Rapper Jay-Z is using his art to respond to criticism about his and wife Beyonce's recent trip to Cuba on their fifth anniversary. The tune released Thursday, "Open Letter," includes lines such as "I done turned Havana to Atlanta" and "I'm in Cuba, I love Cubans. This Communist talk is so confusing when it's from China, the very mic that I'm using."

The song also includes lines that imply the White House had a hand in giving him and his wife the clearance to travel to Havana. For example: "Boy from the hood, but got White House clearance" and "Obama said, 'Chill, you gonna get me impeached.' "

During Thursday's White House briefing, Press Secretary Jay Carney denied the song's suggestion that there was any White House involvement in Jay-Z and Beyonce's trip.

"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," he said in response to a reporter's question. "The White House, from the president on down, had nothing to do with anybody's personal -- anybody's travel to Cuba. ... The president did not communicate with Jay-Z over this trip."

"Open Letter" is available online at LifeAndTimes.com. (Warning: The song is not for those with ears sensitive to curse words.)

On Tuesday, the Department of the Treasury confirmed that the superstar couple's trip to Cuba was sanctioned. "It is our understanding that the travelers in question traveled to Cuba pursuant to an educational exchange trip," the Treasury's assistant secretary for legislative affairs wrote.

While in Havana, the famous pair dined at La Guarida, walked through colonial Old Havana and took photos with schoolchildren. 

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Here’s this year’s version of “You lie.”

Ted Nugent, the rocker and current gun-rights advocate, will be in attendance at Tuesday’s State of the Union as the guest of Texas Congressman Steve Stockman.

Stockman has said he would consider filing articles of impeachment about President Barack Obama for his gun-control push following the shootings in Newtown, Conn. Nugent is a board member of the National Rifle Association. Many Democrats have invited victims of gun violence to the address.

Stockman will also be livetweeting the address – with the hash tag #youlie, “debunking myths and fact checking,” his office said.

"I am excited to have a patriot like Ted Nugent joining me in the House Chamber to hear from President Obama," said Stockman in a press release of the man who was under Secret Service investigation last year for comments made about the president. "After the Address I'm sure Ted will have plenty to say."

Kevin Tighe / Getty Images Contributor

Ted Nugent performs at Ruth Eckerd Hall on August 6, 2012 in Tampa, Fla.

Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., who is bilingual has been at the center of a Senate push on immigration reform, is delivering the official GOP State of the Union response. But Nugent's appearance, and the promise that he "will have plenty to say," has the potential to distract and be a headache for a Republican Party looking to re-brand itself, particularly in tone, after President Obama won re-election this past fall.

More on Ted Nugent from NBCNews.com

Nugent landed in hot water with the agency in charge of protecting the president, because he said in April of last year at a national NRA meeting that if Obama was re-elected, “I will either be dead or in jail by this time next year.”

In the same set of comments, Nugent called the president, Vice President Joe Biden, and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton “criminals,” said the “government is wiping its ass with the constitution,” and equated Democrats to coyotes who should be shot.

“If the coyote's in your living room pissing on your couch,” Nugent said, “it's not the coyote's fault. It's your fault for not shooting him."

Stockman is also set to unveil what he’s calling, “The Obama Failometer, a ten-foot-long billboard that will objectively measure the failure of Obama's economic policies … The ten-foot-long Obama Failometer billboard will be displayed in the corridor of the Capitol's Cannon House Office building at Stockman's 326 Cannon Office.”

Stockman, who previously served one term in Congress in 1995-1996, is back for the first time since.

This story was originally published on Mon Feb 11, 2013 3:52 PM EST

Actor and director Clint Eastwood has been confirmed as a surprise guest Thursday night at the Republican National Convention.

Frazer Harrison / Getty Images

Director/actor Clint Eastwood accepts the award for Distinguished Collaborator onstage during the 14th Annual Costume Designers Guild Awards With Presenting Sponsor Lacoste held at The Beverly Hilton hotel on February 21, 2012 in Beverly Hills, Calif.

Eastwood recently thrust his support behind GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney, who will receive his official nomination at the convention tonight.

Earlier this year, a Chrysler ad narrated by Eastwood that aired during the Super Bowl appeared to endorse President Barack Obama, prompting the actor to respond that he was not backing either candidate. He then went on to voice his support for Romney earlier this month at a fundraiser in Idaho. 

Eastwood will address the convention Thursday night in Tampa, Fla., before Romney accepts his nomination. Romney will be introduced by Florida Sen. Marco Rubio.

NBC's Kelly O'Donnell and Sue Kroll contributed to this story.

Pablo Martinez Monsivais / AP

B.B. King, left, Buddy Guy and Warren Haynes, right, perform during the White House Music Series saluting Blues Music in recognition of Black History Month, Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2012, in the East Room of the White House in Washington.

Win McNamee / Getty Images

President Barack Obama speaks on Tuesday night.

Chris Kleponis / Reuters

Blues legend B.B. King signals approval while performing on Tuesday night.

AP reports: At a concert tonight at the White House marking Black History Month and celebrating the blues, President Obama again took the mic. He was challenged by the musicians on stage to follow up his Al Green "I'm So In Love With You" performance, "You done started something, and you gotta keep it up now." After initially laughing off the offer, the President took the microphone and sang several lines of "Sweet Home Chicago" from his spot in the front row. He tried handing the mic back more than once, but continued singing, even alternating lines with BB King.

The concert featured music legends and contemporary major artists, including King and Mick Jagger, as a celebration of Blues music and in recognition of Black History Month. The concert, airing next week on PBS, is part of the "In Performance at the White House" series.

Win McNamee / Getty Images

Shemekia Copeland (L) and Susan Tedeschi (R) perform with an all-star cast on Tuesday night.

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