President Obama’s brat summer playlist dropped
Though Chappell Roan and Kendrick Lamar are curiously absent, President Obama offers yet another curated playlist for your listening pleasure
Photo by Chip Somodevilla (Getty Images)
As we enter the dog days of summer, we must reflect. What was the song of the summer? Which pop girlie reigned supreme? How did I spend my BRAT summer vacation? Naturally, the next thought leads to the political class. How did our former presidents spend BRAT summer? Donald Trump, we know from the numerous artists threatening lawsuits over the use of their work, leans heavily on the Jock Jams CD Don Jr. left in the family roadster in the ‘90s. But while “YMCA” and “Rock And Roll (Part 2)” might appease the dozens attending his rallies, for a man of culture like former President Barack Obama, one must find hits from the ‘70s, ‘80s, ‘90s, and today. Give or take a Chappell Roan or two.
President Obama released his latest Summer Playlist, his annual chance to “share some songs that I’ve been listening to lately,” which, as always, is an “eclectic mix.” He’s not wrong about that. Obama’s BRAT summer included the brat (not to be confused with Da Brat) Charli XCX, whose track “365” makes an appearance. Her “Guess” collaborator, Billie Eilish, found a spot with “Chihiro.” Obama made space for his old buddy Beyoncé, but that about does it for the pop girlies. There’s no “Espresso” or a “Red Wine Supernova” in the lot.
That wasn’t it for contemporary artists, though. H.E.R.’s “Process” is on the mix, as is Saweetie’s “My Best” and GloRilla and Megan Thee Stallion’s “Wanna Be.” Shaboozey’s country-rap mashup “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” made the cut, and so did the 1988 Bob Dylan song “Silvio,” which isn’t new, but what a weird pick! Surprisingly, Obama avoided the Drake-Kendrick Lamar beef entirely, keeping “Not Like Us” and anything by the “Certified Lover Boy” from the competition.
Of course, there were some classics on the playlist, too. Nick Drake, Etta James, The Supremes, and Bob Marley are there for listeners of all ages. “No Diggity” by Blackstreet also makes an appearance, forcing us to come to terms with the fact that Obama’s been putting out these playlists for a decade and never included “No Diggity.” To that end, will he ever lift his apparent ban on Mark Morrison’s “Return Of The Mack”? Help this country heal, President Obama.
Check out the entire playlist below and, in the immortal words of President Barack Obama, have a great summer!
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