Pusha T released a McDonald’s diss track in a new ad for Arby’s on Monday.
“I’m the reason the whole world love it,” he raps. “How dare you sell a square fish asking us to trust it.”
“Say less/ This argument is baseless/ Drowned in tartar that filet-o-fish is tasteless/ See Arby’s only deals in the greatness/ I bet the house on it like it’s Vegas.”
In a report for the AV Club, it was revealed that the “I’m Lovin’ It” jingle for fast-food giant McDonald’s was first conceived by a German ad agency. The notes were then handed to Butch Stewart, known as the “jingle genius,” who then turned it over to Pharrell Williams and Justin Timberlake to “secretly” write the song. Williams and Timberlake then invited Pusha T to drop a guest verse on “I’m Lovin’ It.”
The news that one-half of The Clipse is partly responsible for one of the catchiest jingles in history came as a surprise for many, but Pusha T and Pharrell aren’t the only rappers who did commercial jingles. These five rappers have also created some memorable tracks for some of the world’s biggest brands.
Kanye West, Ludacris, and The Game
In 2006, Kanye West, The Game and Ludacris recorded “Where You At (The Whole City Behind Us)” which was initially a “throwaway” track, but exploded in popularity when Boost Mobile picked it up for an ad.
Tag Team
In 1993, Tag Team was everywhere with “Whoomp! There It Is.” But in Sept. 2021, nearly 30 years after originally dropping the ubiquitous pop-rap track, Tag Team updated it for a Geico commercial called “Scoop! There it Is!”
The insurance company eventually released a co-branded ice cream with the Black-owned small business Mikey Likes It Ice Cream.
According to Smithsonian Magazine, the song makes $500,000 a year as of 2013.
K'Naan
In 2010, indie rapper K’naan became a worldwide sensation when he teamed up with Coca-Cola to drop “Wavin’ Flag (The Coca Cola Celebration Mix)” in celebration of the FIFA World Cup. It became a number one hit in China, Mexico, Germany and eight other countries.
The song remains K’naan’s biggest hit to date even though it was specifically created for Coca-Cola.
Marlowe
In May 2021, 7-Eleven enlisted the aide of Marlowe to increase their presence in the greater Wilmington, Delaware area. To do that, they spent $70 million and enlisted the group’s song, “Fred Sanford,” as their official jingle.
Common
In 2007, rapper Common got a whole lot of blowback from his fanbase when he dropped “Holiday in Your Hood” for the Gap.
While these rappers have created timeless songs for their careers and in the music industry, it’s clear they’ve also had success in the business world, releasing jingles for companies.
