Can HBCUs Save Hip Hop ?

Homecoming or Homecoonin’:
Can HBCUs Save Hip Hop?

TRUTH Minista Paul Scott

“She’s so self conscious/has no idea what she’s doin’ in college”
All Falls Down- Kanye West


On the block, he was once known as “Big Ferg,” now ,after a couple of years at Hillman College he prefers to go by his government name, Hamilton Winston Ferguson III . He no longer has time to kick it with the homies like he did back in the day. Nah, he’s too busy discussing philosophy, economics and heavy intellectual stuff with his new upwardly mobile college chums. However, every homecoming weekend you can find him in the club gettin’ tipsy and rockin’ to Rick Ross. No different than the brothers on the block he left behind....

It’s that time of year again. A time for football, elections and most importantly, college homecomings. Matter of fact, at most HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) homecoming even surpasses graduation weekend as the social event of the year.

However, the question that I have always had is, how do our institutions of “higher learning” always manage to find the lowest form of entertainment for their homecoming shows? Is there some unwritten rule that you have to get straight ig’nant every homecoming weekend ?

Don’t get me wrong. I get it. After spending four hours a day slavin’ over books in boring classes, every homecoming weekend (or in many cases, every single weekend) students feel the need to get their party on and blow off some steam. But some people have to cope with harder situations. What about the Brothers and Sisters trapped in the ‘hood who say that the reason that they walk around with a 40 and a blunt all day, with Gucci Mane blastin’ through their headphones is to escape the pain of ghetto life ?

What is sad is that Black colleges have always been viewed as the breeding grounds for future leaders who are gonna take African Americans to the next level. So why do they support rappers who are hell bent on leading our children down a path of destruction by paying them major dollars to perform at their homecoming shows every year?

Contrary to popular belief , Hip Hop artists (unless they are 50 Cent status )don’t make their money from cd sells. The newer artists make their dollars by touring clubs and college campuses. And homecoming season is their time for cashin’ in.

So although, we try to blame the current state of Hip Hop on Hen-Dog from the ‘hood who is always downloading Waka Flocka Flame cds or Lil Bobby from the ‘burb’s who gets 15 dollars from mumsy very Tuesday to vicariously rep the ‘hood through Lil Wayne, the real culprits are the college brainiacs who actually bankroll the mysogynistic, minstrel murda music.

Some like to give rappers like Chief Keef a pass, sayin’ that they are just reppin’ their hoods. Problem is, if you are reading this while chillin’ in your dorm room, listening to a Chief Keef mixtape ,you ain’t. Actually, you are guilty of exploiting the people who really have to live that way for your own entertainment pleasure.

Traditionally, college students are supposed to be representing the best hopes and aspirations of an entire race. Although many students are beatin’ people over the head this fall about how our ancestors “died for our right to vote” what about those who died for our right to read a book ? What is your responsibility to them?

This is not to say that all college students have neglected their responsibilities.

Back in 2004, a group of women at Spelman College, protested against Nelly’s Tip Drill video, causing the rapper to abort his visit to the campus instead of facing the music. Also, back in 2009, students at FAMU and NC A@T demanded to know why their student funds were going towards modern day minstrel shows.

The responsibility also rests on Black students on predominantly white college campuses ,as they also have the worst forms of Hip Hop at their homecoming events. If Black college students on these campuses allow rappers to run across stage droppin’ the N bomb all homecoming night they should not be upset when their college professors greet Biffy the next Monday morning with “ good morning Mr Armstrong, “ but give Tyrone a fist bump and say, “what up my n*****”

Can Black college students really change Hip Hop. Of course they can.

There are many examples of entertainers who became superstars based solely on the support that they received from white college campuses.( Hootie and the Blowfish being just one example.) They even created their own genre called Frat Rock. That begs the question, why have Black college students not rallied behind political Hip Hop artists that kick knowledge instead of supporting every hot new artist on the radio talkin’ nonsense? Maybe they could create a genre called HBCU Hip Hop that represents the mission statement of their schools?

Also, perhaps they could use their Hip Hop classes for forums to develop ways to use rap music as a way to make social, political and economic changes in society instead of a way to get an easy A or kill time discussing who is the greatest lyricist of all-time, Jay Z or Biggie?


Fortunately, on every campus, there is always that courageous person who is not afraid to speak the truth. There is that small group that appreciates real Hip Hop. Somewhere ,there is an underground organization that is willing to go all out, to make sure that Black children have a future. This is the movement that will bring change. And when those revolutionists link up with like minds on other campuses, you will see not only a change in Hip Hop, but the condition of the Black community ,in general.

Unfortunately, most college students are tryin’ too hard to be like “the streets” instead of inspiring the streets to be like them.

Rakim told us back in the day that “follow the leader is the title, theme task." But what happens when there are no leaders to follow?

TRUTH Minista Paul Scott’s weekly column is “This Ain’t Hip Hop,” a column for intelligent Hip Hop headz. For more information on the No Warning Shots Fired lecture series contact info@nowarningshotsfired.com or visit No Warning Shots Fired.com Follow on Twitter @truthminista

Hip Hop, Homecoming and Hoes

Hip Hop, Homecoming and Hoes:
How HBCUs Fund Gangsta Rap

Paul Scott



It's Autumn. A time when HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) across the country celebrate homecomings. It's a season of football games, marching bands and step shows. It's also a time when universities pay major dollars to rappers who act like they have never seen the inside of a classroom.

Recently, students at North Carolina A@T and FAMU protested the inclusion of Gucci Mane in their annual homecoming concerts. The students felt that with the spilling over of gang violence onto college campuses, to roll out the red carpet for one of the major purveyors of all that is wrong with Hip Hop would not be a good look.

Although the Gucci guy is still scheduled to roll into Greensboro Halloween night, because of the student protests, the university's administrators decided to take the school's name off of the marquee.

I don't know why the "Aggies" are singling out Gucci Mane since there is nothing, even remotely, unique about his Dirty South swagga and "trap tales." But I really don't care why they put Gucci on blast. The revolution against this foolishness has to start somewhere and I can think of no better place than a predominately black institute of higher learning and I can think of no better time than now.

This is not the first time that college students have taken a stand against the violence and misoginy in most commercial Hip Hop. Back in 2004, the sisters of Spelman put heat on Nelly in response to his Tip Drill video that featured a black woman's derriere being used as a credit card swiper.

But it has not happened nearly enough. While many people have looked to the teeny bopper "106 and Park " crowd to be the vanguard responsible for stopping "gangsta rap" the real responsibility lies at the feet of college students.

It is a well known fact that most entertainers don't make their money selling cds, especially in the age of youtube and Limewire but they make their spending cash via concert tours. Many of theses concerts are held in conjunction with college activities such as homecomings and spring break events.

So, in essence, it can be said that HBCU's bankroll much of the music that promotes black on black violence and the disrespect of black women.
Although, some my argue that college coeds are old enough to know the difference between the fantasy world of Hip Hop and real life, their little brothers and sisters are not. By supporting artists that promote negativity the students are helping to fund the destruction of the generation coming up behind them.

Despite the fact that some of these colleges have Hip Hop classes and frequently sponsor Hip Hop conferences that bemoan the current state of Hip Hop, unfortunately, these initiatives have not helped the students develop a workable strategy that would force Hip hop artists to produce the type of music that many college educated students profess to want.

This is not to say that white colleges are bastions of morality, by any means , as the keg parties and "girls gone wild" scenarios are things that legends are made of. So, the question that some may ask is whether black institutions should be held to higher standards.

Of course they should.

Our ancestors did not sacrifice their lives so that black students today can listen to "tha Gooch " rap about gettin' wasted.

More than that, they owe it to the future generation who should be looking to them as the ones who will finally end centuries of perpetual black misery.

Black colleges across the country should ban together and place a moratorium on the minstrelsy so prevalent in much of today's Hip Hop. The student body presidents at HBCU's should draft a "manifesto against the madness" and vow not to spend student funds to bring rappers that shame the black community to their campuses. Instead they must seek out those artists that seek to encourage young black children to strive for college yards instead of prison yards.

So, intelligent brothers and sisters of HBCU's, the choice is yours. Are you going to raise your voices against Gucci gangsta-ism or are you going to be at the next concert singin' "Freaky Gurl " at the top of your lungs? "


Paul Scott writes for No Warning Shots Fired.com. He can be reached at info@nowarningshotsfired.com or (919) 451-8283 For more information on the Intelligence Over Ignorance Campaign go to http://www.ioimovement.com/