August 20, 2018
In honor of Ariana Grande's official release of the 15-track stunner "Sweetener," I thought it was the perfect time to revisit the hilarious fact that a 68-year-old Lebanon, Pa. native somehow made it onto the album on a song featuring Nicki Minaj.
It's called "The Light is Coming," and it was released as a single back in June. It opens with a sample of a man yelling, "You wouldn't let anybody speak and instead —" which repeats more than 20 times throughout the song underneath Nicki's raps and Ariana's chorus. Some called it annoying. Others adventurous.
Either way, music journalists miraculously managed to track down where the sample came from, and also managed to find the angry gentlemen who was yelling. His name is Craig Anthony Miller, according to MTV, and it's true, he was just an angry guy at a Pennsylvania town hall meeting confronting former U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter about health care.
When a reporter called to tell him that he made it onto her song, Miller says, "Well, how about that."
"Oh my god. I'll have to tell my daughter this," his wife says.
Apparently, Miller attended the 2009 town hall meeting to question Specter on health care. It was incredibly hostile — complete with raucous "boos" — and ended with Specter shouting into his microphone that demonstrators disrupting the proceedings would be thrown out.
But Miller didn't get to ask a full question because he was interrupted by security. That's what his statement was all about. Here's a full clip for context.
Oh, and angry screams and Specter yelling, "Wait a minute!" during the same town hall meeting were sampled for "Lemon" from Pharrell Williams' N.E.R.D and Rihanna back in November 2017.
Well, how about that.
Anyway, Grande's full album is now out on all streaming channels and available for purchase and includes a song called "Pete Davidson," so if you haven't listened, you're welcome.
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