Hip-hop collides with law and fine dining exclusively on Ari Melber’s The Beat! We’ll now turn to the lyrics of British rap legend Giggs, who recently came to the studio at CNN to talk with MSNBC’s Melber about some of his most recent and unexpected lyrical contributions because only the British would send rappers to the front lines and they became stars. It was an episode that clashed cultures and produced laughs in its dissection that left Hip-Hop heads and viewers of the show in stitches.
Melber, whose love for Hip-Hop and its lyricism runs deep, recruited FBI veteran Andrew Weissmann and famed chef Mario Carbone to do the impossible and break down Giggs’ bars, unpacking the wordplay, street wisdom, and culinary references embedded in the London MC’s tracks.
First was “Big on Change,” a song on which Giggs ponders his development and evolution. Weissmann, entering uncharted waters, offered a comparison that no one expected: “He’s like Shakespeare in a way,” he reflected before correcting himself: “Thank God I really don’t follow music that’s past the 20th century.” He was not prepared for Giggs’ heavyweight delivery.
But things got delicious when they got to dissecting Giggs’ verse from Ashley Walters’ Take A Pic. Melber highlighted the lines:
“OGs, yeah, we the fathers/I’m in New York just bumped into Fivi/Dover sole with the lemon, butter, add a sprinkle of garlic.”
Enter Mario Carbone, the famous chef behind the New York institution Carbone, who answered the call and presented his food version of Giggs’ wordplay. “He’s just trying to let you know at what level he’s playing,” Carbone said. “I know that I have access to things and to people. And not just any Dover sole he’s requesting some extra garlic on the side. Normally, that doesn’t come with it, but if he gets it, of course, he gets it.”
It was an analysis that was equally bemusing and distantly correct. Carbone used the opening to highlight the slight flex at the heart of Giggs’ dining decisions. It was a moment where rap culture, law enforcement, and high-end cuisine converged in a manner that no one anticipated but everyone relished.
The track is especially significant for Giggs and Ashley Walters, who met as children in Peckham, South London. Walters recently looked back on their collaboration, describing it as a “full-circle moment.”
“There was no question about having Giggs on the track,” Walters said. “We’ve known each other since we were 11 or 12, and it feels amazing to make music together all this time later.” He’s always been so supportive, and having him on the track feels like a full-circle moment.”
On The Beat, Giggs’ segment was a rare and exciting marriage of humor, culture, and intelligence lyric breakdowns. Melber once again reminded me that he is one of the most hip-hop-savvy figures anywhere in mainstream news television, and Giggs showed the lyricistic depth that has made him a UK rap legend. Throw in an FBI agent and a top-tier chef, and you’ve got an MSNBC moment for the ages!
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