MSNBC Chief Legal Correspondent Ari Melber used a quote from Mobb Deep’s famed 1995 cut “Shook Ones Part II” to insult President Donald Trump on Friday night during his show, The Beat With Melber. Melber was discussing the president’s abuse of executive privilege within the frame of Nixon’s impeachment.
“[Nixon’s impeachment case is] worth bearing in mind as the Trump White House now stonewalls investigators, but insist it’s not really invoking executive privilege, or it’s trying some kind of modified halfway executive privilege,” Melber said.
He continued, “But there’s no such thing as halfway privilege, just as there’s no such thing as halfway crooks. 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.”
Melber revealed materials from President Nixon’s Watergate scandal back in 1972. The materials displayed exactly how exploiting executive privilege can be a crime and an impeachable offense. Executive privilege, per NPR, means, “a president has the right to withhold certain information from Congress, the courts or anyone else—even when faced with a subpoena.”
According to Melber, “the abuse of executive privilege was literally part of the basis for the obstruction articles against Nixon in his impeachment.” The lawyer who wrote the articles of impeachment for Nixon’s case told Melber how Trump may be headed down the same path. Melber used Mobb Deep’s lyrics to show why there isn’t such a thing as "halfway privilege." The exact Mobb Deep lyrics that Melber referenced were from the song's hook, “Scared to death, scared to look, they shook/‘Cause ain't no such things as halfway crooks.”
Havoc posted a clip to Instagram of Melber quoting “Shook Ones Part II” with the caption, “Just as I was watching the homie @arimelber couldn’t be put any better!! Ain’t no such thing as #halfwaycrooks 🔥 #msnbc.”
Late Friday night, Melber also took to Instagram and posted a photo of himself with the message, “You can’t quote rap too much.” His caption read, “Real quote, although my inbox shows many, many people disagree,” followed by an eye-roll emoji.
Mobb Deep's Prodigypassed away in June 2017 from accidental choking. You can watch Melber's full segment here.
