Pusha T on Generational Wealth and How The DMV Culture Influenced His Next Album
Written by Luisa Calle on February 19, 2024
Pusha T continues to showcase his lyrical presence through collaborations with his recent partnership with Wyclef Jean and TIAA on the track “Paper Right.” This song speaks on the topic of gaps in retirement savings and generational wealth. Joining Pusha T and Wyclef Jean on the track are Lola Brooke, Capella Grey, and Flau’jae each contributing their unique talents to the project. 100% of the song’s sales will be donated to support efforts aimed at closing the retirement gap. “Wyclef just approached me about getting on the track. And I just knew right away the whole mission of retiring and equality would affect our people and I was excited about it. I hope this puts people on a game just to get everybody talking. It’s like, it’s super important just in speaking about generational wealth.”
The topic of generational wealth within the Black community is an important conversation especially when it comes to preparing for the future. Pusha T shares insights into his own experiences with managing money particularly when he first started seeing substantial paychecks. He credits his good money management skills and having a reliable team in his corner for navigating this aspect of his career successfully. Reflecting on his journey Pusha T also sheds light on the pressure that rappers often face to portray a certain image. “Coming into the game when I think about it you wanted things, you had to have things, you had to have the kit together as a rapper. We kind of had to have a lot of stuff before rap. I’m saying just in the competitive spirit of being hip hop kids but just the hip hop culture and coming outside and having things and showing people it was competitive.”
Becoming a new father in 2020 was a huge moment for Pusha T, prompting him to prioritize building generational wealth to ensure a secure future for his family and his legacy. “Everything I do these days are really for my son there’s nothing else that I want and so everything I do is right now it’s for him. The properties, the homes it’s just about making sure that everything can be passed down.”
Pusha T is drawing inspiration from his experiences in the DMV (District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia) region for his upcoming album. While he hails from the 757 area of Virginia, he has spent significant time in Maryland and Washington, DC. These experiences have deeply influenced his creative process, shaping the themes and sounds of his next project.
“I take the experiences from all of these places, whether it be nightlife in DC, whether it be my upbringing in the 757, whether it be the music and the musical influences of Baltimore club that y that we may have heard or Go-Go, all of those different passions and mixes, and life experiences will be heard through the music.”
Pusha T
Rap is undeniably a competitive arena where artists may mention each other in songs expecting a response. However, Pusha T approaches this differently nowadays compared to his earlier years in the industry. While in the past, he would respond to almost every mention, he now takes a different approach. “These days I’m gonna be honest with you. I’m in so many different conversations, brand-wise business/influencer situations as well that I try to pick and choose and just be mindful because I don’t like seeing my name next to everybody. I don’t like to see it on the blog. I don’t like to google myself.”
If you can’t compete with Pusha T when it comes to commercials and brand deals such as Adidas, Louis Vuitton, or Arby’s it’s nothing really to speak about. “If you’re not trying to compete at that level then I have to be a bit more mindful. How I pick and choose who’s worth it and who’s not. Anybody who’s competing with me and competing at that level. I’m cool with we can go every day but if you’re not then let’s be real.”
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