Rapper Dee-1 visited Esperanza Academy Charter High School On October 2 as part of the Knowledge for College Tour.
“Where I come from, going to college is not the norm, but I made a decision to be different,” Dee-1 said. “College is where you go to make your dreams come true.”
The Tour is a collaboration between Dee-1 and Sallie Mae in which Dee-1 visits schools throughout the country discussing the basic financial literacy principals of attending college while incorporating his personal story and music.
Dee-1 shared parts of his journey with Esperanza’s students, including his time as a business major in college, his early career teaching middle school, and his conscious decision to save money and spend wisely to pay off his student loans. That experience eventually became the subject of his hit song “Sallie Mae Back” which he performed for the students. Dee-1 encouraged Esperanza’s upperclassmen to make college part of their future plans by taking advantage of scholarships, grants, and student loans that they could pay back.
Dee-1 is a rapper and former middle school teacher from New Orleans, LA. He has garnered national recognition in the music industry, having peaked at number 5 on Billboard’s Next Big Sound chart in March 2016. Dee-1 and Sallie Mae began their Knowledge for College partnership in 2016, touring in five states, interacting with more than 3,000 students, and giving away $95,000 to help students attend college.
