WATCH: Drop That Beat! ‘Hamilton’ Creator and Star Lin-Manuel Miranda Freestyles for PEOPLE
Originally published on PEOPLE.com
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Freestyling is nothing new for Lin-Manuel Miranda, the creator of the smash Broadway hit Hamilton, a musical about the birth of America written almost entirely in rap and hip-hop compositions.Miranda's first Broadway musical, the Tony-winning In the Heights, also consisted of rap and hip-hop melodies, and the composer and actor is a member of the group Freestyle Love Supreme.
With notice of Hamilton spreading throughout the country, President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama invited the cast to perform at the White House after seeing the musical in New York. Miranda then freestyled with the President in the Rose Garden, performing spontaneous melodies inspired by cue cards.
Naturally, PEOPLE wanted to get in on the action, so we asked Miranda to freestyle about how his own life has changed since Hamilton began performances Off-Broadway just 15 months ago. Miranda agreed – after he was promised a little backup beatboxing from our reporter (much like his arrangement with Emma Watson).