One of my favorite things about Obama's presidential run is that on the official White House website, there's a blog post of the president's summer playlist. A song list that divides his daytime and nighttime tunes, and includes Wale, Leon Bridges, Janelle Monáe, Nina Simone, Aretha Franklin, D'Angelo, Chance the Rapper, and Fiona Apple.

Listen along with our Spotify Playlist

The next four years is going to be unpredictable and probably frightening, and we may never get another president that connects politics and pop culture in the way Obama did. In honor of the end of Obama's presidency, here are some of our favorite hip-hop references of the 44th president of the United States.

In the beginning…

Over a decade before Obama became the president of the United States, Tupac—in his first posthumous single off the "R U Still Down? (Remember Me)" album in 1997—asked the question of whether America was ready to have a black president. The famous line would be interpolated in 2008 by Nas on "Black President," who used it to speak about the hope that Obama's election would bring.

We Helped Barack Obama Choose a Retirement Beard After spending the last eight years clean-shaven, the man deserves a break.

"And though it seems heaven-sent, we ain't ready to have a black President." Tupac - I Wonder If Heaven Got A Ghetto

"I think Obama provides hope and challenges and minds of all races and color to erase the hate." Nas - Black President

"I beat the case, not enough evidence / get ready to see a black President." Jadakiss - New York Minute (Remix)

A change is gonna come

At Obama's 2008 election victory speech, he famously declared "It's been a long time coming, but... change has come to America," which was its own music reference as it was an allusion to Sam Cooke's "A Change Is Gonna Come." The themes of change and optimism dominated the early years of Obama's presidential campaign and has lasted throughout his eight years in office. These themes were also reflected in many of the lyrics during Obama's two terms.

"Mr. Obama, we so tired of sellin' crack / if you lookin' for me, ask the streets where I'm at." —"I Run," Slim Thug

"From Englewood to a single hood in Botswana, I see the 'I' in 'We' my n----, yours is my drama / Standing in front of the judge with no honor, my raps ignite the people like Obama." —"The People," Common

"What is change? Change is Martin Luther King Jr., Gandhi, Shakespeare, Tupac Shakur, Barack Obama." —"Changes," Common

"Yes we can to justice and equality, yes we can to opportunity and prosperity, yes we can heal this nation, yes we can repair this world, yes we can." —"Yes We Can," will.i.am

"You know how the Pimp be, that n---- gon' speak his mind, if he could speak down from heaven, he'd tell me stay on my grind, tell him 'I'm doing fine," Obama for mankind, we ready for damn change so y'all let the man shine." —"My President," Young Jeezy

It's a celebration

The election of Obama was also a cause for celebration. A highlight: Soulja Boy equating seeing a black president and living in a residence that costs $20 million.

"In '09, pace yourself for that drama, get your llamas and might I add, y'all toast to Obama." —"Ain't No Sunshine," Theophilus London

"Speak to the people like Barack Obama." —"Say Something," Talib Kweli

"Fresh as a black president, one, Air Force Ones in my Air Force 1 (Obama!)" —"Rockin' That Shit (Remix)," Rick Ross

"I lived to see a black president, I lived to see a 20 million dollar residence." —"Country Boy," Soulja Boy

"I smoke doja, you smoke Folgers, flame it up and now you're dizzy, hit Obama, told him I'ma pick him up and he said, really?" —"Obama," Chief Keef

Opposing Obama

The election of Obama as president wasn't met with unprecedented approval in the hip-hop community. There was the infamous footage of Obama calling Kanye West a jackass and the very outspoken Lupe Fiasco declaring Obama a terrorist in an interview.

"Obama said 'Chill, you're going to get me impeached / You don't need this shit anyway, chill with me on the beach.'"

"They say I was the abomination of Obama's nation, well that's a pretty bad way to start the conversation." —"Power," Kanye West