In what is sure to be the strangest and most surprising musical pairing of the week, Grammy-winning rapper Megan Thee Stallion has teamed with Canadian rock royalty Nickelback to celebrate the return of Cheetos® Flamin' Hot® Dill Pickle Flavored Snacks. More than just a typical 30-second ad, the pop chart titans have unveiled an entire music video to mark the occasion.
The music video details the unlikely pairing's origin (a simple mix-up by some poor production assistant) and their subsequent heist of the Cheetos® Flavor Vault (sure, why not). This all takes place in a world where Nickelback have to where cheetah masks (get it?) to hide their identities, but Megan Thee Stallion sans mask in a latex catsuit raises no eyebrows. The team then tear through the streets of an unidentified overcast city in Nickelback's customized black spiked 18-wheeler (sure, fuck it, who cares). Despite not being pursued by the police, Nickelback drive their roided-out getaway truck with total abandon, eventually crashing and setting off an explosion that covers the city in thick red Cheetos® dust. Naturally, this catastrophe is met with widespread snack-looting and cheering.
How did Megan get a pickle-shaped surfboard to ride the wave of dust? Unclear. How were there no casualties of despite the wide-scale destruction? Unclear. Why are two elderly anthropomorphic pickles heartened to once again see their kind rendered into red dust for corn snacks? Unclear. The whole thing is helmed by legendary music video and commercial director Dave Meyers (Limp Bizkit, Missy Elliott, Kendrick Lamar).
Credit where it's due, Nickelback are keenly aware of the ridiculousness of this whole endeavor, even highlighting the contrived nature in the lyrics. Chad Kroeger sings "It's only 'cause it rhymes with "nickel" / That's why they paid us for a huge commercial" as the rest of his bandmates look straight into the camera while making the money sign with both hands. Megan's verse is delivered with characteristic aplomb and lines like "Flamin' Pickle, you remind me why I let my nose run" and "Scream 'Are your fingers red yet?'" are not a major step down from the original. And while not as scintillating as what BNYX and Drowning Pool cooked up, the remix at the top of the video is a nice touch.
Check out the music video below. Sadly, neither Megan Thee Stallion nor Nickelback have any upcoming tour dates. Maybe that's why they have to sell Cheetos®.
