Pusha T once picked the “realest album ever”
Pusha T is a legend in hip-hop and has worked with the best of the best. He is one of only a few stars of the 2000s that is still relevant and has released a slew of critically acclaimed albums. From Clipse’s 2002 debut album Lord Willin to 2022’s It’s Almost Dry, he has a hefty discography.
He also managed to keep the spirit of competition alive in hip-hop during the 2010s. His feuds have undoubtedly amplified his presence within hip-hop. From his beef with Drake to his Lil Wayne beef, Pusha T (real name Terrence Thornton) has been at the forefront of the culture for years.
As an emcee who burst onto the mainstream alongside the Neptunes and as a former member of Kanye West’s G.O.O.D Music label, there is no denying that the rapper is a competent and talented musician worthy of his place in the upper echelons of hip-hop.
That said, although he has released his fair share of albums, in an interview with Complex magazine, Thornton discussed some of his favourite albums of all time. Opening up about his love of Boogie Down Production’s 1988 project By All Means, Pusha T told the publication, “KRS-One was the epitome of hip-hop and storytelling. KRS-One is a rap god.”
Revealing that he admires BDP’s resilience in the face of negativity and suppression of their music, Thornton continued, “We sort of succumb to the bullshit and the negativity, and these guys fought against all of that shit. They fought and put out music with the best of them. They still prevailed. These albums are reflections of them, and that’s why I give them that competitive spirit. They did something harder than probably everybody on my list.”
However, while speaking about his favourite albums he named one of his own, Hell Hath No Fury, which he released as a member of Clipse in 2006. Labelling it as real, he unveiled it’s probably his best work, professing, “Hell Hath No Fury is the realest album ever. It’s the darkest, best record, hands down. The whole space and time, I always tell people that album will never be recreated.”
He admitted that his mindset at the time led to the album’s greatness, adding, “I don’t think I’ll ever even be in that state of my life again to ever even write records like that. If I am, you will be visiting me in jail. If not that, you’ll be hearing about label drama number 99,000 from me.”