I cut Obama’s call, thinking it was a prank call – B Flow
IMAGINE getting a call from the White House in the United States, hearing the words, “you’re speaking to Barrack Obama,” and..hanging up.
That’s exactly what happened to Zambian music star and activist Brian Bwembya, fondly known as B Flow, who revealed the jaw-dropping moment he accidentally cut off a call from the then President of the United States Barrack Obama, thinking it was a prank.
Recalling the life-changing moment, B Flow revealed that his first interaction with Obama didn’t go quite as expected.
“What happened was, before that moment came, there was actually a phone call that came from the White House. A lady called and told me that someone wanted to speak to me. When she gave the phone to that someone, I heard, ‘You are speaking to Barack Obama, President of the United States,” he recalled.
But instead of celebrating, B Flow froze and did what most people wouldn’t dare do.
“I was like, ni beans iyi, this is not true. Ni story yamu ka book because I thought it was a prank and I hung up,” he said.
The White House, however, wasn’t amused and the same staffer called back, this time urging him to take the call seriously.
When Obama got back on the line, B Flow started to believe it until the conversation took another unexpected twist.
“So Obama was brought back on, and I was beginning to believe it. Only for him to ask how I pronounced my last name. When I told him, he said, ‘Thanks’ and hung up.”
That bizarre exchange in 2015 came just before Obama publicly recognised B Flow at the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) summit in Washington DC, praising him for using music to fight gender-based violence and promote health awareness.
For the Kabwe-born artiste, who once only saw America on TV, the experience felt like a dream.
“Here’s this guy who lost his mum and never thought he’d achieve anything big. Suddenly, I was in a country I used to watch only in movies, the same places where I saw cars dancing and African-Americans acting. To be there, and to be recognised by Obama himself, was unreal,” B Flow said.
However, the milestone didn’t come without backlash, B Flow said some critics tried to downplay his achievement.
B Flow disclosed that some people even claimed Obama does not remember him, but for him, it was personal and real.
According to him, between 2017 and 2018, the connection between him and Obama deepened when he was invited to Chicago to attend the launch of the Obama Foundation and the inaugural Obama Summit.
“That’s when I experienced the one-on-one. You get invited to his home, have dinner, and just talk. That was also when the ‘Dear Mama’ song came in,” he recalled.
He added that he still maintains a connection with the Obamas, though the number he has now isn’t even on WhatsApp.
By Sharon Zulu
Kalemba October 12, 2025