A Waffle House employee whose rap about the restaurant went viral online says he lost his job.
Rockstar Riley, real name Edric Riley, was fired Aug. 14 after arriving for his shift at the Roswell Road location in Sandy Springs, Georgia.
The termination came after the company reportedly told him to take down posts for a very specific reason. Instead, Riley declined and continued making content.
Riley explained to Atlanta Black Star, “They [fired me] because I refused to take down my social media when I was warned and because of my music videos. That was the weak excuse given to me.”
Riley’s rise online began with a viral performance filmed inside a Waffle House kitchen under his stage name, Rockstar Riley.
He dubbed the establishment “The Waffy” and rapped about popular menu items, including the All-Star breakfast and its signature waffles. At one point, he encouraged viewers to “go stop at your local Waffle House!!!!”
The upbeat video showed Riley performing behind the counter as the camera moved around the restaurant. It also captured patrons appearing to dance and react to his lyrics.
“Welcome to The Waffy, where you know that we got options/You can get the All-Star breakfast that comes with a waffle,” Riley raps in the song. He later calls himself “the king of The Waffy” and promises to prepare whatever customers are craving.
Riley also highlights the company’s welcoming atmosphere, rapping, “You can pull up at any location, we’ll welcome you in. You can sit with a friend, take you to your seat with a smile and a grin.”
The video later earned him a CBS News feature and showed him rapping about the restaurant in his uniform.
Employees and customers smile and enjoy his performance as he turns the chain’s menu and atmosphere into song.
After the video took off, a franchise manager reportedly contacted Riley. His employer instructed him to remove social media posts he recorded while wearing his Waffle House uniform. Instead of deleting them, Riley continued creating content connected to the restaurant.
Riley told Atlanta Black Star that he had not experienced problems with management before the dispute over his social media posts.
“I’ve worked for them for 20 years. I’ve been overall great with management for years,” he said.
He also said his firing prevents him from simply transferring to another Waffle House location. Riley admitted he was permanently banned and placed on the company’s “Ban List referred to as the EFR List.”
That means, according to Riley, he cannot seek employment at another Waffle House location following his termination.
Riley described the firing as a difficult blow after spending years with the company.
“I gave that company years of loyalty, hard work, and dedication,” he said of his termination. “After everything I poured into that job, this has been painful, disappointing, and honestly hard to process.”
Riley’s connection to the chain goes back years. He said Waffle House was his first job, and he eventually began creating music inspired by the restaurant. His song “Waffle Options” became his most recognizable track. However, it was not his first attempt to turn his workplace into music. He also released the songs “Pull Drop Mark” and “Power Hour.”
Riley had even hoped to pitch some of his music to Waffle House management for possible placement on restaurant jukeboxes.
His relationship with the company was strong enough that he previously said he would not have walked away even for a $1 million record deal. He described the workplace as an environment that “feels like a community.”
His firing now marks the end of a 20-year relationship with the restaurant. Riley began working for Waffle House at 15 and continued there into adulthood.
After losing his job, Riley turned to his supporters for help. He launched a GoFundMe campaign explaining that he was trying to cover his expenses while searching for new employment and continuing to pursue music.
“My name is Rockstar Riley, and I’m fundraising for myself after being fired from my job of 20 years,” he wrote. Riley said he had given the company “years of loyalty, hard work, and dedication.”
He also pointed to the success of his Waffle House song, arguing that his music had helped bring attention to the company. In several posts, Riley claimed he even created a viral song about the company that helped bring them attention and better sales.
He said the sudden loss of his income has left him trying to figure out his next move. He is asking supporters to help with basic expenses while he looks for another job. He plans to use some of the money toward studio time and promotion as he continues building his music career.
For Riley, the situation represents more than losing a job.
After spending two decades with Waffle House and turning his experiences there into music, he now hopes the same viral attention that brought him recognition will help him move forward.
Despite losing his Waffle House job, Riley told Atlanta Black Star he is staying focused on his music career. He said he is “pushing music out at a rapid rate” and is currently working on a song for Mrs. Winner’s in Atlanta’s southern suburb of East Point.
Riley encouraged supporters to donate if they could. He also asked them to stream his music, share his content, and keep him in their prayers.
He also plans to release his “Waffy Album” still. The rising artist is set to headline a show near downtown Atlanta at The Condo on Edgewood on Aug. 29 from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.
Riley hoped the viral attention could lead to an official partnership. He even told TMZ that he would gladly work with the restaurant if the opportunity came his way.
So far, he’s raised $1,500 of his $6,000 goal.
Waffle House has not addressed the firing and did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Monday.
