Yara Shahidi expertly rapped a verse from Hamilton, and we’re definitely satisfied

By Elizabeth entenman

May 15, 2018

By Elizabeth entenman

May 15, 2018

We’re huge fans Yara Shahidi. And we’re huge fans of the Broadway musical Hamilton. So when Yara Shahidi rapped a verse from Hamilton on national television, it was pretty much our version of the Super Bowl.

Shahidi was a guest on The Tonight Show on Monday, May 14th. And while she was there, the discussion quickly turned to Hamilton. Yes, even though it’s not new anymore, people are still not over the groundbreaking musical — us included. Shahidi gushed to Jimmy Fallon about her love of both the soundtrack and the Hamilton Mixtape, which includes remixes of songs from the show by popular artists.

Hamilton is very close to the Tonight Show family. The Roots, the show’s house band, executive produced the original Broadway cast recording. Like so many others, Shahidi has been a Hamilton fan for years. She told Fallon that meeting Lin-Manuel Miranda, the genius mind behind the show, was a big moment for her.

"I met him at Super Soul Sunday at The Apollo with Oprah. It was really epic. The thing is, I've been such a large Hamilton fan," Shahidi said. "I'm the reason that anybody on set listens to the Hamilton soundtrack."

She also revealed that her favorite song from the musical is “Cabinet Battle #1” — an A+ choice from the second half of the show, which every Hamilton fan knows is the “sad half” — and that she raps it with her brothers.

"I made my brothers memorize the lyrics so we can battle."

And then, she proceeded to rap Miranda’s verse from the song for the audience. Of course, she absolutely crushed it.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BiyPL9SAXjK

Yara Shahidi really isn’t exaggerating about her love of Hamilton.

She first saw the show back in 2016 while the original cast was still performing.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BDlYMbSgNNR

And this isn’t the first time she’s shared her love of the soundtrack either. Later that year, she posted this video of herself singing along to Phillipa Soo’s emotional ballad “Burn.” Shahidi really DOES love the second half of Hamilton. Respect.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BMDgHdoABkF

Of course, she does have another close connection to the show. Daveed Diggs, who originated the roles of Marquis de Lafayette and Thomas Jefferson in Hamilton, plays her Uncle Johan on Blackish.