S. Samuel
President Barack Obama showed off his love for hip-hop last night (April 27) at the annual White House Correspondents' Association dinner by coming out to DJ Khaled's music and name-dropping Jay-Z during his speech.
President Obama used last night’s gathering to show a light-hearted side of himself and spoke on a variety of topics.
Wow, times have surely changed. The annual White House Correspondents’ Association dinner on Saturday night was filled with jokes, fun and some dance from President Obama. He poked fun at some of his political adversaries, Fox News, recent dedication of the George W. Bush Library and much more. But the best part? He walked to the stage with DJ Khaled’s ‘All I Do Is Win’ booming through the speakers in the hall. After breaking into a lil dance, the jovial President asked the audience, “how do you like my new entrance music?” (HHNM)
The president also joked about being attached to rap mogul Jay-Z’s Cuba controversy from earlier this month.
Later on, Obama had the chance to take a slick jab at Jay-Z, who caused a media frenzy with his visit to Cuba and subsequent “Open Letter.” Talking about issues that he has to deal with that are out of his control, Obama said, “It’s unbelievable… I have 99 problems and now Jay-Z is one of them.” Interestingly enough, the President does not appear to be as concerned about Beyonce, who also went on the trip with her husband and created her own controversy at the recent inauguration by apparently lip-synching the National Anthem. (Complex)
At last year’s gathering, the head of state showed some love to Atlanta’s Young Jeezy.
During his speech/comedy routine at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Saturday night (Apr. 28), U.S. President and self-admitted rap fan Barack Obama joked about following his impromptu Al Green rendition in January with a take on everyone’s favorite Snowman, Young Jeezy. At the 14:30 mark, Obama starts to wrap up his speech by giving a “quick preview of the secret agenda you can expect” if he is re-elected in 2012. “In my first term, I sang Al Green,” he says. “In my second term, I’m going with Young Jeezy.” Following the nervous laughter from his onlookers (some of whom are likely unfamiliar with Jeezy’s brand of thug motivation), Obama followed the joke by saying, “Michelle said, ‘Yeeeeah.’ I sing that to her sometimes.” (Billboard)
Earlier this month, President Obama was asked about Jay-Z’s recent trip to Cuba.
President Obama says the White House was not involved with the recent trip to Cuba by married singers Jay-Z and Beyonce. “I wasn’t familiar that they were taking the trip,” Obama told NBC’s Today show during a wide-ranging interview. “My understanding is I think they went through a group that organizes these educational trips down to Cuba.” A new Jay-Z song indicates that Obama approved of the trip, but Obama said the Treasury Department handles these kinds of things. “You know, this is not something the White House was involved with,” Obama said. “We’ve got better things to do.” The Today show taped the Obama interview Monday, just before the Boston Marathon attack. (USA Today)
Check out last night’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner footage:
