Listen Live
Stone Soul Vendor Graphics
iPowerRichmond Featured Video
CLOSE
US-POLITICS-OBAMA

Source: NICHOLAS KAMM / Getty

President Barack Obama took a momentary pause from his private citizen post-White House life to celebrate one of the greatest lyricists of our time.

Obama had a very touching message for Jay-Z as he was inducted into the Songwriters Hall Of Fame.

#44 laid out all the similarities between himself in the BK-born rapper, explaining they both overcame the odds to position themselves for greatness.

“I think Mr. Carter and I understand each other. Nobody who met us as younger men would have expected us to be where we are today,” Obama explained.

“We know what it’s like to not have a father around. We know what it’s like to not come from much, and to know people who didn’t get the same breaks we did.”

He added, jokingly, that they both “have wives that are significantly more popular than we are.”

Obama also referenced the nods he gave to Jay-Z during his presidency, including a Twitter shoutout to Jay as he prepped for his final State Of The Union address.

It was a touching tribute, to an artist whose career spans decades.

Jay-Z was not in attendance (Twin watch, perhaps?), but he did take to Twitter to thank his inspirations:

RELATED LINKS

Beyonce & Jay Z Are Tribal Royalty At Their Carter Push Party

INSTADAILY: 9 Years ‘On The Run’ With Beyoncé & Jay Z

Long Live The Chief: Barack Obama Praises Jay-Z For His Induction Into The Songwriter’s Hall Of Fame  was originally published on hellobeautiful.com