MSNBC’s chief legal correspondent, Ari Melber, known for his tendency to sneak in clever anecdotes that would make any hip-hop head proud, quoting the likes of Jay-Z and 50 Cent in the past to get his point across on-air has returned with yet another interesting take after looking toward the Infamous Mobb Deep for inspiration in his latest segment of The Beat with Melber.
It was Friday evening that Melber referenced Nixon’s Watergate scandal to mirror Donald Trump’s abuse of executive privilege to keep investigators from doing their job, more specifically to stop probes on any misconduct related to Russia’s involvement in the United States Presidential election.
“[Nixon’s scandal is] worth bearing in mind as the Trump White House now stonewalls investigators, but insists it’s not really invoking executive privilege, or it’s trying some kind of modified halfway executive privilege,” Melber remarked. “But there’s no such thing as halfway privilege, just as there’s no such thing as halfway crooks,” he continued, alluding to Mobb Deep’s “Shook Ones Part II.” We know that truth from the great poet Havoc of Mobb Deep who observed that true criminal minds are always thirsty for recognition. But you don’t see longevity from halfway crooks, ‘cause they always end up shook. And that’s the big problem facing any White House pursuing a cover up with halfway privilege.”
Havoc would soon follow up the shout out with acknowledgement on Instagram, posting a clip of Melber’s words. “Just as I was watching the homie @arimelber couldn’t be put any better!! Ain’t no such thing as #halfwaycrooks,” he captioned it.
Naturally, Melber's words were met with backlash, but her doesn't seem to be worried about it as he posted a meme of himself with the words reading, "You can't quote rap too much."
