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White House denies Jay Z's Cuba claims in new track Open Letter White House denies Jay Z's Cuba claims in new track Open Letter
(6 months later)
Having been criticized by Republican lawmakers this week for taking a trip to Cuba, the rapper Jay-Z has responded by calling up the record producer Timbaland and releasing a new track.Having been criticized by Republican lawmakers this week for taking a trip to Cuba, the rapper Jay-Z has responded by calling up the record producer Timbaland and releasing a new track.
"I done turned Havana to Atlanta, Guayabera shirts and bandanas," Jay-Z says in the opening lines of Open Letter, referencing his recent trip to Cuba with his wife, Beyoncé."I done turned Havana to Atlanta, Guayabera shirts and bandanas," Jay-Z says in the opening lines of Open Letter, referencing his recent trip to Cuba with his wife, Beyoncé.
For more than 50 years, the US has forbidden its citizens from visiting Cuba, though technically it is legal to visit. Jay-Z and Beyoncé reportedly received the special licenses needed to travel there from the US Treasury department's office of foreign assets control. Open Letter is Jay-Z's first public comment on the trip:For more than 50 years, the US has forbidden its citizens from visiting Cuba, though technically it is legal to visit. Jay-Z and Beyoncé reportedly received the special licenses needed to travel there from the US Treasury department's office of foreign assets control. Open Letter is Jay-Z's first public comment on the trip:
Boy from the hood but got White House clearance
Sorry y'all, I don't agree with y'all appearance
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		Boy from the hood but got White House clearance
Sorry y'all, I don't agree with y'all appearance
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
The White House press secretary, Jay Carney, said at a Thursday press conference that the White House had not been responsible for the power couple's clearance to travel. "I guess nothing rhymes with Treasury," he said.The White House press secretary, Jay Carney, said at a Thursday press conference that the White House had not been responsible for the power couple's clearance to travel. "I guess nothing rhymes with Treasury," he said.
Barack Obama is name-checked in the song, though Carney said the president had had nothing to do with the trip.Barack Obama is name-checked in the song, though Carney said the president had had nothing to do with the trip.
"I am absolutely saying that the White House and the president had nothing to do with anybody's personal … anybody's travel to Cuba," Carney said. "That is something the Treasury handles.""I am absolutely saying that the White House and the president had nothing to do with anybody's personal … anybody's travel to Cuba," Carney said. "That is something the Treasury handles."
In the song, Jay-Z also addresses rumors that he is planning to sell his small but influential stake in the Brooklyn Nets, having created the Roc Nation Sports agency and signed the New York Yankees second baseman Robinson Canó as his first client.In the song, Jay-Z also addresses rumors that he is planning to sell his small but influential stake in the Brooklyn Nets, having created the Roc Nation Sports agency and signed the New York Yankees second baseman Robinson Canó as his first client.
Would've brought the Nets to Brooklyn for free
Except I made millions off it, you fuckin' dweeb
I still own the building, I'm still keeping my seat
Y'all buy that bullshit, you'd better keep y'all receipt		Would've brought the Nets to Brooklyn for free
Except I made millions off it, you fuckin' dweeb
I still own the building, I'm still keeping my seat
Y'all buy that bullshit, you'd better keep y'all receipt
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