LL Cool J 'Boy' Reference: President Biden Faces Backlash at CBC Ceremony in Washington D.C.

President Biden's Verbal Slip Draws Criticism During Congressional Black Caucus Event

President Joe Biden found himself at the center of a controversy once again during a recent appearance at the Congressional Black Caucus event. Known for his occasional verbal gaffes, the president's latest slip-up involved a mispronunciation and an unfortunate choice of words when referring to the renowned rapper LL Cool J.

During the annual Congressional Black Caucus ceremony held in Washington, D.C., President Biden took the stage to honor the contributions of LL Cool J, whose birth name is James Todd Smith, and MC Lyte to the world of music. These two iconic artists received the prestigious Phoenix Awards in recognition of their groundbreaking legacy in American hip-hop.

As President Biden began his address, he stumbled over LL Cool J's name, uttering, "Two of the great artists of our time representing the groundbreaking legacy of hip hop in America, LL Jay Cool J, uhhh…” The initial mispronunciation was followed by an unfortunate slip when the president described LL Cool J, saying, "By the way, that boy — that man's got biceps bigger than my thighs."

Quickly realizing the error, President Biden corrected himself. However, the incident did not go unnoticed, and it drew attention from both the public and the media. This slip was particularly noteworthy as it echoed a previous instance where President Biden referred to an African American as "boy."