R&B royalty Jay-Z and Beyonce hosted a $40,000 per plate fundraiser for President Obama Tuesday night in New York City.
The event was held at Jay-Z’s 40/40 nightclub, which features a golden tower above the bar made of $105,000 worth of Champagne bottles, according to the New York Post.
“Let me just begin by saying to Jay and Bey, thank you so much for your friendship,” Obama said, according to pool reports. “We are so grateful. Michelle and Malia and Sasha are mad at me because they are not here.”
He continued: “That doesn’t usually happen. Usually they’re like, we’re glad you’re going–we don’t need to go. But every time they get a chance to see these two they are thrilled, partly because they are just both so generous, particularly to my kids. And Malia and Sasha just love both of them.”
Obama also said that he “couldn’t think of a better role model” for his daughters than Beyonce because of her “poise.”
Before the fundraiser, Obama stopped by “The Late Show with David Letterman” and told the host what he has in common with the rapper.
“Jay-Z now knows, you know, what my life is like,” he said. “We both have daughters. And our wives are more popular than we are. So we’ve got a little bond there. It’s hard, but it’s OK.”