Netizens on X, formerly Twitter, were surprised to see Malia Obama posing alongside rapper No Malice, one-half of the Virginia-based rap duo Clipse, for an unexpected photo opp.
On Feb. 6, HipHopDX shared a picture of former President Barack Obama’s 25-year-old daughter smiling from ear to ear as she snapped a picture with the 51-year-old hip-hop veteran. The head-turning image elicited a ton of reactions from users on the platform.
On the one hand, netizens were thrilled to see Malia all grown up and looking “happy,” but some questioned if she knew who No Malice was or if she listened to his music. Other social media users were trying to figure out where and when their chance encounter took place.
No Malice’s young and fresh appearance was a talking point for some folks fascinated by the rare photo. One fan claimed that the 51-year-old rhymer was “aging backward.” Other X users could not get over how much the Virginia-bred emcee looked like his brother, Pusha T.
Who is No Malice?
No Malice, formerly known as Malice, is one half of the hip-hop duo Clipse alongside his brother, Pusha T. The pair gained prominence in the early 2000s for their gritty and hard-punching lyrics about street life and the drug trade in Virginia. According to Vice, Pharrell, the duo’s longtime friend and collaborator, signed No Malice and Pusha T to his Arista Records imprint, Star Trek Entertainment, in 2001. The Clipse’s raw and unfiltered sophomore album, Lord Willin, put the pair on the map due to the project’s lead single “Grindin.'”
With stripped-back production from Pharrell, the infectious tune could be heard from every “ghetto to ghetto” to “backyard to yard” throughout the U.S. following Lord Willin’s release in 2002.
The duo dropped their acclaimed Hell Hath No Fury in 2006, which peaked at No. 14 on the Billboard Top Album Sales chart. The thumping project spawned hits like “Mr. Me Too” and “Wamp Wamp (What It Do).” No Malice and Pusha T parted ways to focus on their solo careers following the release of their fourth album, Till the Casket Drops, in 2009.
It’s unclear where Malia and No Malice’s link-up occurred, but the 25-year-old beauty has displayed her love for hip-hop music.
In 2015, the president’s daughter rocked a Pro Era shirt, a nod to the East Coast rap collective powered by Joey Bada$$, CJ Fly and several other New York rap stars.
The year prior, the young star was spotted dancing in the crowd when Chance the Rapper took to the stage during Lollapalooza, CBS News noted.
Outside of music, Malia has been flexing her directional skills. In January, the young creative debuted her short film, The Heart, at the Sundance Film Festival. According to People, the project — which was written and directed by Malia under her creative name, Malia Ann — was screened during the U.S. short fiction films portion of the event. The story revolves around a grieving son who receives an unexpected request from his mother in her will after her passing.
“The film is about lost objects and lonely people and forgiveness and regret, but I also think it works hard to uncover where tenderness and closeness can exist in these things,” Malia said during an interview with the Sundance Institute Jan. 17.
“We hope you enjoy the film and it makes you feel a bit less lonely, or at least reminds you not to forget about the people who are,” she added.
Watch Malia’s full interview below.
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