Melyssa Ford held her ground on a recent episode of The Joe Budden Podcast, clapping back at her co-hosts for questioning how she publicly responded to being mentioned by Drake. The media personality, who cohosts the show alongside Joe Budden, Ice, Marc Lamont Hill, and others, addressed the scrutiny she received after Drake name-dropped her on his song “GIMME A HUG” from For All the Dogs: Scary Hours Edition.

In addition to the lyric, Drake used Ford’s image on merchandise linked to the album’s promo—merch that redirected fans to The Joe Budden Podcast‘s Patreon. While Ford shared her excitement about the shoutout online, some fans and even her podcast peers took issue with her reaction, questioning its authenticity and suggesting she didn’t write her own statement.

Ford wasn’t having it. On-air, she called out what she saw as a double standard—pointing out that while she was being criticized for publicly addressing the situation, the podcast itself was also profiting from the attention and discussing it at length. “Y’all are making content off this too,” she reminded them. She also defended her autonomy, stressing that she wrote her own words and wasn’t trying to stir controversy.

Melyssa Ford tells Joe Budden she finds it odd that he’s mad about her public statement about drake using her hoodie she wrote on iG when he used that story line to boost his Patreon and the show. They also discuss the Gimme a Hug,
song and why she promoted – Joe budden patreon pic.twitter.com/SRXKvD6blF

— joebuddenclips/fanpage (@Chatnigga101) April 7, 2025

Why the Mention Was a Big Deal

The moment carried extra weight because of the ongoing tension between Drake and Joe Budden. Their feud dates back to 2016 when Budden publicly criticized Views, triggering a back-and-forth that’s played out through diss tracks, cryptic lyrics, and social media jabs. So when Drake name-checked Ford—who now works closely with Budden—it reignited interest in their rivalry.

Despite the chatter and controversy, Ford made it clear she’s embracing the moment on her own terms. She took pride in the recognition from Drake while also demanding proper credit and compensation for the use of her image. Ultimately, while some cohosts were skeptical at first, they listened to her perspective and acknowledged the complexity of the situation.