WATCH: Obama throws a few beats for Vietnamese ‘hip hop queen’
It seems like outgoing U.S. President Barrack Obama has truly made the most of his Vietnam trip.
After sharing a simple feast with culinary bad boy Anthony Bourdain, Obama wrapped up his historic visit by briefly beat-boxing for a female Vietnamese rapper, during a town hall-style meeting in Ho Chi Minh City .
READ: Anthony Bourdain Treats President Obama to a $6 Dinner
Citing a Telegraph report, the President was taking questions during the event, when a young woman introduced herself as a hip hop artist, prior to asking her inquiry.
Before addressing her question, Obama urged her to show off her talent, asking “do you need a few beats?”
The young lass introduced herself as Suboi, a local artist dubbed as Vietnam’s ‘Queen of Hip hop’.
She gave in to Obama’s request, and serenaded the President in her local tongue, about a song on whether people are really happy if they have lots of money, the report said.
Appearing thrilled with the performance, Obama praised the journey of hip-hop “which started out as an expression of poor African Americans” and became a “global phenomenon”.
The U.S. leader went on to field questions on various urban subjects, starting from rap and weed smoking, up to his good looks, according to the report.
“Imagine if at the time when rap was starting off our 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?” said Obama, who appeared to take a swipe at the country’s authoritarian government.
“If you try to suppress the arts then you are suppressing the deepest dreams and aspirations of a people,” he added.
The lively discussion came during the final leg of Obama’s three-day trip to Vietnam, which started on May 22.
He is currently in Hiroshima, Japan, to highlight the United States and Japan’s commitment in pursuing world peace. Khristian Ibarrola
