(AllHipHop News) “Boy from the hood but got White House clearance.”-Jay-Z
Jay-Z did not offend his political connects on his vicious new song, “Open Letter” he released earlier today but he does have them talking.
During a White House Press briefing earlier today (April 11th), White House Press Secretary Jay Carney denied that the White House gave any clearance to Jay-Z and Beyonce on their recent Cuba trip:
“I am absolutely saying that the White house from the President on down had nothing to do with anybody’s travel to Cuba that is something that Treasury handles.”
Carney even sarcastically quipped “I guess nothing rhymes with Treasury” when reasoning why Jay-Z would allude to attaining White House clearance and communicating with the President about the Cuba trip.
Yesterday (April 10th) the United States Department of Treasury issued a statement on why they approved Jay-Z and Beyonce’s trip to Cuba. According to the United States Department of Treasury, the Carters’ trip was apart of a “cultural exchange program”:
It is our understanding that the travelers in question traveled to Cuba pursuant to an educational exchange trip organized by a group authorized by OFAC [the Office of Foreign Assets Control] to sponsor and organize programs to promote people-to-people contact in Cuba,” the department responded in a letter obtained by CNN.
Reuters reports that a New York-based nonprofit, Academic Arrangements Abroad, set up the trip.
An embargo between Cuba and America has been in place since 1960 and severely limits American tourism in Cuba.
Check out the video of White House Press Secretary addressing Jay-Z’s lyrics:
