Joey Bada$$ Says the Presidential Candidates Aren’t Relatable

With the federal election just over a year away--and with primaries kicking off at the beginning of February--the presidential race is already threatening to swallow each news cycle whole. Last night (Oct. 6), Comedy Central's The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore welcomed a trio of guests to evaluate how some of the candidates are doing. Wilmore was joined by comedian Jessica Kirson, John Avlon, the editor-in-chief of The Daily Beast and a CNN political analyst and 2013 XXL Freshman Joey Bada$$. The conversation focused mostly on Hillary Clinton, whose campaign recently let it slip that she was making a concerted effort to appear more warm and approachable. This raised questions among the four speakers as to her authenticity. And while Avlon made cracks about her "nae nae-ing her way to the presidency" and invoked cautionary tales of Al Gore's earth-toned shirt consultants, Joey cut right to the core of the issue.

"To be honest, and to go back to the initial question--which is her being authentic or real--to me, to be honest, none of the candidates I really relate to," the young rapper said. "Being a young Black man, I don't really relate to Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump." Joey, for whom the 2016 presidential race will be the first one he can vote in, was also clear when asked what issues might win him over: "I'm looking for that presidential candidate that's gonna put all my problems right at the forefront. Like the police brutality issue--I'm in favor of anyone who's standing strong and firm about that issue."