Let the Pusha-T album rollout begin.
Two weeks ago, he jumped on a call with Complex and warned us that “the album of the motherfucking year is coming.”
Giving an update on what’s going on in his world right now, he continued, “This era of Push is probably the most relaxed and competitive. I take the game so lightly, because now I know I’m so different. I know nobody is touching me on the street rap tip. It’s just not happening. I just want them to understand my foundation, and when it comes to my foundation, ain’t nobody fucking with me on that. You ain’t see me do nothing for the last two years, except hold my child and build homes. I just wanted the world to see my son. He’s so beautiful. I just wanted to drill that into the world for 19 good months, now it’s time to go.”
Now, the lead single to his next album has arrived: “Diet Coke.” Over production from 88-Keys and Kanye West, Push sounds as confident as he’s ever been, rattling off bars like, “As far as I’m concerned, who’s the best? Me and Yezos.”
So, what’s the verdict? Does it live up to the hype? What’s the best thing about the song? Worst thing? Biggest surprise? Members of the Complex Music team—Eric Skelton, Andre Gee, Jessica McKinney—answered those questions and more. Here are our first impressions of Pusha-T’s new song “Diet Coke.”
Eric: “This is exactly the kind of shit I want to hear from Pusha-T right now.” It has all the makings of a great Push song: a diabolically confident delivery, a soulful, pitched-up vocal sample, and (of course) heaps of coke bars.
Andre: My very first thought is it’s hilarious the way he flips Fat Joe’s “yesterday’s price” clip for his nefarious context. Leave it up to him to make that connection. Then once Push starts, he sounds locked in, talks his talk, and 88-Keys’ production is straight up glittering. I enjoyed my first listen.
Jessica: As soon as the beat dropped, I couldn’t help but nod my head. It’s one of those filthy (in a good way) and luxurious beats that’s begging to be played in a vintage Cadillac or something. The chorus is also really catchy—something that can easily be recited.
Eric: The beat! That’s not to take anything away from Push’s performance on this song (it’s great) but I still can’t believe this beat was just sitting around on an old 88-Keys tape for the last 18 years. It’s got a timeless feel, sounding just as good right now as I’m sure it did two decades ago. Now I really want to hear the original, so I can see what Kanye changed when he got his hands on it. (Push’s flow is perfect for it, too, with just the right amount of bounce.)
Andre: The way Push can rap primarily about one topic, lean into admitting he predominantly raps about one topic, and still come off sounding fresh. I’m also glad there was no cheap Drake shot here.
Jessica: The beat from 88-Keys and Kanye is so clean. There’s something very familiar about it. It has an old school feel that’s reminiscent of an era already passed, but it also feels refreshed and current—it’s the sound that helps keep the coke raps exciting. I’m also glad that didn’t address Drake in any way. Some may have expected him to keep his beef with Drake going, but this doesn’t give them that satisfaction. He stuck to the music.
Eric: I can’t find anything wrong with the song itself, but I can’t lie: after seeing the music video snippet and leaked behind-the-scenes photos, I thought Kanye would have an actual verse on here, so it was a little disappointing that he didn’t. Still, Push more than held his own, so it’s a minor complaint.
Andre: Can we not do “Yezos”?
Jessica: There’s nothing terrible about it.
Eric: I’m a little surprised Push showed restraint and didn’t slip any headline bait in here. As we know, he’s had a habit of slipping Drake subliminals or other topical references into his raps lately (most recently rapping “Tyler got the album of the year, for now” on Pop Smoke’s “Tell The Vision”). But he went for timeless appeal here, avoiding the urge to timestamp it with an in-the-moment reference. It’s a good surprise, and a smart move for the lead single from his own album.
Andre: Not much surprising about this one. It’s a pretty straightforward dose of slick-talking braggadocio from Push.
Jessica: No surprises here.
Eric: I really like it. Push sounds like he’s having a hell of a time over this beat (even singing a little!) which adds to the immediately infectious appeal, and bodes well for the rest of the album. Somehow, he sounds just as confident on this song as he did when he ripped the phone out of Steven Victor’s hands a couple weeks ago and told us, “The album of the motherfucking year is coming.” If the rest of it sounds this good, that might not turn out to be hyperbole after all.
Andre: This is a dope first single. I like the way he paid homage to Joe in the beginning and throughout the track. Whoever’s idea that ad-lib was is the real MVP. From the idea to the execution, it worked. It was the rap version of paying homage to another painter’s style in your own work. It reminded me of the way he paid homage to Mase with his “Let Me Love You” performance on My Name Is My Name. Overall, I’m really excited to hear the album.
Jessica: I really enjoyed it. It’s a strong first single—gritty and polished at the same time—and I wouldn’t be upset if the entire album includes decades-old beats from 88-Keys’ catalog. Back in October 2021, Push said that his next album will “1,000 percent top Daytona.” That’s a bold statement, and only time will tell, but it now seems like a possibility.
