Coming into the White House, presidents have always held long-time friendships with other government professionals—from growing up together to being classmates in college. However with rappers, I can’t saw many presidents bring those contacts into the Oval Office’s address book. But of course, the one president to be tight with hip hop artists way before his executive role would be Barack Obama. For instance, with him and one rapper, it’s been a 15-year ride.
Sway Calloway phoned the president for yesterday’s broadcast of Sway in the Morning where Obama revealed more about his hip hop fandom as well as bracket predictions for the 2017 NBA Championships and NFL Super Bowl.
Sports-wise, Obama is eager for the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks to rematch on Houston’s Super Bowl turf. His money’s on Patriot Tom Brady. For basketball, it’s all about the Golden State Warriors even though, “they just got spanked in their first game.”
Well then, Obama must be enjoying every Steph Curry reference Drake drops in his bars. The president named Drizzy as one of his top rappers in the game. Kendrick Lamar also made the list as well as the Watch the Throne rap honchos. “Jay-Z is still the king. He’s got a track record. Same with Kanye.”
But none of these rappers have known Obama since their childhood like Chance the Rapper who also made the president’s list. In fact, Obama met the fellow Chi-town native when Chance was eight years old. The president revealed that the rapper’s father worked as his state director back when Obama was the senator of Illinois.
Woah! Recap needed: Obama knew Chance before Chance was famous. Chance knew Obama before Obama was president. And now both just ate really fancy food with really fancy people at the White House State Dinner. My mind is blown!
With several artists coming out of Chicago, I wonder who else our president has known for years. One thing’s for sure, whether he met them before or while in office, Obama has a lot of Hip Hop homies—way more than any other president.
Check out more of what our president told Sway:
