A camera and a dream, I had to make it to the Pusha T show in SF this past weekend to snap some of my hometown hero. Virginia Beach in the 90s was a blur of childhood innocence for me. Aside from the congregation of military bases and agribusiness, south VA was pretty quaint. Always hanging out with my Filipina gal pals, drawing Sanrio characters on binder paper, listening to tropical storms take our shingles, spending major holidays and every other weekend dipped in the Atlantic Ocean, and remembering this moment in the back seat of my cousin’s car, sitting fascinated by her colored hoop earrings and her ability to sing EVERY song on the radio.

I remember Clipse, The Neptunes, and Timbaland on heavy rotation growing up. Pharrell was a local celebrity, so as far as my mind can reach back, I remember his tunes guiding me from the beginning of my actual taste in music (post classical and jazz phase from dance school days). Pusha T was next on the line up, and it passed through me pretty shallowly until I moved to Cali. My high school drum corps played “Grindin” by Clipse at almost every school event for a guaranteed wile out, and though it was strictly instrumental, it sparked a newfound fascination.

Today, I realize Pusha’s crucial contributions to the game are his soul bearing honesty, humility in his search for growth and innovation, and a distinctly spiritual presence. He signed to G.O.O.D. Music in 2010, but I feel like he’s already an elder to me in the hip hop game– not in age, but more so in wisdom and spirit of enduring life. He considers himself a “conscious dope boy,” admitting to his past and utilizing it to narrate a vivid portrait of the streets he grew up on. That corner of Virginia wasn’t always so peachy, and I remember the scuffles at schools and all the drama circulating in grapevine conversations through social groups and beepers. T literally pushed the black market and is now pushing some mainstream currency with his collabs the past few years. He’s harnessed the power of Pharrell’s production and blends in a little bit of Kanye’s aesthetic to create what I feel is a well-balanced level of artistry.

Some of his most raw visuals come from director Samuel Rogers, another VA native, who I had the pleasure of working with at New York Fashion Week this past year. He’s done some 5 Pusha T videos, and our alignment at Fashion Week was a testament to the pull of the 757 (Norfolk, VA). I like that the crew love in Pusha’s vids tends more towards a neighborhood feel than celebrity. Mid show, he got brotherly with a dude trying to climb on the stage, telling him “We’re gonna have a good time right? No jumping on the stage, just a good time my boy” while shaking his hand smiling. Good vibes. Fam vibes.

My fav song/video combo has to go to “Numbers on the Board,” released earlier this year. I was so happy Pusha ended his SF set with that song. The video is like a French new wave-y thriller, very stark and powerful- very Kanye/G.O.O.D. Pusha’s presence on stage, semi-maniacal, reflected the same eye-rolled-back-towards-the-heavens look while rocking-on-some-warrior-shit as the video. His toughness is another level, and the energy behind his entire set was flawless. For me personally, it was also a bit nostalgic thinking about how we share a similar geography, and the shame I felt growing up in Cali being from a place nobody knew in a state that was inextricably linked to the birth of the nation and not much else.

Pusha blessed us with an encore, and I got to hear him bring back that old Clipse anthem “Grindin” to end the night. He had the whole venue jumping, and it was apparent to me the legend of Pusha T reached far and wide. What I once thought was no-man’s land Virginia, now feels mythical in its breeding of some of the most talented artists in the industry.

“My Name Is My Name” released October 7, 2013 on G.O.O.D. Music, stream here.

photos by Hawa (more here)