We Know Exactly Where Barack Obama Falls In The Kendrick Lamar Vs. Drake Feud

The feud between rapper's Drake and Kendrick Lamar heated up when the superstars exchanged spicy diss records towards one another. These included Lamar's "Euphoria" and Drake's "Push Ups." Hip-hop enthusiasts weighed in, many of whom crowning Lamar as the champion. However, it appears that Barack Obama predicted the winner of such a battle years earlier.

Back in February 2016, the former United States leader sat down with YouTuber Swoozie, where he was asked who would come out victorious in a musical match between Lamar and Drake, who has made a stunning transformation from actor to rapper in the past decade. Without hesitation, the 44th president chose Lamar. "I think Drake is an outstanding entertainer but Kendrick, his lyrics," he told Swoozie (via USA Today). Obama would go on to acknowledge Lamar's critically acclaimed album, "To Pimp a Butterfly," as the best album of 2015. The project won Best Rap Album at the 58th annual Grammy Awards, demonstrating that others also shared Obama's sentiments. However, that doesn't mean Drake isn't one of the former president's music go-tos.

Despite letting fans know he would side with Kendrick Lamar lyrically in a competition against Drake, Barack Obama has much respect for both artists. In fact, when releasing his yearly playlists, both performers have been featured on them. For his Favorite Songs of 2018 list, Obama included "Wow Freestyle" by Jay Rock and Lamar. For his 2022 Summer Playlist, the former White House resident included "Die Hard" by the California entertainer and "Too Good" by the Toronto superstar, which features Drake's rumored ex-girlfriend, Rihanna.

As of this report, Obama has not yet unveiled any 2024 playlists. Still, it will be interesting to see if any of the Lamar or Drake diss tracks will make the cut. Despite showing a slight preference for Lamar's tunes over Drake's, the "A Promised Land" author previously welcomed both best selling artists to the White House during his eight-year tenure.

In Fall 2015, Kendrick Lamar visited the White House, where he met Barack Obama and even snapped some photos with the commander-in-chief. During a February 2016 interview with Billboard, Lamar revealed that the visit helped him to humanize the powerful politician. "We tend to forget that people who've attained a certain position are human. When [the president] said to my face what his favorite record was — I understood that, no matter how high-ranking you get in this world, you're human," the "Humble" writer told the outlet.

One month after the first family exited Washington in January 2017, Drake took to his Instagram to reminisce on the day he met Obama and his daughter, Malia. In the February 2017 image, Obama included a handwritten note on the bottom of the image that read, "To Drake — Thanks for the great visit!" (via US Today). Now out of the office, Obama may have a bit more free time to dive into the rap beef. Though given the nastiness and salacious allegations being hurled at both parties, including domestic violence and inappropriate interactions with minors, Obama may choose to steer clear of commenting on the new songs.