Barack Obama vs Mitt Romney
| "Barack Obama vs. Mitt Romney" | |||||||
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| Single by Epic Rap Battles of History | |||||||
| Format | Digital download | ||||||
| Genre | Rap | ||||||
| Length | 3:08 | ||||||
| Label | Maker Studios | ||||||
| Writer(s) | Peter Shukoff, Lloyd Ahlquist | ||||||
| Producer(s) | Michlle Maloney, Drew Walkup | ||||||
| Epic Rap Battles of History singles chronology | |||||||
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Barack Obama vs. Mitt Romney is a song, music video, and the eighth episode of the second season of the YouTube humor video series Epic Rap Battles of History. The music video was released on October 15, 2012, in preparation for the 2012 US Presidential election.
Music video
The video features then incumbent President and Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama (portrayed by Iman Crosson) battle rapping against Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney (portrayed by Lloyd Ahlquist). Following several series of back and forth verses, former U.S. President, Abraham Lincoln (portrayed by Peter Shukoff) interrupts the two and begins rapping against both Obama and Romney. As of April 2, 2015, the video has received over 105 million views on YouTube.[1]
Reception
The video was one of the most popular viral videos of 2012.[2] The video has over 105 million views.
The video was discussed in a New York Times article.[3]
Awards and nominations
The video was nominated for "Video of the Year" at the 2013 YouTube Music Awards.[4]
Certifications
In July 2013, the song was certified Gold by the RIAA, meaning that ERB became the first YouTube channel to do so.[3][5]
| Region | Certification | Sales/shipments |
|---|---|---|
| United States (RIAA)[6] | 1× Gold | 78,000,000 views ^ |
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*sales figures based on certification alone | ||
Since May 2013 RIAA certifications for digital singles include on-demand audio and/or video song streams in addition to downloads.[7]
References
- ↑ "Barack Obama vs Mitt Romney. Epic Rap Battles Of History Season 2.". Epic Rap Battles of History. YouTube. October 15, 2012. Retrieved April 2, 2015.
- ↑ Leshock, Marcus (December 19, 2012). "WATCH: YouTube’s Top 10 Viral Videos of 2012". WGNtv. Retrieved December 15, 2013.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Kaufman, Leslie (October 30, 2013). "Making Silly Showdowns for YouTube". New York Times. Retrieved December 15, 2013.
- ↑ Pham, Alex (October 21, 2013). "YouTube Music Awards: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, PSY Score Nominations". Billboard. Retrieved December 15, 2013.
- ↑ Carrasco, Ed (August 1, 2013). "‘EPIC RAP BATTLES OF HISTORY’ GETS CERTIFIED GOLD FOR THEIR ‘BARACK OBAMA VS. MITT ROMNEY’ VIDEO". New Media Rockstars. Retrieved December 15, 2013.
- ↑ "American single certifications – Epic Rap Battles of History – Barack Obama vs. Mitt Romney". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH
- ↑ "RIAA Adds Digital Streams To Historic Gold & Platinum Awards". Recording Industry Association of America. May 9, 2013. Retrieved December 15, 2013.
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