Pusha T

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

The journey began in 1993 when Thornton and his brother Gene formed Clipse. Originally known as Terrar and Malicious, they were introduced to Pharrell Williams, securing an Elektra Records deal in 1997. After a commercially unsuccessful single, "The Funeral," led to the cancellation of their debut album Exclusive Audio Footage, Terrar adopted the name Pusha T. Re-signed by Star Trak in early 2001, the duo released their major-label debut Lord Willin' on August 20, 2002. It debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 and spawned top-40 hits "Grindin'" (No. 30) and "When the Last Time" (No. 19). Friction with label Jive Records over delays led to a lawsuit, the formation of their own Re-Up Records imprint in 2004, and the eventual release of Hell Hath No Fury on November 28, 2006. Despite critical acclaim from XXL giving it a five-star "XXL" rating, sales lagged behind their debut. After securing their freedom from Jive in 2007, they signed with Columbia Records, releasing Til the Casket Drops in 2009 before an indefinite hiatus.

In Their Own Story

Following the Clipse hiatus, Pusha T began his solo ascent after guesting on Kanye West's "Runaway" in September 2010. This led to a signing with GOOD Music and a management deal with NUE Agency by December. His first solo single, "My God," produced by Hit-Boy, debuted on Hot 97 in February 2011 before being officially released in August that year. Later that same month, he signed an exclusive record deal with Def Jam. Pusha T released his debut mixtape, Fear of God, on March 21, 2011, featuring tracks from artists like 50 Cent and Rick Ross. This was followed by the EP Fear of God II: Let Us Pray on November 8, 2011. Although originally intended for Young Jeezy, the single "Amen" featured West and Jeezy. The EP debuted at number 66 on the Billboard 200 with 8,900 copies sold in its first week. He would go on to release his debut studio album My Name Is My Name in 2013, peaking at number 4, followed by King Push – Darkest Before Dawn: The Prelude and Daytona.

Reader's Guide

In 2015, West appointed Thornton as president of GOOD Music, a role he held until departing the label in 2022. His fourth solo album, It's Almost Dry, released in 2022, marked his first number-one debut on the Billboard 200. In 2020, he founded Heir Wave Music Group to support Virginia-based artists. Three years after leaving GOOD Music, he parted ways with Def Jam Recordings due to creative disagreements. Clipse briefly reunited in 2025 to self-release their fourth album, Let God Sort Em Out, which peaked at number 4 on the Billboard 200. Throughout his career, Thornton has accumulated one Grammy Award from eleven nominations.

Did You Know?

• Pusha T and his brother Malice were originally known by the stage names Terrar and Malicious, respectively.
• The duo's second album, Hell Hath No Fury, received a rare "XXL" five-star rating from XXL magazine.
• Clips' fourth album, Let God Sort Em Out, was self-released in 2025 following their reunion.
• Pusha T served as the president of GOOD Music from 2015 until his departure in 2022.
• His debut studio album, My Name Is My Name, peaked at number 4 on the Billboard 200.