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Barack Obama has been a massive fan of music his whole life. On Friday (Dec. 20), the former two-term president of the United States unveiled his annual Favorite Music of 2024 list throughout his social media accounts.
The song list featured stars from multiple genres, including Afrobeats, Hip Hop, R&B and more. Among the top tracks were Tommy Richman’s “Million Dollar Baby,” Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsey)” and Beyoncé’s “Texas Hold ‘Em.” The first track on the list was Kendrick Lamar’s GNX standout, “squabble up.”
In an October episode of the “DeepCut” podcast with Obama, the cultural icon detailed his relationship with the popular Compton-raised emcee. During the interview he shared, “Kendrick is a friend of mine. I’ve been knowing him for a long time. He actually performed at the White House. You know, I was the first, I think, I’m pretty confident in saying that not that many presidents were familiar with Hip Hop before I was president.” He added, “And I do think Kendrick has a unique status right now, not just because of this summer … he’s not just gifted, he’s serious about the message. He digs into himself, he digs deep.”
He later explained that he and Lamar discuss fatherhood whenever they hang out. Although there are no Drake songs on the list, there is no indication that Obama has an issue with the popular recording artist. In 2017, the “Up All Night” rapper visited the White House to meet with Obama and his family. In response to the visit, Drake stated, “As a Canadian that calls America home for part of the year I will always carry your words and the memory of your time in office with me as inspiration. Big up yaself O,” on his Instagram Story.
Obama’s love for music and sports helped him gain points with young voters during his time on the campaign trail. The popular political figure has been co-signed by artists like Young Jeezy, JAY-Z, Nas and more.