Jeezy and President Barack Obama have had an interesting relationship since he was elected in 2008. With the release of “My President,” Jeezy was the first prominent rap artist to predict Obama’s victory by releasing the song seven months before the election.
However, Jeezy was later dissed by President Obama after initially being invited to a private dinner and being held at the door by Secret Service officers.
“[President Obama] had me come to a dinner and they wouldn’t let me inside,” Jeezy said during his latest interview with rolling out. “I was invited to a dinner he had in New York. When I got to the door, the Secret Service told my team that I couldn’t come inside because there was some type of security issue. They probably Googled me. I felt a certain way because I felt as if I did a lot to help his campaign. I believed in his cause. I initially felt unappreciated.”
But President Obama would later give a subtle salute to Jeezy that gave the president credibility in the streets and likely confused others. While at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, President Obama told the audience, “In my first term, I sang Al Green, in my second term, I’m going with Young Jeezy.” President later joked that he sings Jeezy’s songs to first lady Michelle Obama at times.
“He later came back and shouted me out,” Jeezy said. “That let me know what type of person he is as a man. There are so many ways that he could’ve done that. But he did it on his platform and on his time. It was like being an artist and me shouting out my homie. It feels great.”
Jeezy understood that President Obama could never take pictures with him while in office, but the small gesture proved that he was a stand-up guy and man of his word.
“He was in a room full of politicians and major people like Oprah,” Jeezy said. “I’m sure a lot of people wondered how he knew about me. It was his way of saying, ‘Look, I understand everything that you’re doing, but you have a criminal past, you can’t stand next to me right now.’ But he decided to acknowledge me from afar. To me, that was presidential. He knows that we have a pulse on the culture. It was great to be appreciated by him.”
