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Steven Victor On the ‘Insane Amount of Money’ It Took For Pusha T, Clipse to Exit Def Jam

  • In early 2024, Pusha T and Clipse left Def Jam due to disputes over releasing their new song featuring Kendrick Lamar in New York.
  • The departure followed Def Jam and Universal Music Group’s demand to censor a controversial Kendrick Lamar verse, which Pusha T refused to do.
  • Pusha T had approximately three albums remaining on his Def Jam contract and paid a seven-figure sum to exit, enabling independent release and a Roc Nation partnership.
  • Steven Victor stated, "Pay us this money... And we'll let you out the deal," emphasizing the need to release the work uncensored during rapid negotiations under 24 hours.
  • The split illustrates shifting artist-label relations amid tensions involving UMG, Def Jam, and the Kendrick Lamar–Drake feud influencing label control over releases.
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Complex broke the news in on Thursday, December 23, 2021.
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