Big Boi Says Mary J. Blige Made Him Mad for Praising Obama on His Song

By: Amanda Anderson-Niles

Rapper Big Boi, who is most notably known for being one half of legendary rap group Outkast, has always been known to be very outspoken – especially when it comes to politics and issues that affect everyday people. While most of the rappers and key figures in Hollywood are avid supporters of Obama and loyal Democrats, Big Boi is neither. On several occasions, Big Boi has made it clear that he is not a fan of the Democratic or Republican party, as he seems to feel like both parties do identical things when they get control of the White House. Big Boi even supported Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson during the 2012 election, so it’s no surprise that he wasn’t too thrilled with R&B singer Mary J. Blige when she showed her love for Obama and praised him on one of Big Boi’s songs on his 2008 solo album Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty.

In a recent interview with Pitchfork Media, Big Boi admits he didn’t like the fact that Mary made her love for Obama clear on his song. He says:

“I didn’t tell her to do that. On my damn record. I had a problem with it. I’m not pro-government at all, I’m pro-people. Our freedoms are getting taken away every day with things that people aren’t aware of, like the [National Defense Authorization Act]. I don’t care who the president is– it ain’t just all about who’s black or who’s white or who’s Republican or Democrat, it’s about who is for the betterment of people, period.”

When asked if he was excited about Obama’s re-election, Big Boi also decided to make it clear that he’s not excited that Obama got another term because he feels “he didn’t do anything” during his first one. He answers:

“Nope. What did he do? They say he’s trying to clean up a mess, right? Well, he needs a big-a*s broom, and he gotta keep on sweeping. I ain’t on nobody’s team, you feel me? I’m about the American people.”