Hip-Hop Wired » barack obama

Jay-Z's Full Sit Down Interview With CNN On Made In America Festival [VIDEO]

Kazeem Famuyide (@RealLifeKaz) — Thu, 17 May 2012 21:55:01 +0000

If you have a good 11 minutes to kill, watch CNN's Poppy Harlow talk to Jay-Z about his concert to benefit the United Way, becoming a father and President Obama's policies.

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Jay-Z Says Gay Couples Not Being Allowed To Wed "No Different Than Discriminating Against Blacks" [VIDEO]

Alvin aqua Blanco — Mon, 14 May 2012 21:49:22 +0000

It's officially "Jay-Z Day" in the media. Catching up with Hova in Phildelphia after announcing his "Made In America" music festival, CNN (yep, C.N.N.) asked the rapper/mogul about Barack Obama's open support of gay marriage.

"I've always thought it as something that was still, um, holding the country back," said Jay-Z about same-s-x couple not being allowed to legally marry. "What people do in their own homes is their business and you can choose to love whoever you love. That's their business. [It] is no different than discriminating against blacks. It's discrimination plain and simple."

A long time Obama supporter, the "99 Problems" rapper is still in the POTUS' corner; particularly so when it comes to what Obama has done to help the ailing economy (which Jay says is a "test of our character") he inherited. "Reversing the direction of the decline was a full time job in itself, so I think that it's stabilizing a bit now as some of the numbers show," said Jigga.

Watch Jay-Z's chat with CNN and his thoughts on politics and "talking points" below and on the next page.

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Photo: CNN

Jay-Z Explores Possibility Of President Obama Performing At Made In America Festival

Kazeem Famuyide (@RealLifeKaz) — Mon, 14 May 2012 20:54:53 +0000

Jay-Z spoke with Jeff Rosenthal of Rolling Stone after taking the stage in Philadelphia to announce the Made In America Festival. The initial question about why he chose Philadelphia, after being so quintessentially New York his entire career, was more about the festival being a celebration of Americana and less about him. "This was tailor-made for Philadelphia, home-made for Philadelphia. Philadelphia's one of the most iconic cities: Declaration and the whole bit," says Hov. I feel like I've done enough in New York where I feel I could branch out a bit, and she won't get mad at me so much. And it's a short trek from New York, so..."

Hov also all but confirmed that his wife Beyonce will be touching the stage on during Labor Day weekend as well as reaching out to President Barack Obama to make an appearance. "I'm gonna tell you guys right now: I'm gonna give him a call and I'm gonna try to get him to perform – do a little rendition of Al Green – but I doubt it," Jay-Z says of the Commander In Chief. "I think that opens up the political season. He'll be so far into helping the world that he probably won't have time, but I'm absolutely going to ask him."

President Obama, Jimmy Fallon and The Roots Slow Jam The News [VIDEO]

Kazeem Famuyide (@RealLifeKaz) — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 13:20:15 +0000

President Barack Obama turned his swag up in this hilarious clip from last night's episode of Late Night With Jimmy Fallon. The Commander-In-Chief took the stage last night to participate in one of the shows most hilarious running sketches, "Slow Jamming The News", with The Roots. Check it out after the jump.

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Photo: NBC

Pictures Of Celebrities That Aren't Stoned (But Sure Look Like It) [PHOTOS]

Kazeem Famuyide (@RealLifeKaz) — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 17:41:55 +0000

Happy Earth Day, everyone. In celebration of today's "special" holiday, we implore you all to engage in preservation of our Earth and everything that comes from it. Yes, that includes some of that sticky icky. Now as always, we want you to be responsible in any activity that you engage in and remember that if it comes from the Earth, it's probably okay. After you engage in some of your activities, check out some of these photos of some of your favorite celebrities, artists, and athletes that may share the same facial expression as you by the end of April 20th. Hit the jump to check it out.

Q-Tip Says Kanye West Is Not A Jackass, Theorizes Barack Obama Lost A Dice Game

Alvin aqua Blanco — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 19:14:28 +0000

Yesterday, news broke of Barack Obama telling the The Atlantic that he preferred Jay-Z to Kanye West; going as far as saying that the latter was "a talented jackass." Recent G.O.O.D. Music signee Q-Tip begs to differ, though.

"Kanye's not a jackass—that's my boy, I know him,” Q-Tip told New York magazine's Daily Intel column at BAM's 150th Anniversary party on April 11th. "I guess the President is basing his comments on something I'm not aware of. Maybe Kanye beat him in dice and he's mad."

Well, Tip did rap, "Scared money don't make none," on ATCQ's "Midnight" (clap for yourself if you get that reference). However, there is an extensive list of moments Obama could have considered while drawing his conclusion. And no doubt, PETA agrees with the POTUS. But we'll chalk up the Abstract's defense of his G.O.O.D. Music label boss—who made a surprise appearance at last year's Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival—as riding for the home team. Tip's next album and Def Jam debut, The Last Zulu, is due out next year.
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Photo: Brooklyn Bodega

President Obama Calls Kanye West A "Talented Jackass"

Kazeem Famuyide (@RealLifeKaz) — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 14:31:47 +0000

Back in 2009 after Kanye West was public enemy #1 following the Taylor Swift/VMA incident, President Barack Obama called Kanye a jackass for the incident. Fast forward to 2012, while the President still think he's a jackass, he admits West is a talented jackass at least.

When asked to pick between "The Throne's" Kanye West and Jay-Z, Obama sided with Hov according to The Atlantic.

“Kanye or Jay-Z?” The president smiles. “Jay-Z,” he says, as if the answer should be obvious.

“Although I like Kanye,” Obama continues, with an easy smile. “He's a Chicago guy. Smart. He's very talented.” He is displaying his larger awareness of the question, looking relaxed, cerebral but friendly, alive to the moment, waiting for me to get to the heart of the matter.

“Even though you called him a jackass?,” I ask.“He is a jackass,” Obama says, in his likable and perfectly balanced modern-professorial voice. “But he's talented.”

Although the Prez has often said he is a big fan of Hip-Hop and Jigga admitted to having "Obama on the text," in "On To The Next One," do you think that Kanye will tell the Prez to "Shut the f*** up before he embarrasses" him? Doubt it, bro.

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President Barack Obama's Custom New Balance 990s [PHOTOS]

Alvin aqua Blanco — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 15:38:01 +0000

The President of the United States' sneaker game is quite official. If all went to plan, Maine Representative Michael Michaud presented Barack Obama with a custom pair of New Balance 990 running sneakers at a Portland fundraiser. The kicks are a gift that Michaud hopes will remind Obama to support legislation that will get the Department of Defense to outfit US troops with American-made footwear. The move would mean more jobs for Maine, like in Norridgewock, ME where these sneakers were made.

Obama's New Balance 990 comes in the classic grey colorway the brand is known for and features "President" and "Obama" stitched into the heel. And, of course, they were handmade (it took 32 people to create these running shoes) in the USA. Peep photos of Obama's 990s in the gallery.

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Photos: Kennebec Journal/Michael G. Seamans

Barack Obama Sings LMFAO's "S-xy And I Know It" [VIDEO]

Argenys Collado — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 16:54:45 +0000

If you still think the Internet isn't one of the greatest things ever invented then feast your eyes on our Commander-in-Chief, Barack Obama, remixed into pop history with LMFAO's "Hot and I Know It". I'm dying at the Obama troll face they used for the cover picture. (Edit: It's a slow Friday, folks. Work with us.)

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Photo: Youtube

Barack Obama Says Trayvon Martin Killing Must Be Investigated [VIDEO]

Latifah Muhammad — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 17:03:11 +0000

Over the last couple of weeks several public figures have spoken out against the shooting of Trayvon Martin, and now President Obama is weighing in. The commander in chief reiterated the feelings of many who have protested the Sanford, Fla. police department's decision not to pursue charges against Martin's killer, George Zimmerman.

Obama was moved by the story, because he feels a personal connection to the issue. "If I had a son, he'd look like Trayvon," he said during a White House press conference Friday (March 23). "Obviously, this is a tragedy. I can only imagine what these parents are going through. When I think about this boy, I think about my own kids.

"I think every parent in America should be able to understand why it is absolutely imperative that we investigate every aspect of this... I think all of us have to do some soul searching to figure out how does something like this happen."

While many stand on the side of justice and have united in overwhelming numbers to show their support for Martin's family, there are some who have offered a more ridiculous perspective. Political pundit, Geraldo Rivera foolishly commented that the fact that the 17-year-old was wearing a hoodie led to him being mistaken by Zimmerman as a trespassing criminal. Equally embarrassing was media personality, Touré's insensitive joke about the shooting via Twitter, a move which opened the flood gates for a major Internet backlash.

Yesterday, the Florida police chief handling the case temporarily stepped down from his post in hopes that the controversial issue will die down. But with the heightened media attention and nationwide rallies, this case will likely continue to move forward until Zimmerman is arrested for the killing.

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