CNN Obama Rap Song - The Ba Rock Song 2008

"CNN Obama Rap Song - - The Ba Rock Song " is a popular internet viral video, first posted on YouTube in January 2008 featuring Gregory Reese with a U.S. Flag in the background performing a rap supporting 2008 U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama. Designer and Amateur Videographer Gregory Reese, Jr. performed the song and video with his wife Dawnyell Reese singing the operatic vocals. On May 20, 2008 Gregory posted the video to a CNN affiliate site Ireport.com and it was selected to be featured on the CNN.com site. On May 22, 2008 Gregory completed an over the phone interview with a CNN representative and was informed that the song would be featured on The CNN International channel program I Report For CNN. It also remains featured on the CNN.com website.

The concept was the brainchild of 36-year-old desktop publisher / Amateur Videographer Gregory Reese, Jr. "The CNN Obama Rap Song - The Ba Rock Song " was co-written by his wife Dawnyell Reese. Currently the Reese's have designed a website for the song in which a portion of the music sales will go towards the Barack Obama 2008 general election campaign.

The video
On the week of January 14 2008 Gregory Reese, Jr. obtained video equipment from Media Bridges in Cincinnati, Ohio he begin to go throughout Cincinnati getting small interviews with local voters with permission to broadcast on You Tube and local cable television. As he began talking to voters he decided that he would make a video of 'The Ba Rock Song' that he had written just a week earlier. Gregory shot the entire video in about two hours. The whole video and editing process took just under six hours and was uploaded January 21 2008 on You Tube. With no formal marketing the video only received under one hundred hits. Until Gregory began to work with a Former Judge and Attorney Leslie Isaiah Gaines on his Obama Song Obama Drama. January 29, 2008 Gregory Linked 'The Ba Rock Song' to http://www.youtube.com user TheGodFatherofJustic and the video views began to advance in views. After three months it had only received four thousands views and by the end of May only six thousand views. Currently the You Tube version has thousands of views and in addition to the original You Tube version there are various video service sites that have embedded or uploaded the CNN Obama Rap Video receiving thousands of views. To See The CNN Obama Rap Song Spotlight log on to I Report For CNN program's official website Watch show number 7: Part 2 Video.

Original Spotlight Air Dates: SATURDAY June 7th 7:30AM ET, - SATURDAY June 7th 6:00 PM ET SUNDAY June 8th 6:00AM ET - TUESDAY June 10th 1:30 PM ET

Obama's response
Currently there is no Obama response, but one of the phone interview questions for Gregory was would you like for Barack Obama to see your video? He replied with a excited YES!

Subsequent videos

*On April 1, 2008, Gregory Reese entered the www.moveon.org contest 'Obama in 30 seconds

*On August 18, 2008 Gregory Reese posted The McCain Rap. Greg says "I want to help Unite the political parties with Hip Hop" The original video on IReport.com it received over twenty thousand views in the first twelve hours after being posted on CNN.com. Greg Reese is scheduled to do a live interview with CNN International's Errol Barnett the week of the Republican National Convention

Errol Barnett interviews Greg Reese from Cincinnati

Greg Reese on Fox 19
*On September 30 2008 Gregory Reese and his wife Dawnyell were featured on the FOX 19 WXIX-TV Morning Show in Cincinnati, Ohio.

They performed a Fair and Balanced version of The Ba Rock Song 2008 and The McCain Rap by mixing the two song together. At the end he urged people to vote on November 4, 2008 and his wife sang McCain and Obama's name in an Operatic style voice. * View Fox 19 Video

His performance was almost bumped because he was scheduled to be interviewed at 8:45am and President George W. Bush had to interrupt news broadcasts with his special announcement about U.S. economy . Rob Williams cut the interview short to allow Greg and his wife to perform.

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