Rubio Quotes Kanye West on Israel-Hezbollah War in Lebanon
Secretary of State Marco Rubio quoted Kanye West's "Stronger" during congressional testimony to describe the longstanding Israel-Hezbollah conflict, continuing his pattern of incorporating hip-hop lyrics into official communications.
During an appearance before the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Rubio described the Israeli-Hezbollah situation as complex before drawing on pop culture history, according to New York Post. This has been going on since OJ had Isotoners, the Secretary told lawmakers, referencing a line from West’s “Stronger” off the album “Graduation.”
The original track asks “You know how long I’ve been on you?” before answering with references to Prince and Appolonia, followed by the O.J. Simpson glove reference that Rubio borrowed for his testimony.
This marks yet another instance of the Florida Republican incorporating hip-hop lyrics into official communications, as New York Post reports. His pattern of musical references has become something of a signature style since taking office.
A History of Hip-Hop Diplomacy
In March, while addressing a cabinet meeting after Operation Epic Fury launched against Iran, Rubio adapted a line from Public Enemy’s 1990 classic “Welcome to the Terrordome.” He declared that the Department of War was letting the drummer get wicked over Iranian military capabilities, channeling Chuck D’s original lyrics about refusing to lose.
The Secretary’s musical repertoire expanded further during a press conference last month when he substituted for White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt. He branded Iran’s leadership as “Insane in the Brain,” directly citing the 1993 Cypress Hill track, while simultaneously warning Tehran to “check themselves before they wreck themselves” in a nod to Ice Cube’s 1992 hit “Check Yo Self.”
From Maduro to Biggie
Following the January 3 capture of Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro by American forces, Rubio borrowed from The Notorious B.I.G’s “Juicy” to send a message to foreign adversaries. “If you don’t know, now you know,” he warned, signaling the Trump administration’s willingness to take aggressive action.
Rubio’s appreciation for the genre runs deep. Back in 2012, the then-Florida senator spoke with GQ about his favorite artists, naming the late Afrika Bambaataa and expressing admiration for both Long Island’s Public Enemy and West Coast legends. He specifically praised Tupac Shakur’s “All Eyez On Me” as one of the greatest rap albums ever produced.
The State Department did not respond to questions about whether the Secretary would be taking requests for future lyrical drops, as New York Post reports.
With information from New York Post
