Words by: Michelle A. Dartez

Financial services company Synchrony has teamed up with Issa Rae and her label Raedio to release a 3-song mixtape, The Bankroll EP, where the songs take you on a journey towards financial responsibility.

Many know Issa Rae from her hit HBO series Insecure which is coming up on its last season soon. Music played such an important part in the shows that Issa was a part of, so it is no surprise that she created a music label. But she is so much more than the loveable personas that we see on screen. This multi-talented actress, writer, and producer has been making a lane for herself, as well as other young black creatives.

Synchrony Bank is a premier financial services company that provides customized financing programs across top industries. Two main categories that they service are the healthcare and retail industries. They aim to assist businesses to increase their sales, using up to date technology innovations, build customer loyalty, and enhance the overall customer service experience. Adapting to our current world and use of technology, Synchrony has a plugin that allows you to easily access their financial solutions from anywhere.

This collaboration may be a little surprising to some. It is not the first time that these two have partnered up for a project, though. They debuted a short film called Pay Day at the 2020 Tribeca Film Festival. The film project is like The Bankroll EP, telling the story of a young frivolous spender, who learns to save instead of spending every time she earns a paycheck.

Just like many other companies, Synchrony wanted to find a way to reach a younger audience, while also being relatable. This mixtape is a carefully curated playlist, consisting of three songs that take you on a journey from the view of young, up and coming artists. The artists featured on this EP are Latashá, Rae Khalil of Netflix’s Rhythm and Flow, Secret Jones, Amindi, and Jorge Amadeus. They were selected by Issa and her team, who already have had worked with them before.

The first song on The Bankroll EP, “Pay Out”, starts the character’s journey where they spend money without a second thought. Next is “Golden,” where the prior decisions back-fire, and they are forced to face the consequences of not being more responsible with their finances. The end of this story, and the lead song, “Raindance” shows the positive effects of developing good money habits and becoming more financially literate.

A music video was shot for “Raindance,” directed by Laurence Lamont, who is known to have worked on projects with Big Sean. The visuals for this song are so fun and colorful, showing a group of friends seeing what it is like when you make better decisions with your money. You can check out this EP on Spotify, Apple Music, and wherever you stream your music. Hopefully, this is not the last time that we see a project from Issa Rae and Synchrony.