Advertising

The Seattle Times Company

NWjobs | NWautos | NWhomes | NWsource | Free Classifieds | seattletimes.com

The Seattle Times

Politics & Government


Our network sites seattletimes.com | Advanced

Originally published Saturday, April 19, 2008 at 12:00 AM

E-mail article     Print view

Obama in touch with rap culture

Perhaps this is what the Funkmeister — that other Clinton — meant when he sang about painting the White House black: There's...

The Washington Post

WASHINGTON — Perhaps this is what the Funkmeister — that other Clinton — meant when he sang about painting the White House black: There's Barack Obama in North Carolina on Thursday, fresh from the debate dust-up Wednesday, beleaguered but standing, acknowledging that he's taken some hits from his opponent, some mighty hits, but you know, it's OK, because that's politics. Ultimately, you've got to ...

And then he — pay attention — brushes the dirt off his shoulders. Repeatedly.

The crowd leaps to its feet, applauding and laughing.

Talk about a Jay-Z move. It's a seminal moment in the campaign, the merging of politics and pop culture: in which a presidential candidate — a self-confessed hip-hop and Jay-Z fan — references a rap hit and a dance move.

Within hours, there were video mashups on the Web depicting Obama dusting himself off as Jay-Z urges, "If you feelin' like a pimp ... go and brush your shoulders off. ... Get that dirt off your shoulder."

The move illustrated a generational and a cultural gap: On MSNBC host Joe Scarborough's show Friday, The Washington Post's Richard Cohen said the shoulder-shaking was "contemptuous and aloof" and "not smart." Scarborough on Obama's move: "We looked at each other and said, 'What's he doing? "

The merits of whether miming the move of a millionaire rapper who grew up in the projects is smart or elitist can be debated.

For the initiated: To brush one's shoulders off, according to the Urban Dictionary, is to engage in the act of "shaking them haters off. In other words it means to brush off negative energy of statements made about you."

So was Obama's action a deliberate Jay-Z reference?

Friday, Obama's campaign spokesman, Tommy Vietor, said only this: "He has some Jay-Z on his iPod."

Copyright © 2008 The Seattle Times Company

More Politics headlines...

E-mail article Print view      Share:    Digg     Newsvine

advertising

UPDATE - 12:34 AM
Bill Clinton meets with Senate Dems on health care

UPDATE - 12:16 AM
FBI reassessing past look at Fort Hood suspect

UPDATE - 11:36 PM
Sources: Obama near decision on Afghanistan troops

McGinn next Seattle mayor; Mallahan concedes as vote gap widens

High court looks at life sentences for juveniles

Advertising

Video

Ken Auletta talks about "Googled"
Ken Auletta talks about Google with Brier Dudley at the Seattle Central Library.

Medal of Honor
Pelosi answers questions at Swedish Medical Center
Pelosi speaks at Swedish Medical Center
"Pistol" Pete Ryan
Mourners gather at KeyArena for slain officer's memorial
Procession for slain SPD officer
Election Night: Approve R-71
Election Night: Reject R-71
Election Night: Joe Mallahan

Marketplace

nwautos

2009's most fuel-efficient sedansnew
Choosing a new sedan? Weigh the impact of your choice on your wallet and on the planet.
Post a comment

Open Houses

Find this weekend's open house listings.
Or search by location:

 
Most read
Most commented
Most e-mailed
 
 
Advertising