Clipse Are Back With Pharrell-Produced Album—Here’s Why It Matters for Fashion
Clipse are back with the new album “Let God Sort Em Out” produced by Louis Vuitton’s Pharrell Williams and featuring KAWS artwork
After a 15+ year hiatus, the Virginia hip-hop duo Clipse, consisting of brothers Malice and Pusha T, are making their long-awaited return with a new album. Titled “Let God Sort Em Out” their fourth studio project is set to be released on July 11, as recently announced on Instagram.
The album is entirely produced by Pharrell Williams, who also crafted the sound of Clipse’s previous three albums. This project marks a return to the group’s roots while also engaging with the world of fashion. It’s worth noting that Williams is not only a musical visionary; he’s also the multi-hyphenate creative personally chosen by Bernard Arnault to head the menswear division at Louis Vuitton, one of LVMH’s crown jewels. The album’s cover art, created by the acclaimed artist and fashion-world favourite KAWS, ties into a wider visual identity surrounding the release, which includes exclusive merchandise now available alongside pre-orders for LP, CD, and digital formats at LetGodSortEmOut.com.
The announcement follows the release of the lead single, “Ace Trumpets”, and comes more than a year after the album was first teased in June 2024, bringing to a close a prolonged wait since their 2009 release, “Til The Casket Drops.”
But beyond the significant involvement of Pharrell Williams, what could this mean for the fashion industry? More importantly, is their comeback truly relevant to today’s style landscape, and in what ways might it reflect or even shape the aesthetics and dress codes of our current cultural moment?
Who Were Clipse in the ‘90s – And Who Are Clipse Now?
Picture three teenagers hanging out on the oceanfront of Virginia Beach in the ‘90s. Around them, people are dancing, freestyling, soaking in the vibe. They’re taking a break after a long day spent upstairs, trading grimy rhymes and rough beats while recording demos in an attic. All they have with them is a bag full of musical dreams.
Fast forward three decades: they’re still making demos, but a few things have changed. Now they’re in Paris, and the attic’s been replaced by the Louis Vuitton headquarters. Pharrell Williams is still blasting heavy beats, and Malice and Pusha T are still spinning silky rhymes. Long story short: Clipse are back.
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Snapshot of Clipse at Roc Nation offices
From Breakthrough to Breakup: What Happened to Malice and Pusha T Between 2002 and 2010?
Clipse is essentially a living hip-hop institution. The Thornton brothers, born in the Bronx and raised in Virginia, have defined gangsta rap excellence for the past two decades.
They started their career in the 1990s as teenagers, backed by the production talents of The Neptunes (Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo). Their breakout came in 2002 with the album “Lord Willin’,” which peaked at #4 on the Billboard 200 and quickly became an East Coast backyard classic, featuring anthems like “Grindin’” and “When the Last Time.” The album was praised for its unprecedented blend of clever gangsta lyrics and futuristic beats, a formula that has become the backbone of their sound.
A few years later, after facing some rough label disputes, they dropped their sophomore album, “Hell Hath No Fury,” another relentless masterpiece of hustle, despair, and opulence. Critics loved it, even if it sold fewer copies than its predecessor. Thist downward trend continued with their third record, “Til the Casket Drops,” which struggled commercially and eventually led the duo to disband in 2010.
The Clipse Comeback: Everything You Need to Know
From there, the brothers went their separate ways, with Pusha T quickly establishing himself as a dominant figure in the rap game. However, 15 years later, the Thorntons are reuniting to announce a new album: “Let God Sort Em Out.”
In their new single “Ace Trumpets,” Pusha T drops the line: “How could you and me be ever seen as peers?” – a perfect teaser for what’s coming. All signs point to an iconic project built to last.
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Album Cover Art for "Let God Sort Em Out", realized by KAWS
What to Expect from Clipse’s New Album “Let God Sort Em Out”
The entire album is produced by Pharrell Williams, the creative genius who has been steering Louis Vuitton’s menswear division since 2023. The artwork features a stylised pink skeleton and comes from the legendary New York artist KAWS, known for his collaborations with Kanye West, Comme des Garçons, and Nike. The project will be distributed by Roc Nation, Jay-Z’s label, and rumours suggest it may even feature a guest verse from Kendrick Lamar.
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Official Album Trailer for "Let God Sort Em Out", which will be released via Rocnation on July, 11
These details clearly highlight an impressive level of curation, which could make the work stand out from the crowd in a contemporary rap scene increasingly bogged down by sterile standards and repetitive patterns. Once again, Clipse, guided by Pharrell Williams’ unpredictable music direction, is likely to unleash a whole new world of creative possibilities, leaving fans in awe as they have done for the past twenty years. Whatever you’re expectations may be, forget them—icons don’t adapt; they make the world catch up.
Edoardo Passacantando
Editor, Milano