Biden Refers to Rapper LL Cool J as ‘Boy’ to Congressional Black Caucus

I cannot imagine a white American adult who would be ignorant enough to call a 55-year-old black man — a spectacularly wealthy and famous one, to boot — a “boy” in 2023.

But then, I couldn’t imagine a president like Joseph Robinette Biden before 2020. Or 2021, or 2022.

Guess what the two have in common?

On Saturday, Biden was the most illustrious speaker in attendance at the Congressional Black Caucus’ 52nd Annual Legislative Conference. Also in attendance, according to the New York Post, was rapper LL Cool J (legal name James Todd Smith) who, along with fellow hip-hop artist MC Lyte, was receiving the Phoenix Award for their artistic contributions.

So, naturally, things went off without a hitch for the president.

“Two of the great artists of our time representing the groundbreaking legacy of hip hop in America, LL Jay Cool J, uhhh…” Biden said, with the crowd having a hearty laugh at the 80-year-old Biden trying to get out the name of a rap artist who’s been in the public eye for almost 40 years now.

The audience did not, it’s worth noting, laugh so strongly at the next gaffe.

“By the way that boy — that man’s got biceps bigger than my thighs,” Biden said — quickly (but not too quickly) catching himself before moving onto MC Lyte.

This went over as well as you might expect on social media: