President Obama is commander in chief and leader of the free world. But on Thursday he added one more title to his resume: opening act.

The president dropped by a White House higher education summit right before the rapper Wale was set to perform for students in attendance.

Obama offered them words of encouragement, but joked he wouldn’t rap for them.

“My rapping skills are terrible,” he said at the East Room event. “That’s one thing I can’t do, is rap. I like rap, but I cannot rap.”

“But have enough of a rap that I got Michelle to marry me, though. I’m just saying,” he quipped.

It brought together 130 students from disadvantaged backgrounds to encourage them to pursue post-high school education.

Obama urged the students to work hard to achieve their own goals but also help others along the way.

“Not only do I expect out of you individual success, but I also expect you to work together to bring about collective success,” he said. “Don’t buy into the notion that your life’s purpose is just about you. Because there are a lot of folks who have even less advantages than you do. But you need to reach back and bring them along.”