{
  "id": 2174499,
  "title": "Waffle House cook's rap hit 1 million views; weeks later he says he was fired",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/20/waffle-house-cooks-rap-hit-1-million-views-weeks-later-he-says-he-was",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-20T15:30:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Times of India",
    "slug": "times-of-india",
    "url": "https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/atlanta-waffle-house-cooks-rap-praising-the-chain-topped-1-million-tiktok-views-weeks-later-he-says-he-was-fired-after-20-years-with-the-company/articleshow/133377282.cms"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": null,
  "summary": "Edric Riley, known as “Rockstar Riley” and the “King of Waffle House”, went viral after his rap song “Waffy Options” praising the restaurant chain crossed 1 million TikTok views. Weeks later, Waffle House fired him, citing repeated violations of its rules on filming promotional content on company property. Riley says he was promoting a company he loved.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}