “Brother’s Keeper.”
Tell me what I missed
New designer drugs and emotions I don’t get
I don’t Hellcat, still paddle when I shift
Vietnam flashbacks, I get triggered by a sniff
Today’s top fives only strengthenin’ my myth
Belong on Rushmore just from chiselin’ a brick
Still fightin’ demons, see, that curse is now my gift
Malice on “I Pray For You”
As we said, Malice’s return to coke rap was worth the wait.
Decide for yourself which lyrics and songs are your favorites by streaming Pusha Tโs new studio album โIt’s Almost Dryโ below!
