Pitbull offers musical take on Jay-Z's Cuba trip

Miami: Cuban-American rapper Pitbull offered a musical take on the controversy over hip hop mogul Jay-Z and pop diva Beyonce Knowles' recent visit to Cuba. The Miami-born son of Cuban exiles released a song called "Open Letter Freestyle", which shares a backing track with Jay-Z's own musical response to the criticism of the trip.

Shawn Carter, a.k.a. Jay-Z, and Beyonce Knowles traveled to Havana on the occasion of their fifth wedding anniversary. Tourism to Cuba is banned under Washington's 50-year-old economic embargo against the island, but it is possible to obtain a license from the Treasury Department for religious, academic, educational and cultural journeys.

Responding to an angry query from two Cuban-American members of Congress, the Treasury Department said last Tuesday that Jay-Z, Beyonce Knowles and members of their family were authorized to travel to Cuba for educational purposes.

In his song, Pitbull says, "Politicians love to hate you/ But then they run away when it's time to debate you.Question of the night:/ would they have mess with Mr. Carter if he was white?" The the rapper known as "Mr. 305" continues, "Happy 5th year anniversary, Jay and B/don't worry it's on me."