No Nigerian song in Obama’s summer playlist — first time in three years

Barack Obama, former US president, has released his 2021 summer playlist — and there is no Nigerian song included. 

Obama started the tradition during his last days as the leader of the free world when he partnered with Spotify, American streaming platform, to handpick his favourite songs.

He had named the 2015 selection ‘President Obama’s summer playlist’ and split it into two sections to contain 20 songs each.

In 2016, he announced the release of another playlist which included hit tracks from Jay Z, Common, Nas, Aretha Franklin, and Nina Simone, late jazz singer.

It wasn’t until 2019 that Rema, Afrobeats singer, became the first Nigerian to have his song on the summer playlist, with ‘Iron Man‘, his chart-topping single.

In 2020, ‘Smile’, a song by Wizkid, Nigerian Grammy-award winner, featuring H.E.R, made it to the revered summer playlist. 

But in the latest playlist posted on Obama’s Twitter page, no Nigerian song was featured.

The 38-track playlist features Kékélé, a Congo band formed in 2000, Bob Marley & The Wailers, Jay Z, Drake and J Cole.

Below are songs on Obama’s 2021 summer playlist: 

Aside from his summer playlists, Obama also releases a list of his favourite songs at the end of the year.

‘Anybody’, a song by Burna Boy, made it into ‘his favourite songs list of 2019. Rema’s ‘Iron Man’ was also included in the list.

In 2020, ‘Essence’, a song by Wizkid and Tems, Nigerian alternative sensation, made the year-ending playlist.