There’s been little to no news on Pusha T’s upcoming solo album King Push in recent months; you’d have to go all the way back to April of this year, when it was reported that Kanye West, Nottz and The Neptunes were working on King Push, to find concrete news. But just last month, Pusha said he’s aiming for his new album to be the “the album of the year.”
The Virginia native saw some great reviews from his first solo LP, My Name Is My Name, which now has fans clamoring for his next solo project. But Push is in no rush to put out anything he doesn’t feel is up to par. So while at the 2014 South Beach Invitational, Pusha T gave XXL the inside scoop on King Push, who’s producing on the album and why he said he was the “New Hov” on “No Flex Zone (Remix).”
XXL: Tell me about King Push. I think the streets need that.
Pusha T: I’m going for album of the year, man, that’s it; straight up, lyric-driven of course. I feel like My Name Is My Name was very stripped down—on purpose— because I just felt like people weren’t rapping enough for my taste. I didn’t want to be in that category and I wanted to show people this is what I’m about. I want to infuse more elements of music into King Push; paint the pictures and smash them with the lyrics.
MNIMN was phenomenal, but I remember you announced King Push rather quickly afterward. Did you already have that in mind?
Yeah, it’s been on my mind simply because of the production process. People don’t understand how long it really takes to find beats. Sometimes they’re not all the way there but it’s elements in them I love. Then I get to take them to get chopped up. ‘Ye got to cook over a few of them. It’s such a long process, so I was just like, listen, I’m just starting now. I got some good fucking music, man.
What can you tell me about it?
I have no features on it as of right now, but I’m well into six joints. I don’t do extra records. But I am going to try and do a deluxe [album] this time. Simply because I got the time, but it’s just all about finding the records. I don’t make records and say, “Oh, that one falls short of the bar.” I can’t put anything that falls short of the bar on the album.
Who’s the executive producer this time? Kanye?
Yeah.
What other producers you have on it?
I worked with Pharrell, Nottz, Needlz, Dom $olo, Hudson Mohawke, Baauer. Man, it’s people.
How did you come up with the title to the album?
I felt like I was rhyming better than everybody on MNIMN, so it was just a proclamation of what I feel I am. Like, on a rap level, like man, King Push. I’m coming for crowns at this point when it comes to hip-hop.
Now let’s talk about the line on “No Flex Zone (Remix)” when you said you’re the new Hov.
[Laughs] Ay man, me personally, I’m just following that mold. I feel like when it comes to my taste level and my intricacies of rap, I’m on par with that. That’s how I’m molding my whole everything.—Emmanuel C.M.