Ukraine’s Ministry of Defence has employed Pusha T’s lyrics to celebrate its victories over Russia in the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war. Since the invasion began back in February 2022, both countries have faced severe losses. Ukraine is unique in that it has chosen to reveal Russia’s death toll using the high-octane lyrical mastery of Pusha T.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Defence took to Twitter – tagging Pusha himself -to post a picture of a chart alongside the words: “I put numbers on the boards.” The lyrics are taken from the rapper’s 2013 track ‘Numbers On The Board’ from his debut album My Name is My Name.
The chart in question appears to show that Putin’s Russian forces have sustained significant losses since the first day of the invasion on February 24th, 2022, with 50,510 Russian troops having been eliminated. 2,097 tanks, 4,520 armoured combat vehicles, 1,194 artillery units, 300 rocket launcher systems, 156 air defence systems, 237 military jets and 880 drones are also believed to have been destroyed.
The Ukrainian MOD’s decision to use Pusha T’s lyrics may have been inspired by MSNBC chief legal correspondent Ari Melber’s 2021 reference to the rapper’s single ‘S.N.I.T.C.H.’ while discussing Trump Organization CFO and tax-dodger Allen Weisselberg.
Melber quoted the following line: “Covered his own tracks, he didn’t care that. We had a legacy he killed, I got to wear that … Break your heart when the man you call your brother, be the same one that set in motion all them undercovers … From great friends now it’s no affiliation, divided by the time he was facing.”
After learning of Melber’s quote, Pusha T shared the clip on his Instagram account, writing “I have to be the most quoted on @thebeatwithari. @arimelber do the numbers and let the people know…”