One of the greatest rap duos of all time is back. Clipse have just released their fourth studio album, Let God Sort Em Out, produced entirely by Pharrell Williams.
The album is spectacular. It’s a true return to form. There are splashy moments—including pointed disses aimed at Jim Jones and Travis Scott—but also plenty of depth and Easter Eggs for rap fans to nerd out over. Let God Sort Em Out is bookended by two of the most emotional tracks of the duo’s careers, “The Birds Don’t Sing” and “By the Grace of God.” Pharrell delivers some of the most expansive production the Clipse ever rapped over—loud and futuristic—giving two aging master lyricists the perfect canvas.
To celebrate the release, Complex sat down with Pusha T, Malice, and Pharrell to break down the making of one of the best rap albums of the year. You can read the full story here—or check out some key takeaways from our conversation below.
The album was recorded at Louis Vuitton’s headquarters in Paris, and it sounds expensive. It was the first time the three had made an entire album on another continent. Pharrell told us about the experience, saying: “There’s this thing with Paris and Virginia—it’s crazy. I don’t know what it is, but it just keeps giving. We’ve never done that before.”
Widely regarded as one of the greatest rap albums of all time, Raekwon’s debut album, Only Built 4 Cuban Linx…, is one of the greatest rap albums of all time. Clipse and P are huge fans. The trio said they had it in mind while recording Let God Sort Em Out. “We’ve always rhymed with the Purple Tape in the bullseye,” Pusha said.
When it came to Kendrick’s appearance, Clipse sent over a few records for the Compton rapper to consider. He chose “Chains & Whips.” “We didn’t ask him specifically,” Pusha said. “We just let him hear some joints, and he loved that beat. He was like, ‘Oh, I gotta do it.’”
Pharrell had Martin Scorsese’s mob drama The Irishman on his mind while making this album, which is partially about aging gracefully in rap. Here is what he told us: “The Irishman—that shit changed me…I saw Scorsese… this guy doesn’t fucking miss, and he just gets better with time. That doesn’t happen in rap.”
The trio spoke in depth about the album’s first single, “Ace Trumpets.” Pusha described trying to capture the rawness of a mixtape while still making something that had a certain pop sensibility. “It was about saying the best shit you could say, while keeping that spirit—the bragginess, the streetness of a mixtape—but still giving it song structure,” he said.
Leading up to the release, Pusha and Malice have been everywhere, willingly talking about everything. They told us they appreciate journalists giving them the platform, but they’re also eager to speak because they’re confident in the work. “I have to say, music journalism has been really good for us, so it’s something we don’t shy away from,” Pusha said. “We actually look at people who do as not being confident in their product.”
Pusha shared some thoughts about N.O.R.E. revealing a story regarding the rapper getting upset over something Pharrell said on Drink Champs. He seemed puzzled about why it was made public, saying, “I feel like N.O.R.E. made it seem like… I just had a conversation with him. Like, no, it wasn’t all parties involved. I have no clue why he talked about it to that guy. It’s rollout time though, man. Everybody wants a part of the clickbait.”
Malice told us, “I think hip-hop has kind of jinxed itself into thinking there is such a thing as too old, and that it should never be accepted. Either you got the talent or you don’t. You could be old. You could be young. If you ain’t got it, then you don’t have it. You don’t stay young forever, and if you try to stay young forever, you start looking funny.”
The opening track deals with the death of their parents and stands as one of the most heartfelt moments of their career. Malice recalled hearing Pusha’s verse for the first time: “He sent it to me, and I wasn’t ready for it. I mean, I literally couldn’t take it. I hit him back with a short message saying, ‘Yeah,’ but honestly, I just couldn’t take it.”
Since the release of “Ace of Trumpets,” fans have been talking about his skills. He told us, “I’m thankful. Like I said before, it’s really all about the fans. That’s why we never came with that approach of ‘we’re back.’ The fans will let you know if you are back or not. They’re who you need to cater to and listen to. I know what I can do when it comes to rapping—I’m not in the dark about it at all.”
