Author: KYESHA JENNINGS
President Barack Obama released his summer 2022 playlist on July 26, and North Carolina's hip-hop duo The Foreign Exchange joined Nina Simone on the list.
![Barack Obama's 2022 summer playlist](https://files.nc.gov/arts-council/styles/_inline_extra_large_/public/images/2023-02/wr_obama_playlist_800x800_3.png?VersionId=K9iZXRAkUWNQO3GJG.PMiftoA9oLilqS&itok=X8uvruI6)
Often called the “high priestess of soul,” Simone was born in the small town of Tryon, North Carolina. She is equally remembered for her activism and music. “Do I Move You (Version II)” is considered to be a great example of her genre-defying sound as there is a rock attitude sitting under a blues progression with a vocal approach that borrows greatly from both jazz and soul.
It is no secret that Obama is a fan of hip-hop as this is not the first time a North Carolina hip-hop artist has landed on his list.
Durham native Phonte Coleman joined forces with Nicolay, a producer from the Netherlands, before ever meeting in person. Since 2002, the Grammy-nominated pair has released four albums and started an independent music label right here in Raleigh. Phonte is also a member of North Carolina's most beloved hip-hop group Little Brother.
"Better" was released in 2013 on their fourth studio album Love in Flying Colors. The song features vocals from North Carolina-based artist Shana Tucker and horns from Grammy-nominated Trumpet player Al Strong. Tucker is an accomplished teaching artist, who was awarded a professional development grant in 2019-20 from United Arts of Raleigh and Wake County. She is currently a teaching artist with the United Arts Council of Raleigh/Wake County and the Durham Arts Council. A cultural innovator, Strong is the co-founder of the Art of Cool Project, which spawned the original Art of Cool Festival.
Listen to the entire playlist on Spotify at https://spoti.fi/3ShirzI