- 2 Chainz seemingly mistakenly blamed Keith Lee for a negative review that Mr. Chimetime actually posted about Esco Restaurant.
- Keith Lee emphasizes reviewing from a consumer perspective to ensure everyday customers get the same experience as celebrities.
- The rapper defended his success and celebrity perks as earned through hard work, dismissing Lee’s concerns about unequal treatment.
Somebody call, Chimetime!
Over the years, Keith Lee has made quite the name for himself reviewing restaurants and independent eateries and helping put some overlooked establishments on the map, but a bad review for Esco Restaurant & Tapas apparently left rapper 2 Chainz with a bad taste in his mouth, as that happened to be his own food joint.
There’s just one problem, however: 2 Chainz may have gotten his food critics confused—and fans are demanding that the rapper turned restaurateur chef up an apology to Keith Lee.
While the Atlanta rapper confronted Lee about his restaurant during a recent roundtable discussion, Lee never publicly posted his review of the establishment. Fellow food critic Mr. Chimetime, however, previously shared a scathing review of 2 Chainz’s restaurant in 2024, criticizing several dishes and his overall dining experience.
Now, all this time later, the two men were actually in each other’s presence along with the likes of comedians Mojo Brookzz and Desi Banks for Kirk Franklin’s Den of Kings roundtable, in which each guest opened up about their personal journey to fame and what it took for them to get here.
After Keith Lee opened up about having social anxiety and overcoming it to become a TikTok star, 2 Chainz brought up how Keith allegedly gave a negative review to his Esco Restaurant & Tapas eatery, and though he said
“I really can’t judge it because it’s your opinion,” Chainz obviously felt a way about having one of the most influential food critics on social media say bad things about his establishment, saying “Who is buddy?!”
In case you missed it, Mr. Chimetime’s unfavorable assessment included complaints about bland chicken, spoiled chicken, and macaroni that lacked seasoning. Despite his criticism, the food reviewer still encouraged viewers to visit the restaurant and form their own opinions.
That raises the question of whether 2 Chainz was mistakenly attributing Mr. Chimetime’s public criticism to Lee, whose own footage from the restaurant was never posted.
Lee, for his part, defended his approach to restaurant reviews, explaining that it has more to do with the overall experience than just the flavor of the food, saying,
“I never come from a perspective of a expert or the perspective of a chef. I come from the perspective of somebody who is a consumer of Black community. That’s a part of Black community. Somebody who want the advancement of the Black community.”
Continuing to build on his point, Lee explained that celebrity perks often lead to better dining experiences than those of the everyday man,
“If you Mojo Brookzz, you 2 Chainz, you Desi Banks, you Kirk, if you go in, you going to get a completely different experience than if my mama go in or my wife go in or if anybody in the crowd go in.”
Recalling how he once sent his mother-in-law to several restaurants in Atlanta, and she couldn’t get serviced anywhere, Lee said, “I go in, table ready right now.”
Lee also emphasized that he takes his influence seriously because his followers often travel long distances and spend their hard-earned money at restaurants he recommends.
“I don’t ever want to put nobody in a situation that they get a different experience only because they not Keith Lee,” he explained.
While 2 Chainz pushed back and said those celebrity perks just come with the fame, the Atlanta rapper also argued that special treatment is something he’s earned through years of hard work.
“I’m an entertainer, and obviously we get perks that other people don’t get,” he said. “I don’t stand in line at the airport. I don’t do none of that because I done work my a** off to do this.”
The conversation didn’t stop there, however, as 2 Chainz also questioned whether Lee’s background as a professional MMA fighter influenced his perspective on food. The rapper suggested that years of strict dieting and cutting weight could affect his expectations when reviewing restaurants.
Lee defended his food knowledge, explaining that his athletic background actually introduced him to nutrition and eventually sparked his passion for cooking.
The TikTok star also pointed out that restaurants often invite him to review their establishments, but that doesn’t mean they’re guaranteed a glowing endorsement.
“You ask me to come get my opinion, but then you get upset because my opinion not what you wanted to hear,” Lee said.
2 Chainz Responds As Fans Call For An Apology To Keith Lee
As clips of the conversation circulated online, fans began calling on 2 Chainz to apologize to Lee, particularly amid claims that the rapper had confused him with Mr. Chimetime.
Meanwhile, 2 Chainz took to Threads with a message questioning how people define hard work and success.
“Do you really think the illuminati picked out some black kids from the ghetto and made them successful ?how does success work to you …. Is it working a lot of hours ? It is working in the sun ? Is it getting up early ?? What is hard work to you ??? Writing this while im working,” he wrote.
While the post didn’t explicitly mention Lee or their Den of Kings exchange, its emphasis on hard work echoed the rapper’s defense of the privileges he’s earned throughout his career.
Can’t win ’em all, Chainz.
Let us know your thoughts about this particular conversation in the comments section below.
