It's one of the hottest topics among politicians. It lingers like a bad stench on college campuses around the nation. Once it finds you, you might be trapped for years. In fact, it's probably on the back of your mind at this very moment: student loan debt.
Americans have over $1.2 trillion in student loan debt, and that price tag is only growing. If you'd like a nice sense of impending doom, you can watch that number climb by an estimated $2,726.27 every second on the National Student Loan Debt Clock. It's obvious something needs to be done. Can we rely on political pundits who espouse a debt-free college system or student loan forgiveness? No. Our generation of poor, debt-burdened students needs an anthem. We need a musical hero to show us the way to a happy, debt-free life. That hero, my friends, is Mr. Dee-1.
"Sallie Mae Back" is a liberating compositional masterpiece to inspire a generation. Dee-1, who wrote and performed the song, paid off his loans with a cash advance from the record company with which he just signed. Dee-1 told CNN, "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... With this advance, I wanted to break the stereotypes of how people normally spend them — and get out of debt."
Sallie Mae is a financial company that specializes in education loans. With Sallie Mae's service garnering a measly one-star rating on Consumer Affairs, it's easy to see how Dee-1's break-up song to his student debt could strike a chord with the nearly 70 percent of American bachelor's degree recipients in debt.
Here are Dee-1's lyrics in all of their debt-free glory:
[Intro]
I finished 2x
[Hook]
For those that doubted me yeah this is payback
And I been on my grizzy (yeah) since way back
And no sir and I don't drive a Maybach
But guess what I did?
I finished paying Sallie Mae back Mae back
I finished paying Sallie Mae back Mae back
I finished paying Sallie Mae back Mae back
I finished paying Sallie Mae back Mae back
[Verse]
Huh 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 memorized I hit ignore quick
Needed tuition Needed room and board
Had To pay for books so I took out loans to feed the boy
Graduated wasn't making quite enough to pay em back
Went in default messed my credit up check my Equifax
I ain't proud of that I'm more proud that I drown in that
I got 2 jobs really got on my grind
No time to whine i can't ride the pine
In the game right now my time to shine
Started paying them loans back one at a time
Got them down down down
Down down down down down till I payed them all off
Peace sign
[Hook]
For those that doubted me yeah this is payback
And I been on my grizzy (yeah) since way back
And no sir and I don't drive a Maybach
But guess what I did?
I finished paying Sallie Mae back Mae back
I finished paying Sallie Mae back Mae back
I finished paying Sallie Mae back Mae back
I finished paying Sallie Mae back Mae back
[2nd Verse]
Walk inside my crib (yeah) you know I just had a long day
Just got off of work that got me drove my boss kept me late
Walk inside the kitchen grab a dish and then I fix a plate
Red Beans and rice on a Monday
Then I sit down on the sofa grab the remote and turn on the news
Open up my laptop kick kick kick Kick kick off my shoes
I see that I got a email from Sallie Mae
Did another month pass that I forgot to pay?
Oh no hope this email ain’t wrong
It say congratulations on paying back your student loans
I took a screen shot, boy I had to save that
Then I hit my homeboy like
[hook]
I finished paying Sallie Mae back Mae back
I finished paying Sallie Mae back Mae back
I finished paying Sallie Mae back Mae back
I finished paying Sallie Mae back Mae back
[Bridge]
Look is it $40,000 $50,000 $60,000 or maybe it's more
Is it $80,000 $90,000 $100,000 how much do you owe her
Is it $40,000 $50,000 $60,000 or maybe it's more is it
$80,000 $90,000 $100,000 how much do you owe her
[Hook]
For those that doubted me yeah this is payback
And I been on my grizzy (yeah) since way back
And no sir and I don't drive a Maybach
But guess what I did?
I finished paying Sallie Mae back Mae back
I finished paying Sallie Mae back Mae back
I finished paying Sallie Mae back Mae back
I finished paying Sallie Mae back Mae back
