An HBCU grad recently got the best graduation gift that she could ask for from rapper Lil’ Baby. The Atlanta-based rapper recently paid off the student loan balance of Spelman College student Janay Lesley, also known as Nay Speaks. Lesley is an aspiring rapper with 105,000 followers on Instagram.
She posted about Lil’ Baby paying off her tuition on her Instagram account, which has gone viral and has been covered by BET and The Shade Room.
“I was a graduating senior at Spelman College. I am now a Spelman alumni. Chat, we made it across the stage. I let Lil Baby and his team know I’m a graduating senior. I’ve done what I need to do to cover my tuition, however, I have loans, and these loans need to be paid. I need help. My largest loan was exactly $24,074.97. My mom calls me today and says, “Nae, I got an email about your loans. It says that they were paid off in full.” $24,074.97. The loans are paid, chat.”
The moment was four years in the making, per the video by Lesley.
“I just want to emphasize that prayer, manifestation, delusion, all of these things hold power. I DM’d Lil Baby April 8th of 2022, y’all. 2022. I was a freshman, barely, and I said, ‘Hey, Lil Baby, can you pay my tuition?’ Y’all, it is 2026. I have got my degree. I have acquired my degree, and here comes Lil Baby to pay off my loans.”
The moment comes after she won $5,000 from rapper Belly Gang Kushington for her freestyle as a part of his scholarship challenge. Lindsey is a first-generation college student and spoke about how the $5,000 win was life-changing.
“This has been, indeed, life-changing,” she said in a quote obtained by WBUR on May 1st. “It’s also just made me feel a lot lighter as a student because I’m like, I’m covered. I’m OK.”
