Terrence Thornton, better known as Pusha T, was one half of the group Clipse and enjoyed a ton of success in hip-hop in the early 2000s along with his brother Malice, who made up the other half of the duo. After Malice took a step back from Music, Pusha T took the opportunity to explore the solo lane and put out music on his own. He was quickly signed by longtime friend and fellow rapper Kanye West, who added Push to his G.O.O.D Music imprint. From there, a true star was born, as Push became one of the most consistent artists in the game over the last few years, putting out phenomenal projects one after the other. First, we had the groundbreaking Fear Of God series, followed by Wrath Of Caine, which warmed us up for My Name Is My Name, the seasoned vet's debut solo LP.
His follow-up album King Push is rumored to be dropping in the not-so-distant future, so we figured we'd take this time to count down our favorite tracks from the Virginia rapper. His style has influenced many of the young artists of today, with vivid storytelling and clever wordplay set to ahead of its time, envelope-pushing production. As usual with our Top 10 series, we'll run down our 10 favorite, as well as a bunch that just missed the cut. Hit us up on Facebook and Twitter with your feedback, or jump in the comment section to let us know if we missed any of your favorites.
...and in case you forgot, everything is Pusha T.
honorable mentions
Honorable Mentions
15. Trust You
14. What Dreams Are Made Of
13. Suicide
12. Blow
11. I Still Wanna
10
10. Blocka
Originally a Young Chop-produced Travi$ Scott song, Kanye West repurposed it and brought it to a new level by adding King Push. They created a new age hip-hop hit with an old school Jamaican feel with a little help from Popcaan. The first single released from Wrath Of Caine back in late 2012, this song has a ton of staying power. If you don't believe us, go pop it in the whip and roll the windows down. Banger.
9
9. Nosetalgia
The fact that this song falls this late on the list goes to show you the sheer volume of quality within Pusha's solo catalog, even through only 3 full projects. This was one of the later singles from My Name Is My Name and featured rap wonder-kid Kendrick Lamar, who brought the perfect balance to the track, combatting Pusha's drug dealing ways with how drugs affected those closest to him. Kanye West and Nottz teamed up on the incredible beat, which feels raw and minimalistic, similar to a lot of the music Kanye was making himself at the time.
Quotable Lyrics:
20 plus years of selling Johnson & Johnson
I started out as a baby-faced monster
No wonder there's diaper rash on my conscience
My teething ring was numbed by the nonsense
Gem Star razor and a dinner plate
Arm & Hammer and a mason jar, that's my dinner date
Then crack the window in the kitchen, let it ventilate
Cause I let it sizzle on the stove like a minute steak
8
8. My God
The first single Pusha T released as a solo artist, this song holds a special place in history for his fans. Not only is this song really, really good, it seems to lay the blueprint for a lot of his best songs. With his masterful blending of inventive coke references and soulful instrumentation, he can't go wrong. The song marches on as Pusha builds momentum throughout the song, a metaphor in itself for what was about to happen in his career at the time.
Quotable Lyrics:
Didn't bat an eye at it, kept the poker face
Cause the batter I added had the coca base
7
7. Trouble On My Mind
This Tyler The Creator-assisted Fear Of God II track was one of the surprise hits of 2011, combining Pusha T's slick wordplay with Tyler's wild antics for the first time. We should've seen it coming though, as anytime The Neptunes are involved with Pusha, it's a recipe for success. The Goldwatch-directed video's just as crazy as the song, and you can peep that below. Fun fact about this track, some people say Pharrell borrowed this beat from himself by making it sound similar to a much older song he produced and was featured on. We don't mind, Skateboard P deserved a re-do on that one.
6
6. New God Flow
Technically, this was a song from the G.O.O.D. Music compilation album Cruel Summer, but Push has 2 verses on it so we'll count it. Plus, the fact that he absolutely murdered it and made it an instant classic doesn't hurt either. It's always special when Pusha T and Kanye get together on a record, and you throw in a feature from a legend like Ghostface Killah to get a true hip-hop diamond in the rough. Complete with his usual Rick Flair ad-libs and shoutouts, the Neighborhood Pusher put this beat in a suplex. Woo.
5
5. Millions
Some of the first Pusha T music listeners had heard in awhile, this was the second single released from his Wrath Of Caine mixtape. It goes to show the quality of Pusha's music when his mixtape cut sounds like a lead single from almost any other rapper's album. The Southside and Kanye West-produced drug dealing record also features a monster verse from MMG boss Rick Ross.
Quotable Lyrics:
My record sales ain't much as theirs and we still ride the same coupes
How we still fuck the same hoes? Why we still buy the same clothes?
How we both got the same watch? I'm just keepin' y'all on y'all toes
4
4. Exodus 23:1
"Thou shalt not raise a false report: put not thine hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous witness."
Rumored, and pretty much confirmed, to be a diss track aimed at YMCMB and specifically Drake, this song started a firestorm in hip-hop a few years ago. With Push not denying the presence of a dis within the song, YMCMB boss Lil Wayne fired back with a poorly received rebuttal track to fuel the fire. Regardless of the beef that ensued, this Dream-assisted song is fire and deserved to get noticed on its own merit, not just for who it subtly mentions.
Fuk pusha t and anybody that love em
3
3. Open Your Eyes
This Fear Of God gem is one you may have to run back a few times to catch all the references and metaphors. Pusha T waxes poetic over a Queen sample and simple snare loop as he tells you the pitfalls of the rap game and street life, breaking down everything from the coke game to T.I.'s prison sentence. Push has always been one of the most prominent lyricists of our time, and this song just reinforces that.
2
2. King Push
Said to be a taste of what his next album (of the same name) will sound like, this Sebastian Sartor and Kanye West-produced cut is just as much aggressive as it is ominous. The goosebump-inducing beat draws you in while Pusha slaps you across the face for comparing him to these other wack rappers. He proudly tells the listeners he isn't changing his style to sell more records when he says "I don't sing hooks" in the hook. He's never been one to compromise artistic individuality for mass approval, so why start now? if there's more where this came from, we can't wait to hear it. All hail King Push.
1
1. Alone In Vegas
Pusha T and fellow Virginian Nottz have collaborated quite frequently, but this has been their finest work to date. It's not the most complex instrumental, but it sets the mood perfectly, almost reminding you of a clock ticking away while Push finds himself alone in... well, you get it. Pusha has far more experimental tracks, and far more inventive tracks lyrically, but this song seems to encompass the very essence of him as a rapper; raw. A fan favorite at live shows, many of his loyal followers will probably be just fine with this song's placement at the top of the heap.