President Obama’s “Pop Off” Comments Get Remixed

On Friday (Nov. 13), the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, better known as ISIL or ISIS, attacked Paris and its northern suburb, Saint-Denis, with a series of suicide bombings and mass shootings. At least 129 people were killed in the attacks, with nearly 500 others admitted to nearby hospitals. (Seven individuals who have been identified as attackers are deceased; at least one is the subject of a sophisticated manhunt.) In response, France has begun air strikes on ISIL strongholds, primarily in Syria. Complicating the international response to the event has been the ongoing civil war in Syria, which has driven more than 4 million refugees from that country into central and Western Europe. Many U.S. Governors have publicly stated they will turn away refugees; Governors technically do not have the authority to bar their entry.

Of course, President Barack Obama's response has been eagerly awaited by observers and political opponents. In his response, he warned against non-specific posturing, demanding that those who shout down reasoned plans present concrete steps of their own. But in a welcome moment of lightness, the Internet took a bit of the 44th President's phrasing and ran with it. When Obama said, "If folks want to pop off and have opinions on what they think they would do, present a specific plan," Soundcloud producers rushed to their keyboards. The first to land a hit was the user named JX Cannon, whose "Pop Off" remix can be heard above.