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Pay Your Loans: Dee-1 Rap Video ‘Sallie Mae Back’ On College Loans Go Viral

By Manasi Gandhi
Published on: 06:57 PST, Feb 25, 2016

“Sallie Mae Back,” by rapper Dee-1, a Louisiana State University graduate’s rap video about his joy and relief after finally paying back his student loan has gone viral.

A former middle school math teacher, Dee-1 (aka David Augustine), had trouble paying off his student loans even when he took on a second job to make ends meet. Augustine’s lines on “Sallie Mae Back” narrate his debt repayment journey. Making minimum payments, working late, living off noodles, and avoiding phone calls from America’s largest student loan lender are especially catchy.

Dee-1 travelled for three days to and fro between Baton Rouge and New Orleans and worked with director Colin Pierce to create the music video for the track. Dillard University opened its doors for filming. The video was posted to Dee-1’s Facebook and YouTube pages on Feb. 11. The video has since gone viral after receiving some 5 million views.

The rap has echoed close to the hearts and minds of other recent grads who’ve struggled to make their loan payments each month.

Dee-1 signed a record contract and used some of the money to finally pay Sallie Mae back. Augustine simply wanted to pay off his loans with the contract money, telling CNN the following.

“I was like, how should I spend this? Most rappers buy a new car; they go ball out; they take a vacation; they go buy new jewelry. I wanted to break the stereotypes of how people normally spend them — and get out of debt.”

Describing his debts as a “dark cloud” after graduation, Augustine explained that his song is meant to “give people hope when it comes to their financial situation, whether they’re in debt and it’s looking bleak and they don’t make enough to make monthly payments on time, I wanted to give them hope and give them something to look forward to.” He told NOLA.com the following.

“I did this song to give people hope when it comes to their financial situation, whether they’re in debt and it’s looking bleak and they don’t make enough to make monthly payments on time, I wanted to give them hope and give them something to look forward to, be that light at the end of the tunnel. We wanted to capture fun and hit on real points in the video, so that’s why we have people in different professions, that’s why we show how much they owe Sallie Mae in the video. We certainly do touch on the issues a lot of people can relate to, and our goal was just to make it fun.”

U.S.-based financial service, Sallie Mae, says on its website it has helped more than 30 million Americans save, plan, and pay for higher education and that it has developed “responsible education loans and innovative programs” to help families start saving for college. Rick Castellano of Sallie Mae told NBC News the following.

“We’re fans and the message is a good one. Paying back student loans may not always feel easy but with perseverance, it’s achievable. Congrats Dee-1 on this true accomplishment.”

The lyrics are, in part, as follows.

“Let me tell you what I been through when it comes to Sallie/She call me at least twice a day she want her money badly/Calling me from different numbers, ooh she think she slick/ But I got them all memorised, I hit ignore quick. I finished paying Sallie Mae back, Mae back.”

When asked about giving copies of his song away for free, he said the following.

“Everyone should be able to share this song, and money shouldn’t be a distraction.”

Dee-1 sure is a splendid soul.

[Photo by The Detroit Free Press/MCT via Getty Images]

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