Clipse Forced to Leave Def Jam After Label Tried to Censor Kendrick Lamar Verse on New Album

Hip-hop duo Clipse has revealed they were forced to part ways with Def Jam Records after the label demanded they censor or remove Kendrick Lamar’s verse from their upcoming album, Let God Sort Em Out. In a candid interview with GQ, Pusha T detailed the breakdown of their relationship with the legendary label and how creative control ultimately led them to walk away.

“They wanted me to ask Kendrick to censor his verse, which of course I was never doing,” Pusha told GQ. “And then they wanted me to take the record off. And so, after a month of not doing it, Steve Gawley, the lawyer over there was like, ‘We’ll just drop the Clipse.’ But that can’t work because I’m still there [solo]. But [if] you let us all go…”

The track in question, “Chains & Whips”, features Kendrick Lamar delivering what insiders say is a no-holds-barred performance. According to Pusha, the label’s unease wasn’t just about explicit lyrics—it was about optics. With Kendrick currently seen as a rival to Drake, and Drake’s legal battle with Universal Music Group (UMG) ongoing, Def Jam allegedly felt uneasy about promoting a track that featured two of Drake’s most vocal adversaries.

As a result of the dispute, both Clipse and Pusha T parted ways with the label. They’ve since signed with Roc Nation, where they’ll release their long-awaited reunion album. Let God Sort Em Out is now officially slated to drop on July 11.

The album marks the duo’s first full-length project together since 2009’s Til the Casket Drops. Longtime collaborator Pharrell Williams is executive producing the album, which was uniquely recorded at Louis Vuitton’s headquarters in Paris. The announcement came alongside a cinematic trailer, showcasing studio footage, vintage clips of icons like Mike Tyson, Slick Rick, and DJ Clue, and even a voice cameo from Marge Simpson.

The album’s artwork is designed by KAWS, continuing the creative relationship first seen on Til the Casket Drops.

Pusha previously confirmed the album was completed by the end of 2023. Speaking at Miami Art Week with journalist Ari Melber, he assured fans:

“We always take long, people be mad. [But] it’s okay ’cause it’s done. I’m telling y’all, it’s done. I promise you. It’s in my phone.”

At press time, Def Jam and UMG have not issued any official response to Pusha T’s claims. But with the release date set and anticipation building, Let God Sort Em Out is shaping up to be one of the year’s most talked-about hip-hop releases.