Barack Obama’s Summer Playlist Features Nigerian Artists Tems and Rema
Former US President Barack Obama has released his annual summer playlist, featuring 44 songs from various genres. This year’s playlist stands out for its inclusion of two Nigerian artists, Tems and Rema, who are the only Nigerians to make the list.
The playlist was shared by Obama on X.com on Monday, where he stated, “With summer winding down, I wanted to share some songs that I’ve been listening to lately – and it wouldn’t be my playlist if it didn’t include an eclectic mix. I hope you find something new to listen to!”
Tems and Rema’s inclusion follows previous recognitions for Nigerian artists, including Wizkid and Tems in 2020, Burna Boy in 2022, and Ayra Starr in 2023.
Interestingly, this year’s playlist comes after Obama confirmed last year that his famous playlists are actually curated by him, refuting claims that the compilations are pieced together by someone else. Speaking to comedian Hasan Minhaj, Obama clarified, “I do! Listen. I am so glad that I have this opportunity. People believe the books and the movies, but the playlists, they somehow think — and this is mostly coming from young people like you — somehow, y’all think you invented rock ‘n’ roll. You invented hip-hop.”
The playlist features a diverse range of songs, including Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)”, Charli XCX’s “365”, Billie Eilish’s “Chihiro”, Bob Marley’s “Them Belly Full”, Beyoncé’s “Texas Hold ‘Em”, The Miracles’ “You’ve Really Got a Hold on Me”, Samara Joy’s “Someone to Watch Over Me” featuring Pasquale Grasso, and Megan Thee Stallion’s “Wanna Be” featuring GloRilla.
However, it’s worth noting that no Nigerian artist was featured in Obama’s 2021 playlist.
The inclusion of Tems and Rema in Obama’s summer playlist is a testament to the growing global recognition of Nigerian music and its talent. With this playlist, Obama has once again demonstrated his appreciation for diverse music and his willingness to share his favorite songs with the world.
