JUST when you thought tensions between Drake and Pusha T were easing, the Canadian rapper has seemingly reignited their fiery feud.
The pair have traded petty shots and insults for over a decade, but their lyrical clashes appear to be far from over.
What happened between Drake and Pusha T?
Despite praising Pusha T in his early years in the industry, Drake has been embroiled in a public spat with his fellow rapper since 2011.
Most fans believe the Her Loss hitmaker effectively inherited Lil Wayne‘s beef with the New York native after signing to Young Money Entertainment in June 2009.
It ignited a war which has left Pusha T and Drake at the centre of it, seeing the duo exchange a number of heated barbs in diss tracks.
Pusha T antagonized the Take Care rapper by spitting over his beat for ‘Dreams Money Can Buy’, before coming for him again in 2012 with his track ‘Exodus 23:1’.
Drake hit back with ‘Tuscan Leather’ in 2013, defending Lil Wayne and YMCMB while diminishing his rival’s talent with a string of subliminal insults.
But his nemesis then accused him of using a ghostwriter for his chart-topping raps on his ‘H.G.T.V Freestyle’ in 2016.
The following year, Drake claimed Pusha T had fabricated stories about being a “drug dealer” for clout – and the diss tracks continued to come thick and fast.
But the feud reached fever pitch in May 2018, as Drake delivered his ‘Duppy Freestyle’ less than 24 hours after his nemesis dropped his album Daytona.
In it, he talked about how he bought a microphone signed by Pusha once and how the signature faded in time, which he said was symbolic of Pusha’s career.
He adds: “I told Weezy and Baby, I’ma done him for you, Tell ‘Ye we got a invoice coming to you, Considering that we just sold another 20 for you”
Pusha T responded in a tweet: “Send the invoice for the extra 20…”
Drake then shared a screenshot of the invoice on Instagram, asking for $100,000 for “promotional assistance and career reviving”.
Pusha T then pulled out all the stops to silence his rap foe – and revealed that the former actor had secretly fathered a child.
He branded Drake a “deadbeat” who was “hiding a child” he shares with former porn star Sophie Brussaux, Adonis.
In the track ‘The Story of Adidon’, the American rapper also confirmed rumours of Drake’s upcoming Adidas line – where he was set to reveal his son to the world through adverts and promotions.
On November 20, 2018, Pusha’s concert in Drake’s hometown Toronto was interrupted by several people who threw drinks and rushed to the stage, after which the rapper was forced to hide backstage.
He later returned to sing a number of his diss tracks towards Drake, saying he believes his rival was behind the ambush at the show.
Their lyrical battle also spilled into Drake’s explosive row with Kanye West, Pusha’s longtime pal and collaborator.
What has Drake said about the feud?
Despite faring well in the war of words, Drake admitted Pusha “had won” by sharing the news of his secret son, saying it was a “genius chess move” during a chat with Rap Radar in December 2019.
He did not bite back with another diss track, although he was continually taunted by the Infrared rapper.
However, Drake now seems to have resurrected their feud with a scathing track on Travis Scott‘s new album, Utopia, released on June 28, 2023.
He features on the song ‘Meltdown’ and his verse is littered with cryptic bars that seemed to have dragged Pharell Williams into the beef.
The 36-year-old raps: “I melt down the chains that I bought from your boss, give a f*ck about all of that heritage s**t.
“Since V not around, the members done hung up the Louis they not even wearing that s**t.”
Drake appears to be referring to his purchase of jewellery formerly owned by Pharell, including a $2 million N.E.R.D pendant chain, a white gold brain pendant chain and a skateboard pendant chain.
He also appeared to dig the Happy singer, a close pal of Pusha’s, about his appointment as Men’s Creative Director at Louis Vuitton, a position previously held by the late Virgil Abloh.
What has Pusha T said about the feud?
Pusha T has not yet retaliated to Drake’s supposed shots on ‘Meltdown’, but has previously discussed his feelings about the feud.
Reflecting on their long-running clash, he said the birth of his son, Nigel Brixton, in June 2020 had given him some clarity.
Speaking to Desus & Mero in April 2022, he said he did not want his child to be brought into the spat – as he did with Adonis.
Pusha explained: “I don’t like the energy of mentioning my son in that type of energy, or any kid in that type of energy.
“It’s not my thing right now. I got my son. And it’s like, with me, I’m just not going to play about anything involving him.”
However, months later he gloated that he enjoyed riling Drake and relishes in the fact that he is still “hurt” by his barbs.
He told XXL: “Every time I hear a subliminal in one of his songs, it just lets me know how deep it hurt him. Because it’s been four years now.
“We still talking about it. He is. I don’t. I’m cool. But every time it’s a subliminal, I’m like, yes. It burns. It still burns. It lets me know. I love it.”
