Menu-Bar

Drop Down MenusCSS Drop Down MenuPure CSS Dropdown Menu

Tuesday, March 15, 2016

Michelle Obama and MC Prez in the (White) House! Obama leads Hamilton creator in free-style rap in the Rose Garden as stars of the hip hop Broadway musical thrill first family


Michelle Obama welcomes Lin-Manuel (far left), Daveed Diggs (center, left), Christopher Jackson (center, right) and Phillipa Soo (right) to the White House
Michelle Obama welcomes Lin-Manuel (far left), Daveed Diggs (center, left), Christopher Jackson (center, right) and Phillipa Soo (right) to the White House

The cast of the smash hit Broadway hip-hop musical Hamilton performed at the White House for president Obama and the first lady 


The cast of the smash hit Broadway hip-hop musical Hamilton performed at the White House for president Obama and the first lady 

     The cast of the hip-hop musical Hamilton paid president Obama a visit at the White House to perform two of the show's numbers on Monday
   After the performance president Obama and the show's star and creator Lin-Manuel Miranda took to the Rose Garden for a freestyle rap 
Scroll down for video .......

     Hamilton tells the story of the U.S.'s first treasury secretary Alexander Hamilton through rap and hip-hop with all roles played by people of color
    The first ever performance of a song from Hamilton was at the White House Poetry Jam in 2009
    Tickets for the show are sold out with the cheapest resell costing $1,200





he smash hit hip-hop musical Hamilton took its talents to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue to perform at the White House for the Obamas on Monday. 
Through rap and hip-hop, the show tells the life story of the United States' first treasury secretary Alexander Hamilton, with every role played by a person of color.
The first-ever performance of a song from Hamilton was sung by the show's writer and star, Lin-Manuel Miranda, at the White House in 2009, when it was a project called the Hamilton Mix Tape.
Hamilton's creator and star Lin-Manuel
President Obama saw the first-ever performance of the musical's first song in 2009 at the White House's Poetry Jam
The show's creator and star Lin-Manuel Miranda (pictured, left) performed an early version of the opening number for president Obama in 2009 at the White House Poetry Jam





The president said the musical's album has become Michelle Obama's (center) favorite thing to listen to in the White House 
The president said the musical's album has become Michelle Obama's (center) favorite thing to listen to in the White House 
Vice President Joe Biden made sure he didn't miss the Hamilton performance at the White House. Tickets for Hamilton on Broadway are sold out for months and the cheapest seat is $1,200
Vice President Joe Biden made sure he didn't miss the Hamilton performance at the White House. Tickets for Hamilton on Broadway are sold out for months and the cheapest seat is $1,200
After years of writing, Hamilton debuted at the Public Theater in New York City early last year and moved to Broadway in August.
It has since become a world-wide phenomenon, with tickets sold out for the foreseeable future with the cheapest resell seats costing $1,200.
Seven years after Lin-Manuel first brought the first incarnation of Hamilton to the White House, the cast returned to show the president and first lady how far its come.
The cast performed the opening number 'Alexander Hamilton', the same some - now perfected - that Lin-Manuel performed back in 2009, and the show's third song 'My Shot'.
President Obama introduced the cast, joking that even he couldn't get a ticket and since he 'felt a little deprived' decided to bring Hamilton to him.




The cast performed two songs from Hamilton: 'Alexander Hamilton', the show's opening number, and 'My Shot', the show's third song
The cast performed two songs from Hamilton: 'Alexander Hamilton', the show's opening number, and 'My Shot', the show's third song
Chris Jackson (left) plays George Washington in Hamilton and Phillipa Soo (right) plays Eliza Hamilton, Alexander's wife 
Chris Jackson (left) plays George Washington in Hamilton and Phillipa Soo (right) plays Eliza Hamilton, Alexander's wife 
'They kind of owe me though because seven years ago Lin-Manuel Miranda came to the White House Poetry Jam.
'He took the mic and he announced that he and his musical collaborator Alex Lacamoire, that they were going to perform a song from a hip-hop album they were working on and I'm quoting him, "about the life of someone who embodies hip-hop treasury secretary Alexander Hamilton".
Obama explained how when Lin-Manuel said that, the crowd began laughing, but the 'Lin was serious and who's laughing now?'
'Not to take undue credit, but this is definitely the room where it happened,' Obama said referencing one of the show's songs. 





Leslie Odom, Jr (left) plays Aaron Burr, third vice president of the U.S. and the man who killed Hamilton. Anthony Ramos (right) plays revolutionary John Laurens in the first act and Hamilton's son Phillip in act two
Leslie Odom, Jr (left) plays Aaron Burr, third vice president of the U.S. and the man who killed Hamilton. Anthony Ramos (right) plays revolutionary John Laurens in the first act and Hamilton's son Phillip in act two
Lin-Manuel also brought musical director and orchestrator Alex Lacamoire (center) with him to the White House
Lin-Manuel also brought musical director and orchestrator Alex Lacamoire (center) with him to the White House



The cast had been tweeting up a storm prior to their White House visit and looked overjoyed as the president spoke about what a cultural phenomenon Hamilton has become
The cast had been tweeting up a storm prior to their White House visit and looked overjoyed as the president spoke about what a cultural phenomenon Hamilton has become
He mentioned that the musical, along with winning awards, turning musical haters into fanatics and selling millions of tickets, has become a favorite in the Obama household, to which Michelle Obama cheered. 
After a few jokes, Obama took a serious note to explain that Hamilton has become a cultural phenomenon because it presents the true American story of an immigrant overcoming poverty, making his way to the new world and climbing to the top by sheer force of will.
'We are the projects that never ends.
'It's not the project of anyone person. America is what we make it. We only need to look at this cast in front of us,' Obama said introducing the cast.
Once Obama had finished his remarks Leslie Odom, Jr, Anthony Ramos, Daveed Diggs, Okieriete Onaodowan, Lin-Manuel, Chris Jackson and Phillipa Soo took the stage to perform.




Michelle Obama could hardly contain her excitement as she watched the Hamilton cast perform two songs from the musical 
Michelle Obama could hardly contain her excitement as she watched the Hamilton cast perform two songs from the musical 

She was also excitedly tweeting about the cast's arrival, stealing a line from the show's opening number
She was also excitedly tweeting about the cast's arrival, stealing a line from the show's opening number
Even the Treasury Department got in on the action with a picture of Lin-Manuel speaking with current treasury secretary Jack Lew in front of a portrait of the first treasury secretary Alexander Hamilton 
Even the Treasury Department got in on the action with a picture of Lin-Manuel speaking with current treasury secretary Jack Lew in front of a portrait of the first treasury secretary Alexander Hamilton 
The cast had been tweeting prior to the performance and so had the White House and first lady.
'Alexander Hamilton! We've been waiting in the East Wing for you,' Michelle Obama tweeted in anticipation of the performance. 
After the cast performed, Lin-Manuel took his talents to the Rose Garden for this week's Ham4Ham.
Since the show began, every week Lin-Manuel would host a free performance outside the Richard Rogers theater, where Hamilton is performed, as a part of a ticket lottery.



Bam4Ham: After the performance Obama and Lin-Manuel went toe-to-toe for a freestyle rap in the Rose Garden
Bam4Ham: After the performance Obama and Lin-Manuel went toe-to-toe for a freestyle rap in the Rose Garden
Lin-Manuel's freestyle skills have been showcased on Jimmy Fallon's late night show
Lin-Manuel put his skills to the test in front of the president
Lin-Manuel's freestyle skills have been showcased on Jimmy Fallon's late night show, but this time he put them to the test in front of the president 
The president appeared to be feeling the beat during his freestyle session with Lin-Manuel in the Rose Garden
The president appeared to be feeling the beat during his freestyle session with Lin-Manuel in the Rose Garden
In Hamilton George Washington's cabinet members argue by having rap battles. Obama joked that his cabinet members have been challenging him to rap battles, which he has declined 
In Hamilton George Washington's cabinet members argue by having rap battles. Obama joked that his cabinet members have been challenging him to rap battles, which he has declined 



'You think that's going viral?': The president was blown away by Lin-Manuel's rapping skills and quick wit
'You think that's going viral?': The president was blown away by Lin-Manuel's rapping skills and quick wit
The shows became so popular, Ham4Ham had to become a digital performance due to fears someone in the massive crowds that accumulated on Broadway would get hurt. 
In this weeks, the performance was retitled 'Bam4Ham' as president Obama lent a hand in Lin-Manuel's Rose Garden Freestyle.
The president held up words relating to government, the White House and Hamilton as Lin-Manuel rapped the first things he could think of.
Going through words like 'Oval Office' and 'congress', until the cards were up. 
Before the video ended, Obama hugged Lin-Manuel saying, 'You think that's going viral?' 
Courtesy: dailymail.
Lets us know what you think of this article. Like? Dislike? Funny? Interesting? Cool?  Drop us a line in the comment box or join us on facebook to help us give you a better reading experience

No comments:

Post a Comment