Barack Obama’s annual year-end list of the books, movies and music he enjoyed that year has become one many culture fanatics look forward to. Previous year-end lists have included African artists like Rema and Burna Boy and have helped legitimize their soaring popularity and crossover appeal. As 2022 came to an end, the former U.S. president didn’t disappoint as he dropped yet another list of books, movies and music he had enjoyed. The list included several African acts on it.
Nigerian artists Ayra Starr and Burna Boy got mentioned for their 2022 hits ‘Rush’ and ‘Last Last’ respectively. While fellow Nigerian singer Rema got mentioned for his 2022 collaboration with singer Selena Gomez ‘Calm Down.’ Tanzanian author Abdulrazak Gurnah was also featured on the list for Afterlives (Riverhead), a novel that won the 2021 Nobel Prize in Literature. As did The Furrows by American-Zimbabwean author Namwali Serpell.
