ALBANY, N.Y. -- It's a rap video catching the eyes and ears of SUNY students and beyond. It's not everyday you hear a rapper spitting lyrics about affordable college and getting a great education, but that's exactly what UAlbany grad, and rap artist B. Martin did in his SUNY Rap Anthem video.
"We know that students are on the Internet. We know that music is a great medium to connect with students so this was a perfect fit in terms of reach," said Cheri Perrillo with SUNY enrollment services.
Reaching is what the video seems to be doing. It's now a youtube sensation, with tens of thousands of views and counting. It was shot at UAlbany and the SUNY building in downtown Albany. UAlbany students make up the majority of the almost pop like anthem.
"I thought it was pretty catchy. I thought it was cool," said UAlbany junior, Ike Ogbtor.
The viral video played all over campus Friday, and students liking it or not just couldn't get the lyrics out of their heads.
"It's a very catchy song. I was singing it the entire day after I heard it," said UAlbany junior, Matthew Taylor.
"He said he went here. He got his act together. He did his school work and what he had to do and now he's making a living singing," said UAlbany student, Natalie.
Rapper B. Martin says the lyrics came naturally as he recalled his time at UAlbany.
"College is something that everybody should consider an option for them because it really enriched my life and secondly if they do have the opportunity to go to a SUNY school because it's definitely more affordable," said B. Martin.
Although some students thought a rap song wasn't the right fit for SUNY.
"More of comic relief than anything I feel like," said Taylor.
B. Martin says the message is what's important.
"I really truly believe that the lyrical content is what matters within a piece of work so I think the lyrical content is saying the right thing," said B. Martin.
The State University of New York says it spent around $3,000 to help pay for the video production. It also says the video will be shown at events all over the state.
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