Popular rapper Pusha T is known for calling out various opponents in his lyrics, including his previous feuds with Drake and Lil Wayne. However, his latest diss track gives some food for thought to McDonald’s and their customers.
The Diet Coke rapper has added a Spicy Fish diss track to his catalog, teaming up with fast-food chain Arby’s to blast McD’s Filet-o-Fish sandwich and hype up Arby’s competing menu item.
His history with the Golden Arches extends back a bit, as Pusha said he and his brother wrote the original I’m Lovin It jingle that Justin Timberlake famously sang for the commercials. However, he also said they only made “peanuts” for it then, considering its success now.
Pusha T & Arby’s Spicy Fish Diss track arrives online
On Monday, Pusha T went viral, not for releasing his anticipated new album or announcing a tracklist. Instead, the well-known hip-hop lyricist was trending for his Spicy Fish Diss track, a hot collaboration he did with Arby’s.
He tweeted out about his latest musical release, a diss track with visuals that checks in at a minute and 15 seconds. The song blasts McD’s Filet-O-Fish and praises Arby’s Crispy Fish sandwich.
His opening lines include an early shot at McDonald’s as Pusha informs everyone he’s behind the I’m Lovin It jingle, and then begins to decimate their menu item.
“I’m the reason the whole world love it. Now I gotta crush it. Filet-O-Fish is s***, and you should be disgusted,” he viciously raps in the opening part of the song.
“How dare you sell a square fish asking us to trust it. A half slice of cheese. Mickey D’s on a budget?” Pusha raps as a clown that clearly isn’t Ronald McDonald appears in the video.
“Arby’s Crispy Fish sandwich is simply it. With lines round the corner, we might need a guest list,” his other lines say, complimenting the rival fast-food chain.
“Just dropped a diss track with @Arbys. Grab some popcorn and a Spicy Fish Sandwich. #ArbysSpicyFishDissTrack #ArbysPaidMeButIWouldSayThisAnyway,” Pusha wrote in his comical tweet.
Check out the full video below, with on-screen lyrics included throughout.
The diss track is going viral online, with Pusha’s tweet racking up nearly 20,000 Likes and plenty of retweets to show its popularity.
Pusha T said he got ‘peanuts’ for writing I’m Lovin It jingle
Pusha’s been well known by hip-hop fans since his days as a member of the Clipse with his brother Malice. Their debut album hit No. 4 on the US Billboard charts and included popular tracks like Grindin’ and When the Last Time featuring Kelis and Pharrell. Pusha eventually moved onto a solo career and has released three studio albums, with a fourth on the way.
His most recent album, Daytona, was produced by his friend Kanye West and received a Grammy nomination for Best Rap Album in 2019.
However, before his success with that album, Pusha T lent his skills years ago to McDonald’s by developing that catchy I’m Lovin It Jingle. It’s that recognizable “bah-da-bah-bah-bah” that arrived in the early 2000s.
Music mogul Steve Stoute claimed that Pusha created the jungle during a 2016 Hot 97 interview. Stoute also shot down the common belief that Pharrell and Justin Timberlake came up with it since Timberlake sang, and the Neptunes produced it.
During the interview, Stoute spoke about his marketing and advertising services company, Translation, saying their “first big thing was launching I’m Lovin It for McDonald’s” in 2004, written by Pusha T and Malice.
When Stoute was asked how much money everyone made in the deal, including Justin Timberlake and Pharrell, he said he couldn’t remember the numbers from 11 years ago, but “nobody was upset.”
Pusha also tweeted about it in 2016, suggesting he was glad nobody tried to “clown” him over the jingle, saying he “woulda had to dig up pay stubs” to prove it.
According to Rolling Stone, Pusha said he and his brother made “peanuts” for what became an iconic jingle. He told the publication he got a one-time royalty fee out of the deal, which happened early in his career. Had he known what he knows now about the jingle blowing up, he might have looked at things differently then.
“I did it at a very young age at a very young time in my career where I wasn’t asking for as much money and ownership. It’s something that’s always dug at me later in life like, ‘Dammit, I was a part of this and I should have more stake.’ It was like half a million or a million dollars for me and my brother — but that’s peanuts for as long as that’s been running. I had to get that energy off me, and this [ad] was the perfect way to get that energy like, ‘You know what? I’m over it,'” Pusha told Rolling Stone.
Pusha commented about how the writing took place and the payout in the video clip below, also mentioning he owns 40 percent of an Arby’s commercial. It’s worth noting that there have been disputes over Pusha T having written the song, per Pitchfork.
According to Fortune, Pusha T previously linked up with Arby’s for their 2018 We Have the Meats ad campaign and owns 40 percent of it. He gets paid every time that ad plays now, making for one of his smart business moves.
Fast forward to 2022, and Pusha T is also getting paid to help Arby’s diss the Filet-O-Fish while continuing to grow his legend in hip hop.