Striding out of the White House in slow motion, sporting oversized sunglasses, Michelle Obama lays down a rap track aimed at raising the star power of maths majors and engineering students.

“If you wanna fly jets, you should go to college. Reach high and cash cheques? Fill your head with knowledge,” Ms Obama rhymes as comedian Jay Pharoah, known for his Saturday Night Live impression of her husband president Barack Obama, makes a stack of bills rain onto the floor of the White House.

• Awww! Dog films her owners’ winter wedding
• Dog, who hid under bed, survives fire with oxygen
• One of the world’s rarest monkeys born at Taronga Zoo

The video is a funny and affectionate send-up of the celebrity culture that Ms Obama has said she wants to turn on its head to try to get more American kids thinking about higher education.

Ms Obama’s message is abundantly clear. Photo: YouTube

Ms Obama’s “Better Make Room” campaign, targeting students aged 14 to 19, encourages them to go to college by giving them a brush with fame on social media with help from celebrities like Pharoah and basketball great LeBron James.

The campaign is part of a larger White House effort to address slipping US college graduation rates.

Ms Obama, who grew up in a working-class family in the South Side of Chicago, often speaks to students about how she worked hard to get good grades and degrees from Princeton and Harvard.

“South Side Chicago, we all know/ We had to do overtime every night to make it to tomorrow,” raps Ms Obama.

“And everyone could really make their dream come true/ Hey kid listening in Michigan, this could be you.”

During her time in the White House, Ms Obama has championed a string of initiatives to promote healthy eating, education for girls and help for military families.

“I want to honour and empower young people who are working hard in school and pursuing their dreams, and I want to do it in a fresh and fun way,” she said in a statement.

She wowed crowds earlier this year with an impressive ‘Uptown Funk’ dance routine, performed during the traditional Easter Egg hunt at the White House in support of her campaign for healthier lifestyles.

Fans took to social media to praise Ms Obama’s “dope” rap skills with the trending hashtag #FlotusBars, others saw the funny side — while a few suggested her teenage daughters Sasha and Malia might be a touch embarrassed.

“I think the country will join me in saying, ‘Mrs Obama, we think you should cut an album,'” said Sam Reich from CollegeHumor, which helped create the video.

Watch the hilarious video below: