“We’ve all been fans of Clipse for a long time,” Deftones frontman Chino Moreno says, reflecting on what it means for the storied rap duo to appear at Dia De Los Deftones. It’s a testament to mutual respect that brothers Pusha T and Malice are playing the festival in what’s already been a monster year for the two, following the release of their long-awaited return record, Let God Sort Em Out.
It’s hard to overstate the ripple effect that Clipse have had on modern hip-hop. Formed in 1992 and suffering through years of major label development hell, the duo blew the roof off the genre with their now-classic debut, Lord Willin’, released a decade after they started together. Push and Mal were a force to be reckoned with on the record, delivering dueling verses about dealing coke and dealing with label politics, all over production that enshrined the Neptunes’ Pharrell Williams as an uncontestable hitmaker.
After their 2006 victory lap LP, Hell Hath No Fury, and its follow-up, 2009’s Til the Casket Drops, garnered the brothers even more acclaim, Pusha T went on to make his own way as a solo artist. Then this summer Clipse returned with Let God Sort Em Out, their first album in over 15 years. Rather than resting on legacy, the Thornton brothers come out swinging with some of the most at-your-throat rap ever written. Songs like “M.T.B.T.T.F.” are stunning exhibitions of the duo’s lyrical chops, while the album’s maximalist singles like “P.O.V.,” featuring Tyler, the Creator, boast some of the grimiest beats Pharrell has ever made.
For Clipse to play Dia De Los Deftones 2025, the stars had to align. Moreno says that the rap duo appeared on an early wish list for the festival, but considering the group’s lengthy hiatus, it seemed like a pipe dream. “It was just ironic that they got back together and released a new album,” he says. “So, the timing worked out. We’re excited.”