Colin Powell busts a move
Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Colin Powell appears to have traded statecraft for stagecraft. The former Secretary of State hopped on stage with the Nigerian hip-hop group Olu Maintain last night at the Africa Rising Festival at London’s Royal Albert Hall. Powell danced to the group’s song, “Yahoozee,” and even took the microphone to sing ...
Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images
Colin Powell appears to have traded statecraft for stagecraft. The former Secretary of State hopped on stage with the Nigerian hip-hop group Olu Maintain last night at the Africa Rising Festival at London’s Royal Albert Hall. Powell danced to the group’s song, “Yahoozee,” and even took the microphone to sing a few lines. The song celebrates “Yahoozee,” a term used for those who defraud people using the Internet, a booming industry in Nigeria. Whether Powell knew the subject matter of the song remains a mystery.
More disturbingly, Powell’s performance continues a worrying trend of international statesman trying to branch out into hip-hop careers. The world had only recently recovered from UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon’s rap tribute to Jay-Z when it was hit with Powell’s bombshell. Who’s next, Robert Gates?
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