In September 2009, everyone had a comment on Kanye West's behavior after he interrupted Taylor Swift's VMA acceptance speech — even President Obama. Well, it seems like the incident has stuck with the president, because during a recent interview, when he was asked to choose between Jay-Z and Kanye West, he opted for Jay.
In the president's interview with The Atlantic, he of course talked about political affairs, but at some point, the questions veered toward his musical preferences. After confirming that his favorite Throne MC is Jay-Z, the ever-diplomatic Obama threw in a few nice comments about 'Ye. "Although I like Kanye. He's a Chicago guy. Smart. He's very talented," the president said.
The interviewer didn't let the subject drop without mentioning that President Obama once referred to Kanye as a "jackass" when he interrupted Taylor Swift's VMA speech, but Obama didn't shy away from the comment. "He is a jackass," Obama replied, with a perfectly even voice. "But he's talented."
Even without the whole VMA fiasco, it's clear the Obamas have a very close relationship with Jay-Z and his wife, Beyoncé. Jay has been outwardly supportive of President Obama's campaign from the beginning, and B recently joined a group of celebrities who designed personal swag for Obama's re-election campaign.
This week, Beyoncé even penned a heartfelt letter to Michelle Obama, thanking her for being a great role model. "I am proud to have my daughter grow up in a world where she has people like you to look up to," she wrote. The two have previously collaborated on the first lady's Let's Move! Campaign, which targeted obesity in children. Beyoncé reworked her hit single "Singles Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" into "Move Your Body," encouraging kids to get fit.
What do you think of President Obama's thoughts on Kanye? Let us know in the comments!