Terrence LeVarr Thornton, better known by his stage name Pusha T, is an Ame… Read Full Bio ↴Terrence LeVarr Thornton, better known by his stage name Pusha T, is an American rapper, songwriter and record executive. He rose to prominence as one-half of the hip hop duo Clipse, which was mainly active from 1994 to 2010, alongside his older brother No Malice. As Clipse, the two released three studio albums and a number of mixtapes, and had hit singles including "Grindin'" and "When the Last Time" (both 2002).

In September 2010, Pusha T signed to Kanye West's GOOD Music imprint, under the aegis of Def Jam Recordings. Later that year, he was featured on West's single "Runaway," which peaked at number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100. In 2011, he released his first solo project, the mixtape Fear of God, which was followed up with his debut solo album, My Name Is My Name, released in 2013. In November 2015, West appointed Pusha T to take over his role as president of GOOD Music. Pusha T remained a flagship artist for the label until ending his tenure with the company in 2022.

Pusha T has since then released three solo albums: King Push – Darkest Before Dawn: The Prelude (2015), Daytona (2018), and It's Almost Dry (2022), all receiving widespread critical acclaim; the latter was Pusha T's first number one debut on the Billboard 200.

Money On My Mind Freestyle
Pusha T Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

They thought I lay dead, I was playing possom
Spot me everywhere with the 8 like Kate Goslin
Niggas think they sit at the top, they just posturing
Now they hide their head like an ostrich
Optimus Prime and that gull wing feeling like I transform
Niggas still hands on, whip it like a sandstorm
Had the audacity to sell it in a damn poem
Get you higher Angelo, the author of this anthems

Your punch lines are mere jabs, they see through
Like the clear glass on that coupe I steer past
Money on my mind like my pillow is a vault
You niggas is soft so on that pillow’s where you talk
Can’t find it in them d-list actresses on mattresses
Your real chance to loving you bachelors, I laugh at them
Don’t you know that it’s money over bitches
Bitches love money, I granting them three wishes, Push

Shout out my nigga Don C, aka Givenchy Don C
Ya ain't even know that you got an aka did you?
Always in that fly shit, Mike Dean what up? Brendan
Or should I say international Brendan? Marcus Paul? Refresh, yeah
The fear of Gods in these motherfuckers

You can act like don’t hear this shit man
Niggas ain’t fucking with me man, no games, yeah

Overall Meaning

In the first verse of Pusha T's "Money On My Mind Freestyle", he starts off by talking about his perceived death by the media and how he was actually just pretending to be dead, using the term "playing possum". He then mentions how he's often seen with an 8 (presumably a gun) just like the reality TV star Kate Goslin. He asserts that many rappers think they are at the top, but are actually just "posturing". He then likens himself to Optimus Prime, the leader of the Autobots and how he transforms in a similar way to a gull wing automobile's transformation. Pusha T mentions his drug dealing past by talking about how he used to whip it like a sandstorm, a reference to cooking up and processing crack cocaine. He then goes on to say that he had the audacity to sell his product in a piece of writing, a "damn poem". The author of the poem is Pusha T himself, and he calls it an anthem. Finally, Pusha T takes a dig at his competition by saying their punchlines are nothing more than effortless jabs and that they can see through them, much like how he can see through the clear glass on his car as he drives by.

In the second verse, Pusha T gives a shoutout to some of his friends and collaborators like his good friend and fashion designer Don C, who is also known as the Givenchy Don. He acknowledges that many fans may not know that Don C has an aka (also known as), but he does. He then goes on to mention other friends like the musician and record producer Mike Dean and the fashion industry insider Brendan. He mentions Marcus Paul as well, but it's unclear who he is actually referring to. Pusha T concludes by saying that he is not someone his competitors can mess with in the rap game, and that there are "no games" when it comes to his skills.

Overall, the song is all about money, pride, and asserting oneself as the best. Pusha T references his drug-dealing past while also making clear that he is now fully out of that world and living a more accomplished life in the music industry. The song has a heavy trap influence, with a hard-hitting beat and Pusha T's intense flow. The song was released as a promotional single on his SoundCloud account and doesn't appear on any of his albums.

Line by Line Meaning

They thought I lay dead, I was playing possom
People underestimated me and thought I was out of the game, but I was just laying low and waiting to strike back.

Spot me everywhere with the 8 like Kate Goslin
I'm always visible and iconic like Kate Goslin, and I made the number 8 my signature through frequent use.

Niggas think they sit at the top, they just posturing
People are full of themselves and overestimate their success, while in reality they're just pretending.

Now they hide their head like an ostrich
When things get tough, people try to escape or ignore them, but that won't solve anything.

Optimus Prime and that gull wing feeling like I transform
I feel powerful and transformative like Optimus Prime and a gull wing car.

Niggas still hands on, whip it like a sandstorm
I'm skilled and experienced in drug dealing, and my customers can't get enough.

Had the audacity to sell it in a damn poem
I'm so confident that I could even sell drugs in a poem.

Get you higher Angelo, the author of this anthems
I write rhymes that inspire people and can even make them feel high.

Your punch lines are mere jabs, they see through
Other rappers' attempts to diss me are weak and transparent.

Like the clear glass on that coupe I steer past
Just like the transparent glass on my fancy car, I'm not hiding anything or being sneaky.

Money on my mind like my pillow is a vault
I'm obsessed with making money and keeping it safe, just like I protect my thoughts when I sleep.

You niggas is soft so on that pillow’s where you talk
Other rappers are weak and talk too much, but they do it privately and secretly.

Can’t find it in them d-list actresses on mattresses
Money can't be found by sleeping with cheap actresses who are not famous.

Your real chance to loving you bachelors, I laugh at them
I find it funny when rich, single men fall in love and risk their wealth.

Don’t you know that it’s money over bitches
I value money and success more than women.

Bitches love money, I granting them three wishes, Push
Women are attracted to wealth and success, and I'm willing to indulge them by making their dreams come true.

Shout out my nigga Don C, aka Givenchy Don C
I want to give a shout-out to my friend Don C, who is also known as Givenchy Don C.

Ya ain't even know that you got an aka did you?
I'm pointing out that even Don C may have a nickname that he's unaware of.

Always in that fly shit, Mike Dean what up? Brendan
My friend Don C is always fashionable and stylish, and I want to give a shout-out to our mutual friends Mike Dean and Brendan.

Or should I say international Brendan? Marcus Paul? Refresh, yeah
I'm recognizing the achievements of our friends Brendan and Marcus Paul, and giving a shout-out to them as well.

The fear of Gods in these motherfuckers
Other rappers are intimidated by me and fear my power.

You can act like don’t hear this shit man
I know that people may pretend not to hear or acknowledge me, but I still know they're intimidated.

Niggas ain’t fucking with me man, no games, yeah
Other rappers are not on my level and can't compete with me, and I'm not playing games.

Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS

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