| Barack Obama vs Mitt Romney | |
|---|---|
| |
| Battle information | |
| Release date | October 15, 2012 |
| Number | 23 |
| Views | 162M |
| Length | 3:30 |
| Timeline | |
| Previous | Frank Sinatra vs Freddie Mercury |
| Next | Doc Brown vs Doctor Who |
| Beat Information | |
| Beat(s) | Always Workin' |
| BPM | 72 |
| Beat producer(s) | Tristan Krause |
| Other information | |
| Actors | EpicLLOYD Alphacat Nice Peter |
| Rappers |   
|
| Cameos | A bald eagle |
| Location(s) | A misty forest |
Barack Obama vs Mitt Romney is the twenty-third installment of Epic Rap Battles of History and the eighth episode of Season 2. It features 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama, rapping against 2012 Republican presidential candidate, Mitt Romney, along with a surprise entry from the 16th President of the United States and previous ERB participant, Abe Lincoln. It was released on October 15th, 2012.
This battle is the first of several that have focused on the United States presidential elections since ERB's creation. It was followed by Donald Trump vs Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump vs Joe Biden, and Donald Trump vs Kamala Harris in 2016, 2020, and 2024, respectively.
Cast
Dante Cimadamore as a bald eagle (cameo, using green screen)
Lyrics
Mitt Romney:
I'm not gonna let this battle be dictated by facts!
I'm rich! I've got fat stacks and super PACs!
We all know what went down in that 2008 election!
You're a decent politician with a winning complexion!
You're all Barack and no bite! Been no change, and we're all still hoping
That you'll shut your mouth, but like Guantanamo Bay, they're both open!
You're from the Windy City, where you're looking pretty with your blowhards,
But come January, you'll be left evicted and with no job!
Raw rhymes, stronger than my jawline when I spit a phrase,
Knocking you harder than front doors in my old mission days!
You see this silver spoon? This dug Mass outta debt!
Took you four years to drop unemployment down below 8 percent!
You feel that, Barry? You're old news! Everyone's having doubts,
And your rhymes are as weak as this economy that you've done nothing about!
Call me a vicious business man 'cause Romney's stealing this race!
I'll go Bain Capital on your donkey ass, restructure your face!
Barack Obama:
They say your father was a great man. You must be what's left.
Need to stop hating on gays; let 'em teach you how to dress!
You've got the momma jeans and a Mr. Fantastic face!
So rich and white, it's like I'm running against a cheesecake!
Republicans need a puppet, and you fit!
Got their hands so far up your rear, call you Mitt!
I'm the Head of State! You're like a head of cabbage!
'Bout to get smacked by my stimulus package! (Hahaha!)
You're a bad man with no chance; you can't even touch me!
I got four more years (two terms!) in the White House; just trust me!
I hope you saved your best rhymes for the second half
'Cause right now, I'm 47 percent through kicking your ass!
Mitt Romney:
Whatever! That 40 percent thing got you real mad!
What, did it remind you how many decent parents you had?!
Barack Obama:
(Uhh…) Look, I respect all religions (uhh…), but it might get crazy
If the White House has a First, Second, and a Third Lady!
Mitt Romney:
(Ha!) Don't bring up wives, man! What are you doing?
You got hitched to the female version of Patrick Ewing!
Barack Obama:
(Uhh…) Let me be clear. (Uhhh…) Don't get it twisted.
We'll see how pretty your face is after my fist has kissed it!
Mitt Romney:
(Ahhuuhhaa…) You're a stuttering communist!
Barack Obama:
Oh yeah? Well, you're stupid!
Mitt Romney:
You're stupid!
Barack Obama:
Nuh-uh!
Mitt Romney:
ERRRRRR!
Barack Obama:
ERRRRRR!
Bald Eagle:
CAWWWWW!
Abe Lincoln:
By the power invested in me by this giant bald bird,
The President shall not be the shiniest of two turds!
You! I wanna like you! Don't talk about change; just do it!
I fought for what was on my brain until a bullet went through it!
And you, moneybags, you're a pancake: you're flip-floppity!
It's a country, not a company you can play like Monopoly!
I'll properly reach across the aisle and bitch-smack you as equals!
Of the people, *slap* by the people, *slap* for the people! Eagle!
Bald Eagle:
CAWWWWW!
Scrapped lyrics
Mitt Romney:
You haven't even brought the unemployment rate below 8 percent!
(Ahhhuuhaa…) Today, Jay-Z, what are you saying?!
Poll
Trivia
General
- This battle is currently the most viewed ERB, having reached 100 million views on December 11th, 2014. It is the first ERB to do so.
- At a total time of 3:30, this is the tenth-longest video in the ERB series to date.
- This is the eighth-longest rap battle to date, with an overall rapping time of 2:33.
- This is one of the first battles in which both rappers have more than two verses. It would eventually be the norm.
- As of 2020, this is the only U.S. election-themed battle to not immediately follow a break in between battles. It is also currently the only U.S. election-themed battle not to feature Donald Trump.
- As of 2024, this is the only U.S. election-themed battle in which the incumbent President was re-elected.
- This is the first battle to not reuse the "Darth Vader vs Hitler, Justin Bieber vs Beethoven, Albert Einstein vs Stephen Hawking, Napoleon vs Napoleon" sequence in use since Billy Mays vs Ben Franklin for the "More Battles" section of the end slate.
- This battle was nominated in the first YouTube Music Awards for "Video of the Year".
- This battle has been certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in the United States on July 3rd, 2013.
- On August 22, 2016, "Trump, Clinton, Sanders… are the class of 2016 worthy for a rap battle?" was written in the description of the video. This teased this battle's sequel, Donald Trump vs Hillary Clinton.
- The quote was then changed to, "Trump vs Clinton? Who wants to see them rap?", before the release of Donald Trump vs Hillary Clinton.
- This is EpicLLOYD's third-favorite battle, as mentioned in a video uploaded on February 23rd, 2019 on the ERB2 channel.[1]
- This is the first battle to have a Wikipedia article.
- This is one of the battles viewable with YouTube's "Restricted Mode" on.
Continuity
- This is the second battle to have a character(s) who has previously rapped in another battle, after Adolf Hitler, Darth Vader, and Stephen Hawking in Hitler vs Vader 2.
- This is the first time that the returning rapper did not have the same opponent.
- This is the third battle to have a sequel, after Darth Vader vs Hitler and Hitler vs Vader 2.
- With the addition of Abe Lincoln, this is the second battle to have a third-party rapper, after Steve Jobs vs Bill Gates.
- This is the fourth battle overall in which both title rappers were alive at the time of its release, the first being Sarah Palin vs Lady Gaga, the second being Hulk Hogan and Macho Man vs Kim Jong-il, and the third being Nice Peter vs EpicLLOYD.
- It is the third such battle where both rappers are still alive, as both Macho Man Randy Savage and Kim Jong-il have died since their battle.
Production
- Alphacat, who portrayed Barack Obama, helped write the battle.
Errors
- When Barack Obama says "Need to stop hating on gays", his hands briefly cut into Mitt Romney's backdrop.
- When Barack Obama says "You've got the momma jeans", Mitt Romney is seen to be stretched taller than usual.
- The footage used for Mitt Romney is a low quality still frame.
- When Barack Obama says "I'm the Head of State!", "of" is capitalized in the subtitles.
- When Barack Obama mentions the First, Second, and Third Lady, none of them are capitalized in the subtitles.
- When Abraham Lincoln says "The President shall not be the shiniest of two turds!", "President" is uncapitalized in the subtitles.
- When Abraham Lincoln says "It's a country, not a company you can play like Monopoly!, "Monopoly" is uncapitalized in the subtitles.
- When Abraham Lincoln says "I'll properly reach across the aisle and bitch-smack you as equals!", "bitch-smack" is unhyphenated in the subtitles.
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