Here's What the New Clipse Album Taught Me About Business Strategy
Let HR sort 'em out
While you were all listening to the Clipse comeback album and scouring each line of lyrics to see what Pusha T may have said about Drake, I was diligently taking notes and applying the valuable insights to my business. Because success doesn’t sleep, and it surely doesn’t take breaks for new music discovery.
So, if you want to take time to enjoy the first new album from these Virginia legends in nearly two decades, you'd better figure out a way to adopt the principles they share into your long-term corporate strategy—or at least turn them into an insightful LinkedIn post to amplify your own thought leadership acumen. You know, so that it’s not a complete waste of 41 minutes. Here are some examples:
🧠 Marketing & Brand Strategy
“Ace Trumpets” flexes opulence and brand dominance—perfect for building authority in a competitive market:
Pusha T crowns himself ‘the Bezos of the nasals’ —tap into that confidence when talking about commanding niche markets. Own your lane with Amazon-style dominance.
🤝 Management & Leadership
“The Birds Don’t Sing” reflects on loss and legacy—speak to leadership through empathy:
Malice recalls getting his father’s blessing to return to rap: “let your mess become your message” —embrace vulnerability as a leadership tool. Leading with authenticity builds loyalty.
🎨 Creative Direction & Product Innovation
Pharrell’s comeback amid recent widespread negative sentiment offers a metaphor for refreshing creative direction:
Remind your team that pivoting creatively can reignite relevance. Pharrell’s production on Let God Sort ‘Em Out doesn’t just add polish, it mutates the DNA of Clipse’s sound. This isn’t a rebrand—it’s a re-genesis. Stop iterating on the same tired template. Kill the moodboard. Rewire the blueprint.
⚙️ Operations & Supply Chain
The Def Jam fallout—and Clipse “buying out” their contract—mirrors breaking free from rigid suppliers or outdated systems.
They paid seven figures to be dropped so they could sign an artist-friendly deal with Jay-Z at Roc Nation—ditching costly legacy processes in favor of flexible partnerships. Sometimes cutting out the old way of doing business enables agility.
🛠️ Risk Management & Crisis Response
“Chains & Whips” shows us how to confront barriers head-on, with swagger:
Friction isn’t failure, it’s proof you’re building something meaningful. What if your biggest roadblock became the story that resonates most with your brand’s audience? Instead of hiding the red tape, spotlight the scissors. Regulatory hurdles, internal politics, stakeholder drama—if it feels like a fight, that’s because it matters. Use the tension. Turn pushback into progress.
📣 Talent Management & Collaboration
The album features heavyweights like Kendrick Lamar, Nas, Tyler, and John Legend, underscoring the importance of strategic collaborations:
Bringing in top-tier talent across verticals can amplify credibility and boost creativity drastically. Build dream teams to elevate impact.
🎯 Strategic Positioning
“So Be It” as a declaration of intent, authority, and letting go of naysayers. Perfect the art of closure:
Like a CEO laser‑focused on vision and leaving all doubters behind. Unleash your strategy and let critics sort themselves out.
Take these little baggies of wisdom and motivation and distribute them throughout the streets of your org chart.
…And remember: If all else fails and your startup goes belly-up,