Hard Piano
by Pusha T (featuring Rick Ross)

Album: Daytona (2018)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This song finds Pusha T hooking up with Rick Ross to rap cocaine-coated metaphors about their drug dealing past, run-ins with the law plus their wealth and success. The song title is both a reference to Kanye West's hard piano beat and a play on words on piano keys / keys of coke.
  • Pusha T makes an allusion during his verse to industry head honchos taking advantage of people who work for them.

    I won't let you ruin my dreams or Harvey Weinstein the kid
    Good morning, Matt Lauer, can I live?


    The accusations that Harvey Weinstein and Matt Lauer sexually harassed females who worked for them gave birth to the #MeToo movement. Asked by Pitchfork whether the lines could be interpreted as the rapper supporting such misogynists, Pusha explained that he's "speaking of current events."

    He added: "You have to know what type of era that you're dealing in. You're dealing in the attention era. And when people chase that level of attention, they'll take it from anywhere."
  • Pusha T and Rick Ross previously teamed up on "Hold On" and "Millions." Asked why he likes to collaborate with the Maybach Music MC, Pusha said that he can give him a demo and then relax as he knows he will come up trumps. He explained:

    "I give him my beat, verse and hook. If the hook is on it, I give him all of those things. And give him the track and say, 'Send me my vocals back.' And I can turn my back on the whole thing. I can get my verse in a week, don't got to call nobody, and I get a flawless verse, man."

    Pusha added that Ross' deep voice compliments the highs in his voice and they also talk the same language, "speaking to the things I'm speaking to."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Ron and Russell Mael of Sparks

Ron and Russell Mael of SparksSongwriter Interviews

The men of Sparks on their album Hippopotamus, and how Morrissey handled it when they suggested he lighten up.

Strange Magnetics

Strange MagneticsSong Writing

How Bing Crosby, Les Paul, a US Army Signal Corps Officer, and the Nazis helped shape rock and Roll.

Elton John

Elton JohnFact or Fiction

Does he have beef with Gaga? Is he Sean Lennon's godfather? See if you can tell fact from fiction in the Elton John edition.

Michael Glabicki of Rusted Root

Michael Glabicki of Rusted RootSongwriter Interviews

Michael tells the story of "Send Me On My Way," and explains why some of the words in the song don't have a literal meaning.

Bands Named After Real People (Who Aren't In The Band)

Bands Named After Real People (Who Aren't In The Band)Song Writing

How a gym teacher, a janitor, and a junkie became part of some very famous band names.

Let Me Be Your Teddy Bear: Teddy Bears and Teddy Boys in Songs

Let Me Be Your Teddy Bear: Teddy Bears and Teddy Boys in SongsSong Writing

Elvis, Little Richard and Cheryl Cole have all sung about Teddy Bears, but there is also a terrifying Teddy song from 1932 and a touching trucker Teddy tune from 1976.