Obama: Musicians have grown less political

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WASHINGTON, Oct. 27 (UPI) -- President Barack Obama told MTV viewers during a Q&A session in Washington he wished today's musicians made more political statements in their music.

When asked about his favorite musicians, Obama mentioned Bruce Springsteen and Bob Marley, and said he doesn't think today's artists have been making as many political statements as their predecessors, The Hollywood Reporter said Friday.

"The most vibrant musical art form right now has been hip-hop," he said Friday. "Some folks have dabbled in political statements, but a lot of it has been more cultural than political."

During the Q&A -- part of MTV's Power of 12 election campaign -- Obama answered questions on urban violence, marriage equality and environmental threats.

"We're not moving as fast as we need to," he said regarding environmental technology breakthroughs.

He said he hoped to "ramp up our efficiency with buildings," adding that "if we do those things, we can meet the targets that I negotiated with other countries in Copenhagen," referring to a U.S. pledge in 2009 to cut emissions by 17 percent below 2005 levels by 2020.

Obama defended his stance that the legal status of same-sex marriage should be determined by states.

"For us to try to legislate federally into this area is probably the wrong way to go... My expectation is that the Defense of Marriage Act will be overturned," he said.

Obama spoke from the blue room of the White House, while MTV News correspondents Andrew Jenks and Sway Calloway directed questions from an audience at Georgetown University campus.

The U.S., at the fractious United Nations climate change conference in Copenhagen, Denmark in 2009, pledged to cut its emissions 17 percent below 2005 levels by 2020.