Obama jabs at Trump in video inducting Jay-Z to Songwriters Hall of Fame

Former President Barack Obama made a veiled reference to the current occupant of the White House in his video speech to induct his friend and rap artist Jay-Z into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

"I'd like to think Mr. Carter and I understand each other." he said. "Nobody who met us as younger men would have expected us to be where we are today."

"We know what it's like not to have a father around, we know what it's like not to come from much," he continued, "and to know people that didn't get the same breaks that we did. And so we try to prop open those doors of opportunity so that it's a little easier for those who come up behind us to succeed as well."

"Jay and I are also fools for our daughters," he said. "Although he's going to have me beat once those two twins show up."

"And let's face it, we both have wives that are significantly more popular than we are," he quipped, referring to Beyoncé, and Michelle Obama. "Like all of you I am a fan, and I have been listening to Jay since I was a young and hungry state Senator. I sampled his lyrics to close my speech at Selma."

"I tweeted a reference to 'my first song' as I was putting the finishing touches on my final State of the Union address," he continued. "I had to brush some dirt off my shoulders during a campaign."

"I'm pretty sure I'm still the only president to listen to Jay Z's music in the Oval Office," he added. "That may change at some point but I'm pretty sure that's true now."

President Trump is not known to be a fan of hip hop, or rap music, although he is often cited in rap lyrics, even before his improbable candidacy for the presidency.

The popular music mogul will be the first hip hop artist to be recognized by the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Jay-Z campaigned for Obama and performed at some of his campaign events in 2012.