Pusha T and Kendrick Lamar‘s “Nosetalgia” remains one of the most potent collaborations of the last decade — not just because of its coke rap theme.
Taken from Push’s 2013 album My Name Is My Name, the Nottz-produced track finds the Virginia Beach and Compton rappers recounting their experiences during the crack epidemic of the ’80s and ’90s — Pusha T as the young dope boy navigating the drug game and reveling in the luxuries of street life; Kendrick as the good kid witnessing the destruction caused by the highly addictive drug up close.
However, the true genius of Kendrick’s “Nosetalgia” verse may not have been fully appreciated until now. In a new video from Dissect — the Spotify podcast series famous for its deep dives on classic albums from Kanye West, Frank Ocean and more — K. Dot’s rhymes are methodically broken down, revealing the hidden numerology behind his verse.
The clip begins with Dissect host Cole Cuchna highlighting Kendrick Lamar’s repeated use of the numbers 9 and 10 in his verse: “When I was 10, back when 9 ounces had got you 10/And 9 times out of 10, n-ggas don’t pay attention/And when it’s tension in the air, nines come with extensions.”
By adding these 9s and 10s together, the total sum is 87 — the year Kendrick Lamar was born. Furthermore, 9 plus 10 equals 19, completing Kendrick’s birth year (1987). But the math doesn’t end there.
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Cuchna goes on to point out that Kendrick specifically used three 9s and six 10s, cleverly setting up his use of the number 36 later in his verse: “I said ‘Daddy, one day I’ma get you right with 36 zips’ … Go figure muthafucka, every verse is a brick.” (A zip of cocaine is an ounce; 36 ounces is a brick.)
The video also notes that “Nosetalgia” is divided perfectly in half, with Pusha T‘s verse taking up the first 1:47 minutes of the track, while Kendrick Lamar‘s cameo accounts for the remaining 1:48 minutes. How many bars are in each verse? 36, of course.
“Kendrick Lamar is the best rapper alive,” Dissect captioned the viral clip, which has amassed more than 65,000 likes and 15,000 retweets on Twitter, in addition to over 11 million plays on TikTok.
During an interview with MTV News in September 2013 shortly after the song’s release, Pusha T praised Kendrick Lamar’s “Nosetalgia” verse and compared it to Nas‘ 1999 song “Project Windows.”
“I never heard [Kendrick] talk like that,” he said. “I felt it was really dope that Kendrick hopped in my world — the street life — and [put] his perspective on it.
“When I listen to it, I felt [Kendrick’s] last bars where [he’s] saying, ‘I’m myself. I can dibble-dabble over here, but I can still show you this is myself, this is me, who I am.’ He really showed out.”
Damn. Thats actually very impressive and clever.
The best thing that happened to hip-hop since section -80 till date, is Kendrick Lamar…..
This dude Dissected DAMN. and he made me go back and listen to it and it brought that album to a whole new level for me.
I respect what Kendrick does and yes, this breakdown is great. Very high-level lyricism. I get it. But I don’t give a damn what nobody says, the most important thing in hip-hop is still how your lyrics and delivery sound right there in the moment when we first listen. Double and triple entendres and other poetic devices and numerology and whatever else is cool. Great. But this is hip-hop MUSIC. When we examine something and research it and appreciate it more, those are bonus points. That’s what poets do. If that’s the focus, go be a great POET. Just write your shit down. We need those too. But in music, MC’ing, how do that shit sound when somebody at the crib playing spades at a birthday get together, riding in the car half drunk, or cleaning up the house with the music blasting, or wherever? That’s what determines who’s the greatest. You can be as poetic as you want, but if your delivery and sound is not pleasing to the ear, it don’t make if for that.
Hip-Hop is subjective and the process of creating music under this genre has no formula. It has affected people in multiple ways in different settings/periods of their lives. Kendrick’s music is no exception. After all, rap is just rhythm and poetry and that’s what he’s giving – poetry over different rhythms and beats. Just understand your opinion isn’t everyone else’s. Peace.
some people can actually follow high level lyricism on the first listen. you seem to think hip hop listeners are stupid and just won’t get the complexity, but many of us do. hip hop is not destined to be pop music just because we listen while cleaning the house or whatever. hip hop is the poetry of jazz, not doggerl rhyming over dumbed down techno
LMAO. do you be playing drakes ‘fear’ at the club or parties? or j.Coles Lost Ones?
Kendrick has plenty of certified bangers. GKMC is the longest charting rap album of all time. y’all need to stop with this goofy narrative.
Longest charting album of all time??? You dumb af, hell nah. Second, dude has a point. The only reason anyone noticed Kendricks line is because people sat there and analyzing the shit, looking up his birthday, where he was born, his blood type etc etc but to someone just listening through the album once or twice, you wouldn’t notice that shit. I’m not going to research your family history to understand a bar. Fuck that
GKMC is the longest charging rap album tho. Imagine hating so hard you ignore reality lmao
we get it, you hate rap. jayz dumbed down his lyrics for you. good for you broski.
Admit you eat crayons, bros
I’m a huge kdot fan, but common! This numerology thing surely is not intended. This still one of my favorite verses though. “Your son dope” line… FIRE ?
VICIOUS TRACK
i dont beleive thats done on purpose
he my goat xxxxx
he my goat xxxxx