Watch: Obama Beatboxes for Vietnamese Rapper
Obama asked a Vietnamese rapper to show her skills, and even offered to set the beat.

Jewel Samad/AFP/Getty
President Obama’s Vietnam trip ended with a bang on Wednesday—or, more accurately, with a “ba-boom ba-boom pfft.”
Speaking in Ho Chi Minh City at a town hall hosted by the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative, the president said he had time for one last question. Then he called on a young woman in the audience named Suboi, who said she was a rapper in Vietnam.
Obama asked her to prove it.
“Before I answer your question, why don’t you give me a little rap?” the president asked. “Do you need, like, a little beat?”
ADVERTISEMENT
Then, for about two glorious seconds, the president beatboxed.
Sadly, Obama did not continue the beat through the young woman’s verse, but he gamely listened and analyzed her lyrics with her after she finished.
Get the best of The Beast delivered right to your inbox
By clicking “SUBSCRIBE” you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Even so, this is almost doubtlessly a historic moment: the first-ever Presidential Beatbox.
Register below to read this article for free or subscribe
to unlock unlimited access to The Daily Beast.
Monthly
$1
First month then $5.99/month
Annual
$35
First year then $59.99/year
Premium
$79
First year then $119.99/year
*Substack access provided by the next business day, using your subscription email. Choosing the Premium plan constitutes your permission to share your subscription email with Substack and your agreement to Substack’s Privacy Policy.
Already have an account? Sign In
Looks like you already have a subscription!
You're all set!
Thanks for subscribing.
