Jean-Luc Godard: “Beauty is composed of an eternal, invariable element whose quantity is extremely difficult to determine, and a relative element which might be, either by turns or all at once, period, fashion, moral, passion.

Pusha T: “Shorty in my ear say she got a thong on.”

Jean-Luc Godard died at the age of 91. Upon hearing of the French New Wave’s director’s death, I rode COTA to the Columbus Metropolitan Library’s website and requested as many movies as possible. I spent my weekend bumping Pusha T’s latest album while watching Breathless.

I thought: Godard lived until 91. He did something correct.

I aligned my Flex Beats headphones with my iPhone and jumped on the 31 from Lane and High. I transferred and boarded the number 8 via Neil Avenue from South Campus.

I jumped the COTA and walked two minutes until I was standing looking at Pusha T’s name from Kemba Live’s sign.

I set my Flex Beats headphones, writing utensil, wallet, Futura Lanyard, and iPhone on a tray. After the metal detectors, I was frisked, and I walked towards the stage.

Opener IDK was playing a set which sound like a mixture of southern rap, and Odd Future.

People had fun.

Soon…

Pusha T took Kemba Live Stage Sunday night flanked with screens which at first said: Pusha T: It’s Almost Dry album name but changed pictures throughout the show which complimented the revered rappers minimal stage show.

Pusha T took the stage without a hype man, dancers, a deejay, or live band,

I kinda looked at a bigger picture while Pusha’s rapped his second song Brambleton where Pusha T discusses details of keeping honest conversation in a field where a need for privacy and sexual escapades exist. Pusha concise found texture while backed by images which looked as if they were out of an art film.

Pusha T as a solo rapper releases music from Kanye West’s label Good Music.

Kanye West became a billionaire during the Trump era. Pusha T supported Hillary Clinton and was this quiet other voice for his label. Pusha attends Obama’s birthday parties.

Pusha T was Kanye’s friend who was comfortable criticizing Trump who was friends with Kanye.

Pusha T is a revered lyricist who doesn’t deviate from Hip Hop’s usual wordplay with eloquent delivery. His label owner is now worth anywhere from $2-7 billion.

Pusha rapped in from of an eager and enthusiastic audience who knew Pusha can rap.

During the fourth song, If You Know You Know, Pusha T once again addressed the ethics of communication living in setting with extreme power dynamics.

A cameraman appeared from the stage and almost looked as if the cameraman was part of the show by the manner Pusha rapped into the camera, and the grey, silver, red, and black color scale created a stunning visual.

I thought about Jean-Luc Godard’s influence on this aesthetic of cool images which didn’t follow anything linear but within the entire organism captured something which looks cool while conjuring our society’s feeling.

Godard’s films were attractive in a sexual way while discussing Marxist ideas of class struggles amidst romantic interactions and an understanding France was a sophisticated colonial power situated between England, and Algiers with an intellectual option to improve.

Jean Luc knew how to address history’s contemporary composite while still knowing people will watch something with sex appeal and comedy in their personal interactions.

Pusha performed Nostalgia which features Kendrick Lama.

The first line references “Johnson and Johnson” whose Covid vaccine I carry in my wallet.

Then the KRS-1 sampling hook plays...oooooh…

I thought of Kendrick and Kanye.

Pusha T was playing Kemba Live which is a venue which holds 2500 people for an indoor event. This venue is large for most acts but Pusha’s peers are arena rappers, and hip hop legends.

I once again thought about Pusha T’s altitude for someone whose attribute is rapping in a purist manner.

Pusha T’s next song Numbers On the Boards found a surprising place as the Ukraine’s Department of Defense anthem as Ukraine celebrates the 2022 Russian invasion’s combat losses with a rap song from 2013.

Pusha T played Diet Coke next which starts with a sample of rapper Fat Joe saying “Yesterday’s Price isn’t Today’s Price” over and over again which was an anthem right as inflation started.

While l don’t care if people drink Coke it’s funny to think of Pusha T drinking Grand Mariner at a bar, and someone orders a Diet Coke.

Pusha played Rock N Roll which features Billionaire Kanye West who quoted  Godard from his twitter.

I started wondering if Pusha T’s 2022 audience in attendance were from his solo Good music work or Clipse fans.

If you hear Pusha on the radio it’s either a song with Jay-z, Kanye or the Clipse;

Pusha ended his set with 2022 album cut Call My Bluff and some radio songs which included a Future feature from that video where a bunch attractive ladies paint graffiti, Pusha’s verse from Kanye West’s Runaway and Grindin by the Clipse.

Pharrell is known as Skateboard P. while “Grindin” was everywhere while Clipse were everywhere,

Pharrell said his aim was bringing skateboards around the hood. Kanye West was the first rapper who opposed homophobia.

I thought: Pusha T’s rap skills provided a street backdrop which allowed individuality to sound Hip Hop. Pusha T’s raps helped elect Obama and weathered Kanye West Trump’s friendship.

While Pusha T did oppose the murder of Freddie Gray in a song and his personal politics seem moderate Democrat.

Pusha T rap rapped about money, sex, and cars with expertise while friends created lanes for mainstream individuality.

If you stand somewhere and aren’t whack, then the scene changes and everything looks cool and absurd.

Kanye became a billionaire and voted for himself during the last presidential election.

While I was laughing at all this, Pusha T’s fans bought shirts as they left the building.

I laughed because a Pusha T shirt said: “You Know Who the Villian…”

I took a Lyft home and watched a  Godard flick which completed this evening of cerebral context clues.