Following his keynote address at SXSW in Austin, Texas on Friday (March 11), President Barack Obama went on to speak at a fundraiser for the Democratic National Committee.
During his speech, Obama confessed his admiration for J. Cole, who had performed at the event.
“I love J. Cole,” Obama said, according to a Twitter post from WorldStarHipHop. “You know, this is the benefit of having teenage daughters. I actually keep up.”
Obama also revealed that he was able to speak with Cole’s mother and grandmother before the event.
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During his performance of “Be Free” on the Late Show with David Letterman in December 2014, J. Cole was somewhat critical of Obama’s Presidency.
“No disrespect in terms of change I haven’t seen any / Maybe he had good intentions but was stifled by the system / And was sad to learn he actually couldn’t bring any,” J. Cole rapped.
Throughout his tenure as President, Barack Obama has voiced his appreciation for a variety of Hip Hop artists, Kendrick Lamar being a notable example. During an interview with People last December, Obama named K. Dot’s “How Much A Dollar Cost” from To Pimp A Butterfly as his favorite song of 2015.
Last October, Kendrick Lamar paid a visit to the Oval Office as part of the “Pay It Forward” initiative that promoted mentoring youth across the country.
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More recently, Obama was asked his opinion on the potential winner should Kendrick Lamar and Drake ever square off in a Rap battle.
“You gotta go with Kendrick,” President Obama told YouTube star sWooZie. “I’m just saying. I think Drake is an outstanding entertainer, but Kendrick…his lyrics. His last album [To Pimp A Butterfly] was outstanding. Best album I think [that came out] last year.”
For additional J. Cole coverage, watch the following DX Daily:
