First lady Michelle Obama's video encouraging students to go to college, featuring "Saturday Night Live's" Jay Pharoah, has gone viral with more than 1.37 million views on YouTube since it was released on Thursday.
Pharoah created the "Go to College" rap video in a collaboration with College Humor and as part of Obama's "Better Make Room" campaign to improve awareness about resources available for students wanting to
pursue higher education, Us Weekly reported.
"South Side Chicago, we all know / We had to do overtime every night to make it tomorrow," Obama raps in one portion of the video. "And everyone could really make their dream come true / Hey kid, listenin' in Michigan that could be you."
On the
Better Make Room website, Obama said that the campaign is meant to inspire young people as they plan for their futures.
"It's about staking a claim, forging a path, and lighting the way for others just like you," the website states. "And it's a lot more fun to get there together. Take the next step: Get a better education, have a better career, imagine a better future and live a better life."
Jon Blistein, of Rolling Stone magazine, said he was impressed by the first lady's efforts.
"First lady Michelle Obama has done it all: Dunked on the Miami Heat, gone push-up for push-up with Ellen DeGeneres and, in a new video for College Humor, cemented her place as the only mom allowed to rap," he wrote.
On social media, though, reviews of Obama's rapping skills were mixed.