Benny The Butcher and Jadakiss teamed up for a new single called “Pillow Talk & Slander” featuring Babyface Ray. Taken from Benny’s Def Jam debut Everybody Can’t Go, the track comes with a shoutout for MSNBC anchor Ari Melber, Hip-Hop’s chosen one. While Melber was flattered by the mention, it wasn’t the first time. Dave East also mentioned Melber in November 2022 on the track “Eyes Can See.”
By now, Melber has grown accustom to being embraced by the rap community—and “Pillow Talk & Slander” is no exception. In a clip shared with AllHipHop, MSNBC producers highlight the line: “They know my body/I’m on MSNBC talking politics with Ari.” They also include a clip of Benny’s appearance on The Beat with Ari Melber.
“Benny and Jadakiss are as real, independent and dope as MCs get, so this shoutout means a ton,” Melber tells AllHipHop. “Benny has said it don’t always feel as good as it looks — but this did! Bananas. And real Hip-Hop has always been about truth. Same for real journalism, so there can be a mutual respect there.”
Melber has fully ingrained himself in Hip-Hop culture. In 2022, JAY-Z turned Melber’s 11-minute dissection of the “GOD DID” verse into an official track on TIDAL called “HOV DID.” In the original clip, Melber explored how JAY-Z’s verse encapsulated America’s failed drug war. He highlighted several portions of Hov’s lyrics, exploring everything from the legalization of marijuana to Roc Nation’s Emory Jones serving 10 years for drug dealing.
“Those lines quickly go from prohibition to a war on street drugs associated with minorities … to fentanyl, a huge driver of drug problems and deaths, which politicians do not treat criminally the same way they attack the drugs that Jay or others once sold,” Melber said. “I can tell you corporations have made over $10 billion selling addictive painkillers legally, so that’s a contrast.”
Melber concluded his breakdown with a callback to the Louis Farrakhan interview. He mentioned a straightforward reading of JAY-Z’s bars before pointing out his interpretation regarding the hypocrisy of the war on drugs.
“Decades in, this billionaire entrepreneur with proven success – measurable success – in music, media, sports, business, law and politics still finds he must explain basic facts about American corruption and racism to elite and white society,” he said said. “And many leaders and people still don’t see or refuse to face it. That kind of entitled ignorance, which can cause real damage to real people’s lives, well that might raise your ire. It might get your passion talking.”
Something tells us Benny The Butcher’s mention won’t be the last time we hear about Ari Melber in a song. Check out “Pillow Talk & Slander” below.