Album Drop
Clipse Drops Def Jam, Pusha T Calls Them Stupid Joins Jay-Z’s Roc Nation
The Clipse comeback is still happening — but not under Def Jam’s watch. Hip-hop duo Pusha T and No Malice have officially jumped ship to Jay-Z’s Roc Nation after what Pusha called a “stupid” dispute with their former label over a Kendrick Lamar feature on their upcoming album surrounding Drake.
Their long-awaited LP, Let God Sort ‘Em Out, was originally slated for a Def Jam release this summer. But tensions exploded after the label baulked at Kendrick Lamar’s guest verse on the track “Chains & Whips,” fearing it would be seen as another subliminal shot in the escalating Kendrick-Drake beef, now entangled in a larger Drake UMG lawsuit.
In a recent interview, Pusha T didn’t hold back:
“They wanted me to ask Kendrick to censor his verse, which of course I was never doing,” he said. “And then they wanted me to take the record off. And so, after a month of not doing it, [Def Jam lawyer] Steve Gawley was like, ‘We’ll just drop the Clipse.’ But that can’t work because I’m still there [as a solo artist].”
Pusha T made it clear: there was no way he was compromising Kendrick Lamar’s artistry on Chains & Whips or his own.
👥Clipse, Kendrick Lamar
🎵 Chains and Whips
💿 Let God Sort Em Out
📅 July 11th pic.twitter.com/otKWx2vPUL
— Steez⁴⁷ (@Steez_HH) June 2, 2025
The fallout led to the termination of both Clipse’s group deal and Pusha’s solo contract with Def Jam. And just like that, the Virginia rap legends found themselves unsigned—until Roc Nation swooped in.
Jay-Z to the Rescue
The move to Roc Nation distribution isn’t just symbolic; it’s strategic. Jay-Z and Pusha T have long-standing respect for each other’s lyrical craftsmanship, and Roc Nation’s looser structure offers Clipse, Pusha T the creative freedom Def Jam wasn’t willing to provide. With the album’s new release date of July 11, fans can rest assured the Kendrick verse is staying on the record, uncensored and uncut.
Though there’s no official confirmation yet on whether Jay-Z will appear on the project, fans are already speculating about potential features and possible crossover with Roc Nation’s roster. Whether or not Hov lends a verse, Clipse seems energized under the new banner.
A Rap Feud That Keeps on Giving
The Drake-Kendrick beef, already one of the most-watched hip-hop feuds in recent memory, has now scorched corporate territory, dragging major labels and contracts into the fray. With UMG and Drake in legal battles, Kendrick Lamar, Chains & Whips, collaborators like Clipse are facing fallout, but standing firm.
Pusha T’s stance is clear: art comes first, label politics be damned.
As the drama swirls and the July 11 release date approaches, one thing is sure — Let God Sort ‘Em Out may be a defiant and defining Clipse project yet. But Drake’s lawsuit has already sent shockwaves, with labels thinking twice.
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