They have become firm friends in recent years, with Jay-Z lending his support to President Obama's re-election campaign and the president returning the favour by offering Jay-Z parenting advice.

But it looks like their bromance could be on the rocks after the White House was subjected to backlash following the release of Jay-Z's song, Open Letter.

In the song, the Watch the Throne hitmaker attempts to silence critics who said his trip to Cuba breached a 50-year-old travel embargo on US citizens going to the Caribbean nation.

He raps: "Boy from the hood, I got White House clearance/ Obama said 'chill, you gonna get me impeached/ You don't need this [expletive] anyway/. Chill with me on the beach."

Obama addressed the controversy surrounding Jay-Z and Beyoncé's highly publicised trip during his speech at the White House correspondents' dinner.

The head of state hinted that the hip-hop star could be in the dog house after his inflammatory comments.

"So, yes, maybe I have lost a step. But some things are beyond my control. For example, this whole controversy about Jay-Z going to Cuba - it's unbelievable. I've got 99 problems and now Jay-Z is one," he said.

Press secretary Jay Carney addressed the controversy surrounding the visit and insisted that the US leader was not involved.

Carney revealed that it was the US Treasury which granted the power couple a licence to travel to Cuba after a journalist asked about the lyrics at a press conference.

"I guess nothing rhymed with Treasury," Carney said. "It's a song. The president did not communicate with Jay-Z over this trip.

"The White House has nothing to do with it."

White House