(Reuters) Thu Apr 11, 2013 5:55pm EDT -
Washington - U.S. President Barack Obama's spokesman on Thursday denied any White House role in allowing a visit to Cuba by rapper Jay-Z and pop star Beyonce last week, after the hip hop mogul released a song that suggested he had presidential permission for the trip.
"I guess nothing rhymes with Treasury (Department)," Jay Carney said to laughter among reporters.
"I am absolutely saying the White House, from the president on down, had nothing to do with anybody's personal - anybody's travel to Cuba," Carney added. "That is something that Treasury (Department) handles."
Jay-Z hit back at critics of his trip in a rap entitled "Open Letter," released on the Internet on Thursday, saying he was a "boy from the 'hood but I got White House clearance."
(Reporting by Eric Kelsey in Los Angeles and Jeff Mason in Washington; Editing by Piya Sinha-Roy, David Adams and Eric Walsh)
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