Most rappers have to do interviews to dispel rumors and answer to the media. Jay-Z, however, isn’t most rappers.
In 2013, Hov strictly lets his music do the talking. After catching flack for his wedding anniversy getaway to Cuba, Jay released a Swizz Beatz and Timbaland-produced track as a response to anyone who thinks his visit to Havana was unsanctioned. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., seemed to take particular offense to Jay and Bey’s vacation.
“U.S. law clearly bans tourism to Cuba by American citizens because it provides money to a cruel, repressive and murderous regime,” Rubio said in a statement earlier this week. “Since their inception, the Obama Administration’s ‘people to people’ cultural exchange programs have been abused by tourists who have no interest in the Cuban people’s freedom and either don’t realize or don’t care that they’re essentially funding the regime’s systematic trampling of people’s human rights.”
The Treasury Department confirmed that the couple’s trip was an “education exchange trip” organized by another group, but Hov still spoke his mind on the the new track.
“Boy from the hood but got White House clearance. Sorry y’all, I don’t agree with y’all parents/Politicians never did shit for me, except lie to me, distort history/Wanna give me jail time and a fine? Fine, let me commit a real crime. Might buy a kilo for Chief Keef, out of spite/I just might flood these streets…”
Hov continues: “Obama said chill you gonna get me impeached, You don’t need this shit anyway. You can chill with me on the beach/Would have brought the Nets to Brooklyn for free. Except I made millions off you fuckin dweebs/
I still own the building. I’m still keeping my seat…”
Despite Hov’s lyrics, Jay Carney, President Obama’s press secretary says that Obama and Jay-Z did not speak about the trip.
“I guess nothing rhymes with Treasury,” Carney joked, before explaining: I guess nothing rhymes with Treasury, because Treasury offers and gives licenses for travel, as you know, and the White House has nothing to do with it, Carney told reporters during a press a conference. “I am absolutely saying that the White House, from the president on down, had nothing to do with anybody’s personal — anybody’s travel to Cuba. That is something that Treasury handles.
“It’s a song,” Carney said. “The president did not communicate with Jay-Z over this trip.”