“Republicans have pounced on any and all associations Obama might make with black people in a way that has the potential to turn white centrist and independent voters against him,” says Rose. Fully aware that these voters may see Obama’s rap connections as a liability, Jay-Z noted the need for caution. In a 2009 interview with the Guardian he said: “I didn’t want the association with rappers and gangsta rappers to hinder anything that [Obama] was doing. I came when I was needed; I didn’t make any comments in the press, go too far or put my picture with Obama on MySpace, Twitter, none of that.”

“Como o hip hop se desapaixou por Obama”, segundo Guardian.