Pusha T Reveals Which Rapper He Tried To Sound Like In His Early Days

BYAron A.Updated on September 26, 20227.5K Views

Pusha T performs onstage at SOMETHING IN THE WATER - Day 3 on April 28, 2019 in Virginia Beach City

Pusha T now has a verse alongside Jadakiss on "Ignatius" which drops tonight.

Pusha T is among rap's elite in 2020. With over two decades in the game, he's innovated and maintains his position as a top tier lyricist in this rap shit. However, before he was the Pusha T we know now -- hell, even before he was the Pusha T we knew in the Clipse, the rapper was doing like most young rappers do and emulate someone as they develop their own voice. That person just so happened the be Jadakiss.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B9XIyUvHEik

"Fun Fact: I spent all of my amateur rap career trying to sound like @jadakiss," Push wrote on Instagram. "96-98, fortunately I found myself and have gotten to rhyme along side an inspiration of mine a few times, here’s another one... #HuntingSeason from the album #Ignatius dropping Midnite (3/6) RIP @icepicjay we miss you."

"Hunting Season" initially dropped as a single off of Jadakiss' forthcoming album. In wake of Pop Smoke's death, though, Pusha T announced that he and Jadakiss would be pulling it off of streaming services out of respect. "Hunting Season' was a request that IcePick Jay (RIP) always had and in light of his death me and Kiss mad an incredible song," he explained on his Instagram page. "With that being said, the whole concept of hunting season and the hypothetical ideas of 'killing rappers' isn't setting well with me while mourning the recent death of Pop Smoke. Rest In Peace POP and condolences to his family."

Ignatius drops tonight.

About The Author

Aron A.

Aron A. is a features editor for HotNewHipHop. Beginning his tenure at HotNewHipHop in July 2017, he has comprehensively documented the biggest stories in the culture over the past few years. Throughout his time, Aron’s helped introduce a number of buzzing up-and-coming artists to our audience, identifying regional trends and highlighting hip-hop from across the globe. As a Canadian-based music journalist, he has also made a concerted effort to put spotlights on artists hailing from North of the border as part of Rise & Grind, the weekly interview series that he created and launched in 2021. Aron also broke a number of stories through his extensive interviews with beloved figures in the culture. These include industry vets (Quality Control co-founder Kevin "Coach K" Lee, Wayno Clark), definitive producers (DJ Paul, Hit-Boy, Zaytoven), cultural disruptors (Soulja Boy), lyrical heavyweights (Pusha T, Styles P, Danny Brown), cultural pioneers (Dapper Dan, Big Daddy Kane), and the next generation of stars (Lil Durk, Latto, Fivio Foreign, Denzel Curry). Aron also penned cover stories with the likes of Rick Ross, Central Cee, Moneybagg Yo, Vince Staples, and Bobby Shmurda.