Lil Baby Clears $24K In Student Debt For Recent Spelman Graduate
Lesley reflected on her choice to contact the Grammy-winning rapper, despite the slim chances of success.
Black News 
Rapper Lil Baby received online praise after reportedly paying off more than $24,000 in student loan debt for a recent Spelman College graduate. This fulfilled a request she made years ago when she started her college journey, HBCU Gameday reports.
The recipient, Janay Lesley, is a first-generation college graduate, an aspiring rapper, and an advocate living with sickle cell disease. Lesley reached out to the Atlanta-based artist in April 2022, shortly after enrolling at Spelman College, asking for help with her educational costs.
In a video about the experience, Lesley reflected on her choice to contact the Grammy-winning rapper, despite the slim chances of success. “They say you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take,” she said, recalling the long journey that began with a direct message sent during her freshman year.
“I was a freshman, barely,” she reflected. “And I said, ‘Hey Lil Baby, can you pay my tuition?’”
The breakthrough happened after Lesley completed her degree. She said her mother called her with unexpected news about her student loans.
“My mom calls me today and says, ‘Nay, I got an email about your loans,'” Lesley said. “‘It says that they were paid off in full.'”
Lesley explained that her remaining student loan balance was $24,074.97 before it was cleared. “The loans are paid,” she said in the video, celebrating the moment with her followers.
This story has resonated with many current students and recent graduates facing the financial challenges of higher education. Lesley described the experience as a lesson in perseverance and belief, noting that four years passed between her initial request and the payoff.
“I just want to emphasize that prayer, manifestation, delusion, all of these things hold power. It is 2026. I have got my degree. And here comes Lil Baby to pay off my loans,” she concluded.
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