Hip-hop artists have never shied away from using their presidents as a focal point in the music – it’s a fascination that the man widely regarded to be the culture’s president, Shawn Carter, memorably launched his own rap career with.

“Dead Presidents” was the first single released for Jay-Z’s debut album Reasonable Doubt in 2005. The track didn’t make the final cut of 14 songs on the album, but its sequel “Dead Presidents II” did. The original song sampled Nas‘ “The World is Yours” for the chorus and Jay built the historic song around that theme.

Presidents to represent me
I’m out for presidents to represent me
I’m out for dead fuckin’ presidents to represent me

Both versions of the song are regarded as some of the greatest hip-hop songs ever recorded. The title ‘Dead Presidents’ is slang for money because portraits of dead US presidents from the past appear on most dollar notes. As Hov kicked dope rhymes and talked about his lavish lifestyle, he also made a reference to Wu-Tang’s seminal song “C.R.E.A.M”.

But up until 2009, all of America’s presidents were white men. Barack Obama came to break the Caucasian chain when he became the 44th President of the United States. In the run up to Obama’s historic election, Young Jeezy paid the ultimate D-boy homage to him, when he released “My President” in 2008.

My president is black, my Lambo’s blue
And I’ll be goddamned if my rims ain’t too
My mama ain’t at home, and daddy’s still in jail
Trying to make a plate, anybody seen the scale?

“My President” is easily one of the most important moments in hip-hop history. It became more than just a rap song – the brassy beat by Da Bizness bulked up Jeezy’s coarse voice and made the record sound big and triumphant, while the lyrics stressed the importance of having an African-American in the White House, breaking down the meaning with symbols and words that everyone on the street could understand.

A certain Nas would guest feature on the record too, he helped to further elevate the message. As good a rapper (and trapper) as he was, Jeezy needed a strong voice in the hip-hop community that was more respected than his when it came to civic and social issues.

Interestingly, more than a decade after Nas’ voice was sampled on “Dead Presidents”, Jay-Z would replace his old foe on the official remix to “My President”. The remix was released just before Barack’s inauguration and served as rallying cry for African Americans to get behind his presidency.

Pres. Buhari could do with that level of support right now, Nigeria’s absentee president left the country about a month ago, originally for a 10-day “medical vacation” that was extended as that period expired. His time away has been marked by visits of high-profile Nigerians, it has also been marked by serial rumors of his death. Everyone has an opinion about the President’s state of health it seems, but A-Q has taken the time to put his own opinion in a song.

In Nigerian hip-hop, A-Q is setting himself apart as a rapper who isn’t afraid to be vocal on social issues, politics and everything else going on in his world. On his latest song “My President is Sick”, the lyricist describes the situation of the country so matter-of-factly that if security officials ever found out the record existed and came to pick him up for misspeaking about the office of the president, then they obviously never pressed play on the record.

Listen below:

My President is sick, my country is sick too

The nation is in chaos, wetin we go do?

The people are confused, our leaders too

“My President is Sick” was produced by Teck-Zilla who provided a laid back beat for A-Q to speak the mind of a lot of young folks and table our frustrations about the state of the nation in general, not just the sick president.

It’s honest, it’s direct and most of all, it’s a good listen. Of all the 3 records with heads of states as the theme, A-Q’s version is the least complimentary – but who can blame him? He’s just standing on the shoulders of giants before him to make his voice heard in his homeland. Hip-hop will always use its presidents as a focal point in the music in good times, in bad times and in indifferent times.