Pusha T made it abundantly clear on "Infrared" that he was unwavering in his desire to uphold a tradition of lyricism. The first verse of the final song on the record states:
"Believe in myself and the Coles and Kendricks
Let the sock puppets play in their roles and gimmicks, shit
Remember Will Smith won the first Grammy?
And they ain't even recognize Hov until "Annie"
So I don't tap dance for the crackers and sing Mammy."
These words were provenance for the tweet he posted this afternoon, outlining his commitment to excellence. The tweet didn't mention Drake as antithetical to his argument, but if he is escaping this feud without a permanent scar, he'll have to keep this "card" handy. The calling card I speak of is one that grants him status of a "true artist," at least in his eyes.
This battle over purity is in large part a byproduct of the oversatured hip hop market. Pusha T did himself no favors by going silent for several years. His new responsibilities as an A&R with Kanye West's G.O.O.D. Music imprint, gave him a decent platform with which to view the current landscape. Pusha T isn't wrong, "the Coles and Kendricks" are deserving of their name and place.
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