TIAA has joined forces with The Martin Agency to bring light on the importance of saving up for retirement, enlisting renowned artist Wyclef Jean to drop a fresh new rap track, "Paper Right."
According to a report cited by the retirement company, 54% of Black Americans lack the financial cushion needed to uphold their standard of living in retirement.
Furthermore, an estimated 41% of young adults between ages 24 and 35 do not contribute to their employer-sponsored retirement plan.
"Paper Right" serves as a wake-up call to combat retirement inequalities and improve financial literacy, contributing to a more secure future for all.
Wyclef Jean shared that TIAA approached him with the idea to "remix the definition of retirement as a word," reflecting on the evolving perceptions of the term.
"When I was on the come up and [whenever] we heard that word, we were like, 'Oh, somebody’s going to go to Miami and they’re going to chill on the beach and die.' And now it is very important because the word would start with my daughter once she's like 11 or 12," the rapper explained.
Jean played an important role in curating a diverse lineup of artists including Pusha T, Lola Brooke, Capella Grey and Flau’jae, to ensure the message resonates across a broad spectrum of audiences.
In an era where he can be discerning about his projects, Jean said: "I have a term… At this point, we play for legacy."
"In playing for legacy, you're selective in the idea of pushing the needle forward and selective in the sense of, if you see something up ahead [i.e. lack of retirement planning] that’s going to damage a generation that's younger than you, echo that," he added.
Proceeds from the song's streams will support First Generation Investors (FGI), a nonprofit committed to educating high school students on investing literacy.