More like Cheddar 'Bey' Biscuits.
Certain things just go together. Peanut butter and jelly, Batman and Robin and of course shoutouts and name-checks in hip-hop, especially when it comes to food. Whether it be fine dining or fast food, hip-hop seems to have a special relationship with all things culinary. Rappers like TI and 2Chainz own their own restaurants, and Rick Ross not only talks up his personal chef, but invests in the Wingstop chicken chain, too. From skits like Raekwon's “Restaurant” to jingles, menu items and cookbooks, the relationship between music and food just keeps giving.
Here’s a look at 8 of the best food crossovers in hip-hop.
Jay Z and Kanye West — "Niggas in Paris"
Kanye loves food. His discography practically reads like a list of restaurant recommendations. There’s the mention of KFC in “Touch the Sky,” a shout out to rib chain Lawry’s in “Good Life,” Ruby Tuesday's in “Gone” and "See Me Now" contains the lyric, "I might walk in Nobu.” So it's no surprise he shouts out the McDonald's item in Watch the Throne hit "Paris." In a song full of iconic lines that allude to the Olsen Twins, royal family and the trifecta of Michael Jordan, Jackson and Tyson, the line "What she order (what she order), fish filet" still manages to stand out.
It's also worth mentioning that Kanye loves J Kwon's "Tipsy," which gives the golden arches a little love as well with its "super-sized" line...
McDonald's “I’m Loving It” jingle
“Bada, ba, ba, ba, I’m loving it”
Short and catchy, we all know the words to that McDonald’s jingle. Officially the fast-food chain’s longest running campaign, the commercial features the voice of Justin Timberlake and production of Pharrell. While the commercial jingle is over a decade old at this point, it only just came to light earlier this summer that rapper Pusha T was actually behind it all and wrote the song!
Beyonce — "Formation"
There are some things that culture just needs. New music and videos from Beyonce is always one of them. When the surprise single "Formation" dropped in early February, there was so much to attach to: the empowerment and social justice themes; Big Freedia keeping it real; Blue Ivy; all the looks and slayage; the "hot sauce" and of course the nod to Red Lobster.
It was publicity the seafood chain couldn't buy. But if the culture was looking for a response, Red Lobster wasn't giving it. No one on their social media team bothered to capitalize on the marquee mention for hours and hours, which became a story in itself, as social media hungered for their hot take and the wait started trending and generating memes. After a full day an official tweet came in the form of a joke alluding to Cheddar Bey Biscuits, but given that Twitter had already hashed out that joke, it was DOA when it finally hit the timeline.
Fat Boys — “All You Can Eat”
Fat Boys are the OGs when it comes to rap and food. First off, there’s the trio’s iconic debut album cover that’s a sendup to all things fast food, featuring the members eating burgers and ice cream and holding a pizza box inhabited by miniature versions of themselves eating slices. Then there’s their '80s anthem “All You Can Eat” which is exactly what it’s about. Finally, there’s the video for that single, where they head to a Sbarro and stock up on pizza, pasta bologna and chocolate eclairs during multiple go arounds while decked out in the freshest fashions to tell their origin story.
Drake and Cheesecake Factory in “Child’s Play”
It’s a mention that spawned its fair share of memes, but it appears Drake dropping a reference to a fight at the Cheesecake Factory in his Views track “Child’s Play” isn’t just a lyric! Days before kicking off his headlining Summer Sixteen tour, Drake and crew were spotted at a Houston-based Cheesecake Factory, which brings up its own share of lyrical crossover: “Houstatlantavegas” anyone?
But Drake isn’t the only one who thinks the Cheesecake Factory is hot property. Kendall Jenner and Tyler the Creator were spotted at one this week in Los Angeles. Coincidence? Maybe he started a trend…
Das Racist - "Combination Pizza Hut And Taco Bell"
We've all seen them: those combo restaurants synonymous with roadside rest-stops. Maybe you pull in for gas, but find yourself in front of a Subway-meets-Popeye's and decide you need a different kind of fuel. It can be a disorienting, yet magical experience. Being in two places at once. How often does that happen? That appears to be the inspiration behind Das Racist's breakthrough song "Combination Pizza Hut And Taco Bell" that set the internet alight and put them on the map when it was released in 2008. The track is both elation and a touch of disbelief boiled down to a simple and repetitive form of just announcing it over and over again.
They also give a shout to White Castle in "Rainbow in the Dark" released a few years later before the group broke-up in 2012.
Gucci Mane
It's hard to miss the large ice cream cone tattoo that emblazons rapper Gucci Mane right cheek (even though he's apparently tried laser removal on it). His face is practically a living embodiment for his love of food (and being "icy").
But it's not all just visuals and face tats, he makes sure to announce it in his lyrics too! Case in point: Wendy's and Church's Chicken pop up in the lyrics of “When I Was Water Whippin” off his album Trap God 2. The recently released rapper goes out on the town in the track, talking of Orange Crush and caviar as well as buying a pint: of beer or Ben and Jerry’s?
Bon Rappetite: The Hip Hop Cookbook (Vol 1)
What started circulating online as a fake restaurant menu, evolved into a full-fledged cookbook with recipes for dishes like Waka Flocka Flambe, A Tribe Called Queso, Lil' Kimchi and Roastface Killah. While it’s available to buy online for a worldwide audience, the trio of authors served up a special treat for Atlanta residents by taking over local restaurants and cooking up one-off specials like Too $hort Tacos.
