Drake's Producer Responds to Song Lyric Dissing His Chronic Illness
There’s a battle brewing between rappers Pusha-T and Drake. The two have gone back and forth dissing each other in songs like Pusha-T’s “Exodus 23:1” and “Infared” and Drake’s “Duppy Freestyle.” But Pusha-T’s latest song, which was released Tuesday, includes a lyric that takes aim at Drake’s producer, Noah “40” Shebib, specifically making fun of his health. Shebib has multiple sclerosis (MS).
In “The Story of Adidon,” Pusha-T raps, “OVO 40, hunched over like he 80, tick, tick, tick / How much time he got? That man is sick, sick, sick.”
OVO40 is Shebib’s Twitter handle. He was diagnosed with MS in 2005, when he was 22, and is an ambassador for the National MS Society.
In response to the lyric, Shebib tweeted on Tuesday that May 30 is World MS Day and shared a link to the World MS Day website.
Coincidentally… tomorrow is World MS Day. https://t.co/5ms9IJwV86
— Noah Shebib (@OVO40) May 30, 2018
Pusha-T called in to the radio show “The Breakfast Club” this morning, and host Angela Yee asked him, “Did you know that today is World MS Day?”
“Oh man, wow. That’s ironic,” he responded. “I’m just here, man, I’m here for the sport of it. Like I said, when it gets personal it gets personal.”
“You don’t think you went too far with anything?” host Charlamagne tha God asked.
“No not at all, I definitely didn’t go too far with anything,” he said.
Fans came to Shebib’s defense on Twitter.
Like Drake or not, I don't care if it's rap beef, ya'll really loved Pusha T joking about 40 having MS? You're really cool with him talking about someone's sickness. That's what gets you stripes now??
— Sean (@FactsKellerman) May 30, 2018
Not gonna lie, Pusha T coming for Noah Shebib saying “OVO 40, hunched over like he 80, tick, tick, tick. How much time he got? That man is sick, sick, sick.” is disrespectful. He’s got MS! You gotta draw the line somewhere.
— E (@emOB_) May 30, 2018
Pusha's OVO 40 line was a bitch move. Not funny. Not a knock out – a sucka punch.
YES, I understand battle rap AND history/context. STILL wack. MS isn't a joke. Folk ain't gotta excuse everything for the sake of entertainment.
— Brittani McNeill (@_bNatural_) May 30, 2018
I'm all the way here for rap war. But to talk about 40's multiple sclerosis to come at Drake?
As someone with MS, I'd be remiss if I didn't tell you that you're a bitch @PUSHA_T
— Frederick Joseph (@FredTJoseph) May 30, 2018
Shebib told the National MS Society that the hardest parts of the condition are explaining to people how MS works, justifying the effects of MS, and the “but you look so good” syndrome.
“I wish people knew how unpredictable the disease is. One day I can walk five miles and the following day only 500 feet. It is very difficult for people to grasp that concept,” he said. “I would like to be visible to young men who might have MS or be diagnosed with it tomorrow, so they know that they are not alone, that they can still succeed and have their dreams.”
Photo courtesy of Shebib’s Instagram
Erin is the former senior editor and chronic illness editor of The Mighty. She joined The Mighty in 2015 and previously worked at Inside Weddings magazine, Mic, and The Huffington Post. She was also the features editor at The California Aggie, UC Davis' student newspaper. She is honored to be a part of the Mighty community!
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