Clipse is one of the best hip-hop duos of all time. Top five territory—debate your drug plug. I’d go as far as saying that while their third studio album, Til the Casket Drops, isn’t quite as strong as Lord Willin’ or Hell Hath No Fury, it sounds better today than it did on its release date nearly 13 years ago. Do yourself a favor and run that back.
Yet when Malice changed his name to No Malice, started making music with Lecrae, and released Wretched, Pitiful, Poor, Blind & Naked, a memoir reflecting on his life, the prospect of another Clipse album seemed dead in the water. But I have a sneaking suspicion that Pusha-T’s older brother has done enough atoning. Something tells me those Thornton boys are back in the stu—no chicken noodle—preparing to cook up another classic as the Clipse.
In an interview with Complex pegged to Pusha’s collaboration with Arby’s (a scathing takedown of McDonalds’ McRib sandwich), the Virginia MC teases that he’s “working on some super special projects.” He also discusses fan praise for No Malice’s verse on “I Pray for You,” the closer to Push’s latest album, It’s Almost Dry. Sorry to get all Charlie from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia on you, but he referred to his right hand as Malice, sans the No (iTunes refers to him similarly). I wonder what it all means? I could be reading too much into things, but it seems a bit symbolic.
As of late, Pusha has teased “very special projects” on multiple occasions. Aside from the aforementioned Complex interview, he also dropped that phrase with a smirk in a chat with Spotify. Unless he’s going to exhume Biggie’s body, dial up Hov, and third wheel a 2023 rendition of The Commission, there’s not a project Pusha-T could be involved in that’s more special (or realistic) than a Clipse record. With the rash of appearances they’ve made together—on recent albums by Ye and Nigo and at Pharrell’s Something in the Water festival—I’m willing to bet they’ve been grinding in the studio. The popular demand is too strong.
I won't hold my breath but I damn sure will keep my fingers crossed. In the meantime, peep the clip below to discover why the McRib will be referred to as McR.I.P. henceforth.