Hip-hop’s long history of lyrical sparring gained a new chapter this week, as Pusha T teamed up with Wale on a blistering new track titled “Damage Control.” Known for his calculated wordplay and razor-sharp delivery, Pusha wastes no time in reigniting old tensions—firing off pointed lines that appear to take aim at some of his most familiar rivals.
The song arrives as part of the second Culture Jam compilation, this time spearheaded by Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards. The project follows in the footsteps of the original 2021 Culture Jam album, a Kawhi Leonard-curated debut that blended NBA star power with a cross-section of rising and established rap voices. Edwards brings his own vision to the table, spotlighting a handpicked roster of artists—including his brother, bdifferent—and positioning the Wale and Pusha T joint as 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, in particular, has turned heads for its directness—name-checking Birdman and, without saying his name, 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 old rivalries with sharp timing and sharper bars
The tension between Pusha T and Birdman isn’t new—and neither is the undercurrent that ties Drake into the mix. Their highly public feud culminated in 2018’s “The Story of Adidon,” a scathing diss track that peeled back personal layers and jolted the hip-hop world. On “Damage Control,” the mention of “lawsuits” has been read by fans as a possible allusion to Drake’s recent legal entanglements with Universal Music Group.
By referring to himself as the “realest Birdman,” Pusha appears to be drawing a sharp contrast with his longtime adversary—reaffirming his role as a provocateur who favors strategic tension over silence.
The timing of “Damage Control” feels deliberate. Pusha T is already in motion this year, having reunited with Malice for the first Clipse album in more than a decade. Let God Sort Em Out has earned critical praise, and a tour is set to follow in the fall. Whether this latest release will provoke responses from past foes remains to be seen—but Pusha has made it clear he hasn’t turned the page just yet.
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