MSNBC host Joy Reid broke down in laughter on Friday in response to a new rap video about Representative Matt Gaetz after she showed a brief clip of the song where the rapper called Gaetz a “Florida legend.”
Reid showed part of the song where one of the performers describes Gaetz as “the chosen one” and quickly burst out laughing before discussing the video with her guests and asking if hip hop was “dead.”
The rap song, released on Monday by Forgiato Blow and J360, who are supporters of former President Donald Trump, praises the Republican who represents Florida’s 1st congressional district, calling him a “firebrand.”
“I’m so sorry! I’m so sorry!” Reid said after showing part of the song.
“OK, it’s the way he,” she said but began laughing again, adding: “Help me!”
The song, which is called “Matt Gaetz,” features Gaetz with the rapper. The scenes with Gaetz were reportedly recorded at CPAC in February. The Republican tweeted that Forgiato Blow was “going to the top of the charts w this!”
“Tell these snowflakes I’m like Matt Gaetz and Madison Cawthorn. Tell these bums come and take my guns, it’s uncalled for,” some of the lyrics say.
“He’s the chosen one, yeah, dedicated congressman, Matt Gaetz show him love,” the song says.
The song also accuses both MSNBC and CNN of “lying” in what may be a reference to an ongoing federal sex trafficking investigation. The video can be seen here.
Gaetz has been subject to a federal investigation into allegations that he may have paid for sex, had a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old and paid for women to travel across state lines for the purposes of sex, in violation of sex-trafficking laws. He has not been charged with any crime and has denied any wrongdoing.
Reid asked guest, author Tom Nichols: “Why are they doing this, Tom?”
“Who is this supposed to be played to? The people in the video look so confused!” Reid said.
“You know, Donald Trump was a staple of a lot of hip hop and rap in the past,” Nichols said.
“And you know, maybe it’s just guys trying to be transgressive and cool. And saying, ‘Who is the most absurd loser there is that we can write a song about?’ because now, look, Joy, one thing they got is that we’re all sitting here and laughing and talking about them,” he said.
Reid went on to ask MSNBC political analyst Juanita Tolliver “Is hip hop dead because of this?”
Tolliver replied by noting that Gaetz is under federal investigation in relation to allegations of sex trafficking. Tolliver said she had struggled to watch more than 10 seconds of the video
Reid later added: “I almost laughed my eyelashes off.”
Gaetz’s spokesperson Joel Valdez told Business Insider that the congressman “is a big fan of this future #1 hit, though he can’t claim credit for its conception, composition, or lyrics.”
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert also mocked the rap video on Thursday by releasing a parody version of the song that made heavy references to the sex trafficking investigation.
Newsweek has asked Matt Gaetz’s office for comment.
