Pusha T has hopped on the latest track from Japanese producer/DJ/streetwear icon Nigo, “Hear Me Clearly.”
The track boasts a dusty drum groove and an unnerving loop of queasy bell-like synths that chime off-kilter over the occasional thrum of a bass synth. As always, Pusha’s bars speak for themselves: “Kilogram kick-starter push a brick harder/Left my elbow in the pot a la Vince Carter/Compared to two martyrs but I’m chasing moguls/Bosses meet for Hamachi in the back of Nobu.”
“Hear Me Clearly” will appear on Nigo’s upcoming album, I Know Nigo, set to arrive March 25 via Victor Victor Worldwide/Republic. It follows previously released singles, “Want It Bad,” featuring Kid Cudi, and “Arya,” featuring A$AP Rocky. I Know Nigo will also feature guest appearances from Tyler, the Creator, A$AP Ferg, and Lil Uzi Vert, while Pharrell executive-produced the LP with Nigo.
Nigo is best known as the founder of the famed streetwear brand A Bathing Ape, and he currently serves as the creative director for Kenzo. But along with all his work in fashion, he’s pursued music over the years, serving as the DJ for the Japanese hip-hop outfit Teriyaki Boyz and launching the (B)ape Sounds record label.
As for Pusha T, “Hear Me Clearly” arrives on the heels of his recent solo track, “Diet Coke,” which was produced by Kanye West and 88-Keys. The song is expected to appear on the rapper’s follow-up to his 2018 album, Daytona.
Fontaines D.C. have teamed up with Rosalía for their new collaboration, Where Is Gone?.
The song features on the Irish rock band's forthcoming album, Dopamine Chamber, which arrives on Friday (16.10.26). For guitarist Carlos O’Connell, working with the Spanish superstar is particularly special because of his own Spanish roots.
He explained: “I’ve admired Rosalía ever since her debut album, which I thought was absolutely beautiful.
“What excited me most was the way she continued to preserve Spain's musical traditions, something that felt spiritually connected to what we've been trying to achieve with Irish music. Having roots in both countries, it's been really special to witness. "She's an artist who has continued to amaze me at every point in her career.”
Frontman Grian Chatten has also described the collaboration with Rosalía as one of the most memorable achievements of his career.
He revealed that he felt "humbled" when she agreed to lend her voice to the band's album.
Speaking to NPR, Grian said: “I've always felt there's something almost like a single big idea that I'm personally trying to communicate to the world before I get old and die, if that makes sense. There's one thing I think I'll spend my life trying to express. I have a feeling she has a similar outlook. … I mean, she's an amazing arranger, composer and lyricist. It means so much that she wanted to sing on something we'd put together. It's definitely one of the highlights of my career.”
Rosalía's links to Irish rock music extend beyond Fontaines D.C. She also offered inspiration and helped develop the Spanish lyrics for U2's The Mirror Maker (Rosalía), a track from their forthcoming album, Carnaval de Luz.
During an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon last week, she spoke about frontman Bono, saying: “I don't know him personally, but he sent me a text explaining that he was working on a new project and had written a song called The Mirror Maker."
Rosalía joked that Bono had invented a few words of his own.
She recalled telling him: “I wasn't sure what to make of it, but I told him he could create his own language if he wanted to.”
She described the opportunity to collaborate with the 66 year old music veteran as a real privilege.
She added: “Bono is a legend.
“It's amazing.”
Bono recently revealed that he was worried about seeming like a stalker when he reached out to Rosalía to ask whether he could name the song after her.
