Barack Obama just dropped his summer playlist, and it’s ‘Too Good’ not to share.
Lil Nas X, Lizzo and Maggie Rogers all factor into the Obamas' grooving summer playlist.
President ex officio, orator extraordinaire and noted tastemaker Barack Obama took a break from his annual Martha’s Vineyard getaway to share his always-entertaining summer playlist.
On Twitter, Obama – in collaboration with former first lady Michelle – shared a “sampling” of the pair’s favorite summer jams.
The playlist featured a range of songs, “some new, some old, some fast, some slow,” according to the former leader of the free world, who’s been vacationing on Martha’s Vineyard for the past three weeks (and is rumored to be eyeing a house there).
Drake and Rihanna’s sun-kissed “Too Good” kicked things off at No. 1, but the Obama’s didn’t play favorites in terms of genre. Among their picks: rock-n-roll classics (“Happy” by The Rolling Stones), Grammy-minted R&B standouts (“Boo’d Up” by Ella Mai, “Best Part” by Daniel Caesar & H.E.R.), and pop chart-toppers (“Juice” by Lizzo, “Old Town Road (Remix)” by Lil Nas X feat. Billy Ray Cyrus).
Recent discoveries made a strong showing, from Jamaican artist Koffee (“Toast”) to Nigerian breakout Rema (“Iron Man”), both 19. But music legends like Stevie Wonder (“Don’t You Worry ‘Bout a Thing”) and Donny Hathaway (“I Love You More Than You’ll Ever Know”) were equally well-represented. Grammy-winning Berklee graduate – and Harvard professor – Esperanza Spalding also made the cut with “Espera,” off her 2008 album “Esperanza.”
With summer winding down, here’s a sampling of what Michelle and I have been listening to — some new, some old, some fast, some slow. Hope you enjoy. pic.twitter.com/BS5ri1lvxz
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) August 24, 2019
Lizzo, who’s active on Twitter, was among the first included artists to respond to the unexpected Obama shout-out. “We’re friends now,” the singer wrote in all-caps, noting how she’d tweeted earlier about her support for his two-term presidency. “I don’t make the rules.”
I TWEETED THIS AT 10:26AM AND ONE HOUR LATER PRESIDENT @BarackObama TWEETED ABOUT ME!!!
WE’RE FRIENDS NOW I DONT MAKE THE RULES!!! pic.twitter.com/9KLGkjBp6J
— FOLLOW @YITTY (@lizzo) August 24, 2019
Maggie Rogers, in heavy rotation by the Obamas thanks to her joyous torch song “Burning,” wrote, amazingly, that she’d been “swimming in from a half-nude” conversation with her best friend in the Aegean Sea when Obama released his summer picks. Upon returning to shore, the 25-year-old singer-songwriter noticed her track and proceeded to correctly refer to the playlist as “prime Obama content.”
swimming in from a half nude convo with my best friend about gratitude in the aegean to this PRIME OBAMA CONTENT https://t.co/lGevyD2hMD
— Maggie Rogers (@maggierogers) August 24, 2019
“Gratitude is really a must,” Koffee tweeted.
WOW!!! Gratitude really is a must 🤯❤️ https://t.co/blRZ0ACh2E
— Koffee (@originalkoffee) August 24, 2019
Ari PenSmith, featured on GoldLink’s “Joke Ting” (in Obama’s No. 10 spot), expressed his surprise and delight on Twitter, adding “big big Barack, you know” followed by praise emojis. (GoldLink retweeted PenSmith’s message.)
😧 Track 10? I can’t believe it!! Big big Barack you know 🙌🏽🙏🏽 @GoldLink @p2jmusic https://t.co/mUuSvBfxXR
— Ari PenSmith ✍🏽 (@AriPenSmith) August 24, 2019
And 2 Chainz, always one to pick his words carefully, responded to hit “It’s A Vibe” being included by keeping things simple. The rapper retweeted Obama’s playlist, adding two wonderfully expressive emojis: fire, followed by a shocked face with an exploding head.
https://twitter.com/2chainz/status/1165300159967875072?s=20
