Hip-hop’s lengthy historical past of lyrical sparring gained a brand new chapter this week, as Pusha T teamed up with Wale on a blistering new observe titled “Damage Control.” Known for his calculated wordplay and razor-sharp supply, Pusha wastes no time in reigniting outdated tensions—firing off pointed strains that seem to take goal at a few of his most acquainted rivals.

The music arrives as a part of the second Culture Jam compilation, this time spearheaded by Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards. The undertaking follows within the footsteps of the unique 2021 Culture Jam album, a Kawhi Leonard-curated debut that blended NBA star energy with a cross-section of rising and established rap voices. Edwards brings his personal imaginative and prescient to the desk, spotlighting a handpicked roster of artists—together with his brother, bdifferent—and positioning the Wale and Pusha T joint because the compilation’s opening salvo.

With Don Cannon behind the boards, “Damage Control” pulses with weight and urgency, anchored by Pusha T’s forceful cadence. His verse, particularly, has turned heads for its directness—name-checking Birdman and, with out saying his identify, seemingly revisiting the simmering feud with Drake. “The realest Birdman, I just cock-a-doodle-doo / doorstep, doorstep, I get it right through / money talk, money talk, the wrist is light blue / Sugarhill sweet, s**t is feeling type 2 / bruised egos, man, you n****s might sue / New Jack Ninos telling on the crew,” Pusha T raps.

Pusha T stirs outdated rivalries with sharp timing and sharper bars

The rigidity between Pusha T and Birdman isn’t new—and neither is the undercurrent that ties Drake into the combination. Their extremely public feud culminated in 2018’s “The Story of Adidon,” a scathing diss observe that peeled again private layers and jolted the hip-hop world. On “Damage Control,” the point out of “lawsuits” has been learn by followers as a potential allusion to Drake’s current authorized entanglements with Universal Music Group.

By referring to himself because the “realest Birdman,” Pusha seems to be drawing a pointy distinction together with his longtime adversary—reaffirming his position as a provocateur who favors strategic rigidity over silence.

The timing of “Damage Control” feels deliberate. Pusha T is already in movement this yr, having reunited with Malice for the primary Clipse album in additional than a decade. Let God Sort Em Out has earned crucial reward, and a tour is ready to observe within the fall. Whether this newest launch will provoke responses from previous foes stays to be seen—however Pusha has made it clear he hasn’t turned the web page simply but.