TSS Presents Smoking Sessions With Pusha T

It feels like ages ago that brothers Terrence and Gene Thornton–better known by their monikers Pusha T and Malice–released their fourth and final LP as The Clipse, Til The Casket Drops. How long ago was that? Only three years. But in that time the two brothers have gone distinctly different paths, with the younger, brasher Pusha T branching out to a blossoming solo career with Kanye West’s G.O.O.D. Music label and the well-received Fear of God mixtape/EP projects.

It’s really only been three years, but Pusha’s career trajectory has truly changed. He sat down with us to discuss where specifically that’s led him since he and Malice went on hiatus, and where it’s going to surge onto. He also let on about subliminal disses, his role on G.O.O.D. Music, why he’s not that much of a fan of the Celtics anymore and, oh yeah, his thoughts on that little election that’s happening on November 6.

TSS: Alright, first things first: let’s talk about this single. What were you trying to convey in the “Pain” record?

Pusha T: Oh man. Well first of all I wanna let everybody know that “Pain” is the first official single off my solo album and the basic premise of the whole record is in the hook: I don’t ever feel pain, cuz I done felt too much pain. It’s about being in the streets and embracing all the ills and rolling with the punches and being deep in negativity but you don’t even view it as such because you’re so locked in the lifestyle.

TSS: Gotcha. You’re a veteran in the game, of course you’ve got an excellent track record with the Clipse, but this is your first solo outing. How would you say this one differs from your previous ventures with your brother and with G.O.O.D. Music, and even from your earlier EP and mixtape?

Pusha T: I’d have to say that musically this has been more aligned with a whole host of producers, whereas usually I like to lock in with one producer. Just the task of making it sound like one theme with everybody involved, it was a bit of a challenge. Usually it’s not that hard of a situation. I’d have to say that also not being with my brother there’s a second role I have to take on.

I’ve never been much of a consequential thinker, not that I can’t think that way but my brother has always taken on that role. He’s always had the more consequential rhymes and I’ve always been the more brash and the more articulate, direct and ignorant where my brother is the more thought-out one. So to appease that fan I had to tap into that a lot and that makes it a bit tougher.

TSS: All of G.O.O.D. Music’s releases have sold very well, dating back to almost ten years ago. Do you think that your album can follow those commercial footsteps, despite the fact that your music is usually darker in sound and content?

Pusha T: Oh yeah. I definitely think my project will follow those steps simply because we’re selling an album and we’re selling a lifestyle. We’re not selling Slinkies, man. I believe that even amongst my peers, my peers move units. A lot of my peers, even the ones who do something comparable or parallel to what I do. I think the sky’s the limit.

TSS: [Laughs] If there’s one element about G.O.O.D. Music that you can bottle up and store and use for the rest of your career, what would it be?

Pusha T: The attention to detail. The attention to detail over there is really serious. And sometimes, just when I think we’re going overboard about something, you’ll see the finished product and you’re like, man, I’m so glad we took that last step. But once again that is me in rapper mode. Me in rapper mode, and me being hasty versus just dealing with the life of being the executive producer of the project. So it’s way more detailed in regards to the G.O.O.D. Music brand.