The King of Staten Island is coming home.
While he may have made headlines earlier this week by holding hands with Kim Kardashian, who he recently began dating, Pete Davidson let his singing skills take center stage in a hilarious, Staten Island-infused ode to his beloved hometown on Saturday Night Live on Nov. 20.
Titled "Walking In Staten," the song is a parody of Marc Cohn's 1991 hit "Walking in Memphis" and is jam-packed full of references to what Davidson lovingly calls "the land of Colin Jost." That includes how Staten Island has "like 80 bagel spots," "wild turkeys by the hospital," and a "garbage dump so big you can see it from space."
The 28-year-old actor and comedian performed the track alongside Cohn himself, Method Man of Wu-Tang Clan, and country artist Big Wet, adding that the borough was "where everybody's dreams go right down the drain" and "the reason I turned out weird."
Since the video's release online, the reaction from fellow Staten Islanders has been positive. Calling it "a great homage from Pete," one YouTube commenter added, "being from Staten Island, all of these facts are true, the turkeys, the deer, the bagels and pizza shops, everyone at least has seen Method Man one time, and white claws."
Others shared their appreciation for Cohn and Method Man's inclusion on the track. "I think this is what you call an instant classic," wrote another fan. "Marc Cohn and Method Man both being game for the funny puts it over the top."
This isn't the first time Davidson has joked about Staten Island on Saturday Night Live. He often appears as a recurring guest on Weekend Update to share witty jabs about the lighthearted love-hate relationship between him and his hometown.
In 2017, he poked fun at the way he was portrayed in a local Staten Island newspaper in comparison to his colleague Jost, adding: "the reason Staten Island hates me is because I represent what they are: a mentally ill, community college dropout who got a Game of Thrones tattoo before watching the show."
In 2020, he ripped into the borough for its COVID-19 protests but admitted he was also "just happy" that he was no longer "the first thing people think of when they say ‘what's the worst thing about Staten Island?'"