It's weird how Joe runs with this narrative that Mel gets pretty privilege such as on today's pod saying she doesn't pay for her own food. She's 48, not 24. Dudes aren't tricking on her anymore. And we've seen evidence of that on the pod such as Symba offering to fly her out to LA on coach, the struggle flowers Chicago PD sent her and even Joe hinting she was struggling before joining the pod.
I mean Symba is a z level rapper. IIRC she didnt go on that flight from symba because it was coach, meaning she used to getting flown out in better seats.
Also Joe told the story earlier last year of how he just happened to go into some restaurant and Mel was in there w/o her seeing him. He said he just ppl watched her and how all the dudes was trying to trick on her buy buying her food/drinks etc. I think he was it was an arab spot or w/e.
She was probably struggling before the pod, but it most likely wasnt because of lack of options, she was probably picky as hell and didnt want the caked up regular nikka.