Michelle Obama and Common recently drew ridicule from angry critics including FOX News after the first lady invited the Chicago emcee to the White House to read his poetry. Although the controversy has died down, Obama is now opening up about the event and defending her invitation to Common.
“We had a poetry session and we invited young kids in just last week from all over the country,” Obama told a group of students at Oxford University. “And they talked to some of the most outstanding poets, and they read their poetry in the state room. And then we had a poetry night and Common was there. He’s very cute. But everybody from poet laureates to hip-hop folks being able to mix up the world in that very interesting way, the White House allows you to do that.”
As reported after the controversy broke, both Jon Stewart, the host of Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show,” and fellow rapper Nas, came to the defense of Michelle Obama and Common.
“Their time has passed and they’re trying to hold on to a time that is actually embarrassing. The people who feel like Common shouldn’t be performing are really old in their thinking,” Nas said during an interview with MTV’s RapFix Live. “It’s like your grandparents have a microphone, and [they’re] not even smart grandparents — just ignorant grandparents.
What do you think of Michelle’s defense of her invitation to Common? –nicholas robinson
