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| Barack Obama performs with Vietnam's Queen of Rap and gives lesson on free speech | Barack Obama performs with Vietnam's Queen of Rap and gives lesson on free speech |
| (4 months later) | |
| Barack Obama knows better than most that global diplomacy requires a variety of skills - the ability to listen, to smile, to stand firm and to compromise. | Barack Obama knows better than most that global diplomacy requires a variety of skills - the ability to listen, to smile, to stand firm and to compromise. |
| On Wednesday, he showed that if required, he could also turn on the musical skills, when talking with a crowd of young people in a nation that for decades was a foe of the US. | On Wednesday, he showed that if required, he could also turn on the musical skills, when talking with a crowd of young people in a nation that for decades was a foe of the US. |
| During an historic visit to Vietnam, Mr Obama provided a “beat box” backing to a Vietnamese rapper who had asked him a question. He also took the opportunity to deliver a condensed history of rap and its role as a form of protest and a vehicle for free speech. | During an historic visit to Vietnam, Mr Obama provided a “beat box” backing to a Vietnamese rapper who had asked him a question. He also took the opportunity to deliver a condensed history of rap and its role as a form of protest and a vehicle for free speech. |
| Nobody missed the point that Mr Obama was suggesting Communist Vietnam, long criticised for human rights repression, ought to allow people to express themselves. Indeed, the Associated Press said that the US leader has spoken out strongly for human rights and free speech during his visit, which is also designed to strenghten military and strategic links between the countries. | Nobody missed the point that Mr Obama was suggesting Communist Vietnam, long criticised for human rights repression, ought to allow people to express themselves. Indeed, the Associated Press said that the US leader has spoken out strongly for human rights and free speech during his visit, which is also designed to strenghten military and strategic links between the countries. |
| When he was asked the question on at a meeting with hundreds of young Vietnamese, Mr Obama asked the woman - 26-year-old Hàng Lâm Trang Anh, a performer known by her stage name Suboi and considered by some to be the nation’s “queen of hip hop - to perform for him. | When he was asked the question on at a meeting with hundreds of young Vietnamese, Mr Obama asked the woman - 26-year-old Hàng Lâm Trang Anh, a performer known by her stage name Suboi and considered by some to be the nation’s “queen of hip hop - to perform for him. |
| “Before I answer your question, why don’t you give me a little rap, let’s see what you got,” said Mr Obama, who also got asked his views on cannabis and about his good looks. “Come on. Do you need like a little beat?” | “Before I answer your question, why don’t you give me a little rap, let’s see what you got,” said Mr Obama, who also got asked his views on cannabis and about his good looks. “Come on. Do you need like a little beat?” |
| “Vietnamese or English?” asked Suboi. “In Vietnamese, of course. I won't know what it means, but….just a short version, because I've got to get going. Go ahead.” | “Vietnamese or English?” asked Suboi. “In Vietnamese, of course. I won't know what it means, but….just a short version, because I've got to get going. Go ahead.” |
| After a few seconds of Suboi's hip hop, in which the rest of the crowd joined by providing an applause beat, Mr Obama told her: “That was good. See there? That was pretty good.” He asked the woman what the verses were about and she told him it was about materialism, perhaps delivering her own dig at the US and its capitalistic “American Dream”. | After a few seconds of Suboi's hip hop, in which the rest of the crowd joined by providing an applause beat, Mr Obama told her: “That was good. See there? That was pretty good.” He asked the woman what the verses were about and she told him it was about materialism, perhaps delivering her own dig at the US and its capitalistic “American Dream”. |
| “I was just talking about some people having a lot of money, having big houses. But actually, are they really happy?” she said. Then she went on to talk about stereotypes and how people make assumptions when they see women rappers. | “I was just talking about some people having a lot of money, having big houses. But actually, are they really happy?” she said. Then she went on to talk about stereotypes and how people make assumptions when they see women rappers. |
| Mr Obama replied: “Well that's true in the United States too…there’s always been, sort of, sexism and gender stereotypes in the music industry, like every other part of life,” he said. | Mr Obama replied: “Well that's true in the United States too…there’s always been, sort of, sexism and gender stereotypes in the music industry, like every other part of life,” he said. |
| The news agency said that pointed out that rap, which started as an expression of poor African-Americans, was now a global phenomenon, the art form of young people around the world. | The news agency said that pointed out that rap, which started as an expression of poor African-Americans, was now a global phenomenon, the art form of young people around the world. |
| “And imagine if at the time that rap was starting off that the government had said ‘no because some of the things you say are offensive or some of the lyrics are rude or you’re cursing too much’.” | “And imagine if at the time that rap was starting off that the government had said ‘no because some of the things you say are offensive or some of the lyrics are rude or you’re cursing too much’.” |
| He added: “That connection that we've seen now in hip-hop culture around the world wouldn’t exist. So you’ve got to let people express themselves. I've got to go but this has been wonderful.” | He added: “That connection that we've seen now in hip-hop culture around the world wouldn’t exist. So you’ve got to let people express themselves. I've got to go but this has been wonderful.” |
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