Clipse have confirmed that their long-awaited reunion album Let God Sort Em Out will no longer be released through Def Jam, following a dispute centered around Kendrick Lamar’s guest verse.
In a recent interview with GQ, Pusha T opened up about the conflict, revealing that label executives demanded changes to the track “Chains & Whips,” which features Lamar. According to Pusha, Def Jam asked him to either have Kendrick censor his verse or remove the track entirely; an ultimatum he flatly rejected.
“They wanted me to ask Kendrick to censor his verse, which of course I was never doing,” Pusha said. “Then they wanted me to take the record off. After a month of standing firm, Steve Gawley, the lawyer over there, said, ‘We’ll just drop the Clipse.’ But that doesn’t work because I’m still there [as a solo artist]. So I said, ‘Let us all go.’”
Sources close to the situation suggest that the label’s concern stemmed from the optics of Kendrick Lamar, currently in a high-profile lyrical feud with Drake, appearing alongside Pusha T, one of Drake’s most vocal rivals, while Drake is actively engaged in legal proceedings against UMG, Def Jam’s parent company.
With creative freedom on the line, Clipse ultimately exited Def Jam and inked a new deal with Roc Nation, where they’ll now release Let God Sort Em Out.
Neither Def Jam nor UMG has issued a public statement addressing Pusha T’s claims.
Despite the drama, fans won’t have to wait much longer. In a cinematic teaser posted last week, Clipse announced that Let God Sort Em Out will drop on July 11. The album is executive produced by Pharrell Williams and was recorded entirely at Louis Vuitton’s Paris headquarters, signaling the group’s elevated artistic vision.
The trailer offers a glimpse into the creative process, showcasing studio footage of the duo alongside archival clips of cultural icons like Mike Tyson, Slick Rick and DJ Clue, hinting that Clipse are preparing to deliver a statement piece worthy of their legacy.