Marco Rubio is feeling musical. The Secretary of State quoted some '90s hip-hop icons at a White House press briefing on Tuesday as he addressed the nation on the developments in the Iran conflict.
© Getty ImagesRubio addressed different members of the press as a stand-in for Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, who's currently on maternity leave.
He provided an update on the standoff at the Strait of Hormuz. He said that the US blockade would continue until Iran stopped their efforts to prevent maritime traffic. "They should check themselves before they wreck themselves in the direction that they're going," he said, quoting Ice Cube's '90s hit "Check Yo Self."
At another point in the briefing, when discussing Iranian leaders, he quoted Cypress Hill. "They're insane in the brain," he said, name-checking one of Hill's most famous songs.
© AFP via Getty ImagesRubio has a history of quoting hip-hop songs in speeches and public addresses. In a cabinet meeting, he quoted Public Enemy's "Welcome to the Terrordome." He said the Pentagon “lets the drummer get wicked over every portion of Iran that has military capabilities." In a somewhat stretched metaphor, the lyrics tout the Pentagon's dominance over Iran.
Rubio flexes his DJ skills
Earlier this week, a video of Rubio DJing at a family wedding made its way to X.
The clip shows various young men in suits dancing, with their arms wrapped around eachother in celebration. Rubio is wearing a suit and is speaking to the DJ behind the booth, who hands him a headphone set. Rubio puts the set against his ear and nods along, jumping up and down once the beat drops.
After the clip went viral, a reporter from Fox News quoted the video. "Many people want to know, what is your DJ name?" she asked. The question sparked some laughter from the room.
"You're not ready for my DJ name," replied Rubio.
This week, Rubio and his wife, Jeanette Dousdebes, visited Vatican City for a meeting with Pope Leo XIV. Rubio had a one-on-one meeting with him. He's scheduled to stay in Rome through Friday, where he's scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Antonio Tajani, the Foreign Minister of Italy.
© Vatican Pool
