Barack Obama really knows ball when it comes to Hip-Hop, and now he’s revealing which artists helped him lock in before major debates.
Ever since stepping onto the political scene, Obama has made it clear how much he loves music. Growing up in Chicago, he’s consistently supported artists from the city, including Chance The Rapper, who has appeared on several of his annual playlists throughout the years.
Now the former president is giving the world some insight into what was playing in his headphones before stepping onto the debate stage, naming classics from JAŸ-Z and Eminem as part of his routine.
“A couple of songs about defying the odds and putting it all on the line, JAŸ-Z’s “My 1st Song” and Eminem’s “Lose Yourself” were always in rotation. Maybe because they felt suited to my yearly underdog status. Sitting alone in the back of the Secret Service SUV on my way to the venue, nodding to the beat, I would feel the pomp and circumstance and artifice of my immediate surroundings melt away.”
Before switching fully into Hip-Hop mode, Obama said he would ease into his playlist with Jazz records, specifically mentioning Miles Davis’ “Freddie Freeloader” from Kind of Blue and John Coltrane’s “My Favorite Things.”
Obama also admitted he became extremely particular about his routine during presidential campaign debate days, making sure everything from his workouts to his meals and music selection stayed consistent.
“During my first presidential campaign, I became a bit particular, maybe a little superstitious, about my debate-day rituals.”
Obama’s playlist proves he has A1 taste in music.
