Pusha T Discusses Diss Tracks & Why They’re “Really Corporate Now”

He added that diss tracks don’t “end careers anymore ’cause people don’t have the same pride level about the art.”
We’re in for a treat now that a new episode of Hot Ones has arrived with none other than Pusha T. As the rapper has been teasing his anticipated, forthcoming project in recent weeks, but it was his Arby’s versus McDonald’s fish sandwich diss track that took fast food by storm. Pusha is no stranger to going after his foes on wax, as he famously engaged in a heated musical exchange with Drake years ago. With that behind him, Pusha joined Sean Evans and dropped a few thoughts about how diss tracks have evolved in Hip Hop.

According to Pusha, what was once known as artists expressing their true feelings in the booth has become a tame exchange that is managed, or ended, by executives.

Pusha T
Kevin Winter / Staff / Getty Images
“It’s really corporate now. So, it’s like, now, you’ll have a Rap beef and a record label gets involved and the CEO is like, ‘Oh, you can’t do this to my artist.’ And they’ll like—I don’t think they end careers anymore ’cause people don’t have the same like, pride level about the art.” He also said that it is less important now who actually wins a Rap beef, unlike decades ago when people weighed bars and punchlines.

“You know, back in the day, it was career-ending, you know what I’m sayin’?” Pusha said. There were stakes involved “because it was based around the art.” He added, “Nowadays, man, people don’t care. They’re like, ‘Oh, you know, they lost today but whatever. It’s no big deal.'”