All hail Blowbama, the L. Ron Hubbard of the Cupboard: Pusha T has dropped the banging new single “Diet Coke.”
Like Pusha T’s 2018 classic Daytona, “Diet Coke” is produced by Kanye West, and based on a 2004 track by backpack rap legend 88-Keys. Even if Ye had never stepped in front of the mic, he’d still be a Mount Rushmore producer for his work with King Pusha. “Diet Coke” boasts one of his trademark chipmunk soul samples, as well as 88-Keys’ twinkling keys and a relentless stutter-step beat.
“Imaginary players ain’t been coached right,” Pusha T spits, “Master recipes under stove lights/ The number on this jersey is the quote price/ You ordered Diet Coke, that’s a joke, right?” He also reflects on being a veteran of the ‘we’re not talking about soda pop,’ game, rapping, “The crack era was such a Black era/ How many still standin’ reflectin’ in that mirror?/ Lucky me.”
The song’s accompanying video is directed by Omar Jones. It shows Ye dancing behind Pusha T, in an apparent reference to the producer formerly known as Puff Daddy’s longstanding habit of showing off his moves in the background of his artist’s videos. Since King Pusha raps that they are, “Young Gs like we Hov and Puff,” the callback sure seems intentional. Check it out below.
Since Daytona dropped in 2018, Pusha T has linked up with Black Thought and Killer Mike on “Good Morning,” remixed the Succession theme, and appeared on Pop Smoke’s posthumous album Faith.
