The rapper told 'XXL' that not only is he no longer president of the record company, but he's not associated with the label at all.
Things are no longer good between Pusha T and Kanye "Ye" West. In an interview with XXL Magazine, the GRAMMY-nominated rapper revealed that he has stepped down as president of West's record label, G.O.O.D. Music, which the Donda artist launched in 2004 under Def Jam.
West appointed Pusha T as president in 2015, but with him stepping down, the It's Almost Dry rapper now just has a 50/50 venture with Def Jam for his solo music and label, Heir Wave Music Group.
Pusha T told the outlet that he has "never had a filter" with West and often disagreed with him politically, even dating back to 2010 when they first began collaborating.
"My relationship with him has never been like everybody else’s in regard to the filter," he shared, adding that he's always spoken his mind with the other rapper. "People gotta remember, too. This isn’t new for me, when it comes to disagreeing with him politically and things like that. Remember, I’m the one that said the MAGA hat is the new Klu Klux Klan hood while he’s making my album. He beefing with [former President Barack] Obama. I met Obama. But it’s the same thing with him and the Drake thing. I’m going through this and that, he’s doing shows [with Drake]."
The rapper revealed that he hasn't spoken to West since Pusha T was "still on tour."
"I just expressed myself.... He expressed his thoughts to me. And he got off the phone saying, 'Thank you. I know you don't agree with me, but you never kill me in the public.' And some people can't wait to do that,'" he recalled.
But, as Pusha T tells the outlet, the duo hasn't spoken since because "if you ain't with it, you ain't down. And I ain't with it. I'm not budging on that. I'm not with it."
"I heard about this new stuff [on InfoWars]... It's something that just sort of tells me he's not well, at the same time," he added, referencing West's appearance on Alex Jones' alt-right show. The rapper used the platform to spread antisemitic hate speech, which included praising Nazis and Adolf Hitler. "It's going to places where it's no way to move around it. It's beyond that and it's nothing to tap dance around. It's wrong. Period. But to me, it's just me and him having a difference of opinion yet again. 'Cause we done had this for years."
West's visit to Jones' show is among the latest of his many controversies. The 45-year-old rapper and designer lost numerous partnerships, collaborations and deals in the wake of his antisemitic and anti-Black tirades and comments, including ones with Adidas, GAP, Balenciaga, Vogue, his management team at CAA, and reportedly Def Jam Records.
Numerous brands and celebrities, including his ex, Kim Kardashian, have spoken out in the weeks since, condemning anti-Semitism and racism.
Last month, John Legend opened up to journalist Kara Swisher for her New York Magazine podcast, On With Kara Swisher, about how and why his decades-long friendship with West has fallen to the wayside.
Legend reflected on how the West he knew when collaborating on the rapper's The College Dropout album and Legend's Get Lifted -- both released in 2004 -- is different from the divisive and controversial figure he is today.
"I do find him different than he was back then. I didn't see hints of this kind of harmful behavior back then," Legend said.
"But, you know, I think life happens to people and I think the death of his mother [Donda in 2007] probably had something to do with this," Legend continued. "I don't want to play armchair psychologist, but he's definitely changed and a lot of us who have known him over the years are really concerned about it."
As for whether he's one of the people trying to get West help or convince him to seek treatment, Legend explained, "I know people in his life that are, but we have lost touch."
"We have not been friends for a while now, and so I’m not personally doing anything, but I do know people who are, and a lot of people are concerned about him," he added.
With regard to the possibility of West finding some path to forgiveness for his words and deeds, Legend explained that the idea of forgiveness is important, but forgiveness doesn't negate consequences.
"I think there's always a place for forgiveness," Legend said. "I believe that the forgiver needs to forgive, you know? Like it's better for you, the person that feels like they've been harmed, to be able to forgive. Because if you can't do that, it's a weight on your life. And so I believe in forgiveness in general."
"That doesn't mean people shouldn't face consequences for what they do wrong," he added. "But I also do believe in forgiveness."
Check out the video below for more on the controversy surrounding West and his divisive remarks.
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