Rappers and brothers Pusha T and Malice form the group Clipse, along with producer Pharrell Williams. In July of this year, Clipse released its first full-length album in 15 years with high hopes. But the more than decade gap between albums made listeners nervous about what was to come.
The album kicks off with the track “The Birds Don’t Sing,” featuring R&B icon John Legend. Pusha T begins his verse by opening up about the absence of his mother, who had passed away in late 2021. Pusha T feels a marked disconnect from the world he once knew, saying, “Lost in emotion, mama’s youngest / Tryna navigate life without my compass / Some experience death and feel numbness / But not me, I felt it all and couldn’t function.”
Pusha T dives deep into the widely undiscussed hardships of losing a mother. Unsure of how to navigate his new world, he mentions having lost both his moral compass and life compass. He continues that people often respond to the loss of a parent with “numbness.” Pusha T, however, felt all the weight of his mother’s death and admitted the effect it had on his day-to-day life.
Malice performs the next verse. Matching Pusha T’s emotional tone, He dedicates his verse to their late father, who died less than a year after their mother. “Shared you with my friends, the Pops they never had / You lived for our fishin’ trips, damn, I had a dad.”
Pusha T and Malice, above all else, are incredible storytellers. They take listeners on the same emotional journey that they are experiencing themselves, bringing them face-to-face with the same battles they’re fighting. Their vocal tone is attention-grabbing, almost demanding — pulling listeners into their shoes.
The vulnerable style hasn’t always been consistent throughout their career; on previous projects, they leaned deeper into their classic Virginia Rap / Coke Rap style. Luckily, they come back with the same style later in the album, this time with one of the leaders of the rap game, Kendrick Lamar.
Originally introduced in 2023 at a Louis Vuitton Spring/Summer runway show, Chains & Whips is an organ-filled bass-heavy track with an engaging and electric beat. Each rapper takes an individual stance on the track. Pusha T is attacking Jim Jones, a rapper who, on a podcast, dissed Pusha T for being featured on a top 50 rappers of all time list, claiming that his lyrics lacked value and he didn’t deserve a spot. Pusha T responds by calling out his fake spending habits, his career as a reality TV actor, and for selling out his soul.
Malice takes a completely different approach on the track, looking more into the song title by describing how there is such a large push for him to spend money on Watches, Cars, and other luxuries. Malice describes himself as beating the system and not falling into the trap of capitalism, which he sees as modern-day slavery.
Kendrick Lamar takes the final verse on the album and speaks out against the constant attacks on him by people close within his circle, saying, “How many Judases that let me down?” Additionally, Lamar shows his progress in the world and how he tries to help those around him, saying “Therapy showed me how to open up / It also showed me I don’t give a f*** / The two-time Gemini with the genocide / I’m generous, however you want it, I’ll be the gentle kind.”
With the duo finally back in a new form, it’s everything a music fan could hope for. Let God Sort Them Out is innovative, diverse, and complete. We rate the album a 9/10 with a giant stamp of approval.
