The US Treasury Department sold off the last of its stock in the American International Group (AIG) today, ending the four-year $182 billion bailout that rescued the company.
To commemorate the occasion, Mother Jones released an exclusive video of Robert Gifford, president and CEO of AIG Global Real Estate, rapping about said bailout in a 2010 holiday party for AIG employees at Pescatore restaurant on the Upper East Side.
In the rap, set to the tune of Jay-Z’s paean to New York City, Gifford references dealing with the federal government, “cruisin’ to Tokyo, Hong Kong,” “spearin’ at Steering Committee” and “drinkin’ soju ’til I’m smoked.” The opening verse goes as follows:
Long live the AIG GRE!
Yeah I’m out that Boston, now I’m NYC, yo
Sittin’ right next to Mally-son, I’ll be hood for-eva bro!
I’m the new Sinatra, and since I made it here
I can make it anywhere, yeah they love me everywhere…
AIG GRE oversees $8.4 billion of real estate across the world. You can watch the full video below, and we mean “watch,” because you might have to hit the mute button:
In case you needed your own bailout from that experience, here’s the refrain:
Concrete jungle where attitude reigns supreme
There’s nothin’ you can’t do
Now you’re in GRE (GRE!)
Preparing business cases will make you feel brand new
Big write-offs will inspire you
Let’s hear it for GRE, GRE, GRE
Full lyrics here.
