Barack Obama’s Summer Playlist Excludes Drake And Kendrick Lamar

Barack Obama’s summer playlists are an annual tradition. The former president loves to clue fans in on what he’s listening to, and co-sign lesser known artists. Obama’s 2024 playlist has dropped and it has a pretty diverse mix of classics and new releases. The Rolling Stones is sitting comfortably next to the likes of Tems and Billie Eilish. Tems cracked the list with her sultry single “Love Me Jeje,” while Eilish popped up with her song “Chihiro.” Fans were just as intrigued by the titles that didn’t make the cut as the ones that did.

Other notable artists who appeared include Common with his 2005 track “The People” and Beyonce with her latest hit, “Texas Hold ‘Em.” The latter makes complete sense, given how close Obama and the Carters are. Obama’s wife, Michelle, praised Beyonce’s album Cowboy Carter on social media when it dropped. “With Cowboy Carter, you have changed the game once again by helping redefine a music genre and transform our culture,” she wrote. “I am so proud of you.” The 2024 list was light in the hip-hop department, though. Besides “The People,” the only true blue hip-hop song to make the cut was “How Do U Want It” by Tupac, K-Ci & JoJo. Read the full list below.

R&B got a little more love, between the H.E.R. song “Process” and Tommy Richman’s “Million Dollar Baby.” The two biggest omissions, however, were Drake and Kendrick Lamar. Their battle will go down as the biggest hip-hop story of the year, and yet neither of them are represented here. Barack Obama didn’t feel like including obvious hits like “Like That” or “Not Like Us.” He didn’t even go the other way and pick Drake’s “Family Matters.” That said, Obama has made it clear that he leans more towards Lamar than he does the superstar Canadian.

In 2016, Barack Obama was asked whether he preferred Drake’s album Views or K. Dot’s To Pimp a Butterfly. He chose the latter without hesitation. “Gotta go with Kendrick,” the former President stated. “I’m just saying, I think Drake is an outstanding entertainer, but Kendrick, his lyrics, his last album was outstanding. [To Pimp a Butterfly was the] best album I think of last year.” Kendrick Lamar shouldn’t feel too bad, though. His single “Die Hard” made Barack Obama’s 2022 summer playlist.