The-Dream Urges Pusha T To Make Great Records, Not Dis Records

The-Dream just wants to kill the competition — with his success. When asked if Team Pusha T would indulge in a rap beef and aim a dis record at Lil Wayne, he downplayed the importance of a response record and stressed the need for a good record.

"The only way that we can respond is make great records, and nobody is gonna beat me at that," The-Dream told when we caught up with him in Hollywood last week.

The-Dream helped Pusha put together his latest single "Exodus 23:1," the Notorious B.I.G.-inspired track that many believe is aimed at Lil Wayne. Weezy himself took offense and on May 25, just days after Push's track hit the Net, released "Ghoulish" in response.

"F--- Pusha T and everybody that love 'em," Tunechi rapped at the very top of the Swizz Beatz-produced record.

The-Dream, who has been working with Pusha on his upcoming solo album, said that "Exodus 23:1" wasn't meant to be a YMCMB dis. "I had actually no idea that anybody would jump out the window [thinking] that personally ... it was about them," he said. "It kinda took me and the clique by surprise."

On the track, the Clipse rapper spits, "You signed to one n---a, that's signed to another n---a, that's signed to three n---as — now that's bad luck." Many fans thought those lyrics were targeted at Wayne, Drake and their YMCMB squad.

Not the case, The-Dream said. The singer/songwriter told us he isn't down with subliminal disses, remembering a lesson that his grandfather once taught him: " 'If you're talking to somebody, you speak to them or you just walk up to them and slap them.' I think beef is so '96. It's like, what's the point?

"I don't think anybody is actually that good enough to direct anything at anyone," he continued. "You can't take that much time, there's too much money in the words that either one of us have — me or Pusha — to direct directly at anyone."