With Howard University celebrating its 100th Homecoming celebration in 2024, Director of Bands Chancellor Mills was searching for the perfect opportunity to impact the program in his first year on the job.
College bands are equal parts technical exhibition and pageantry and HBCUs like Howard are well known for consistently raising the bar with their “Showtime” Marching Band playing everything from Thanksgiving Day Parades to NFL games to Presidential inaugurations. But how high could they go for the 100th? Enter legendary hip-hop producer Just Blaze and UPROXX, who teamed with Mills to find out in a new series made possible by State Farm.
As you can see in the first episode which kicks off the series, Mills is feeling the pressure at the start of this mission. “You only get one chance to do the 100th,” he tells our cameras. But with Just Blaze supplying a brilliant blend of bombastic beats, the big band horns and chattering tenor drum sets ease any nervousness.
Even a seasoned icon like Just Blaze – who has worked with everyone from JAY Z to to Eminem to Beyonce – is pumped to see his hits reimagined in such a unique way, telling us that this collab was something his music was made for. See for yourself and keep an eye out for further installments in this series as Mills, Just Blaze, and the Howard band amaze and astonish.
If you’ve graduated from a HBCU or visited a campus during its annual homecoming celebrations, it’s apparent that music is a significant part of HBCU culture, specifically the football game’s halftime marching band performance. A seemingly endless catalog of genres — including hip-hop, gospel, R&B, pop, and soul — is transformed into a melodic mashup that captivates the crowd almost more than the game itself.
The camaraderie among other dedicated fans in the audience is the best part of the game, from listening to the commentator’s playful remarks, to watching the majorettes perform their thoroughly practiced choreography, to enjoying the band’s funky routine that complements their euphoric sound. It’s an unmatched tradition that you can’t experience anywhere but at an HBCU football stadium.
For the marching band members, these pivotal moments inspire them to mingle music into their lives after graduation.
Raised in a family of musicians, Morgan State University graduate Malik Freeman already had the influence and willful determination to pursue the marching band at Morgan State. While Freeman and I discussed Drumline, the 2002 coming-of-age dramedy starring Nick Cannon, he mentioned that this film was a pivotal inspiration for joining a collegiate marching band.
According to Freeman, the culture of an all-Black school and competitive nature between the rival bands were accurately portrayed in the movie and led him to “wanting to be a part of that,” and it happened throughout his journey as a tenor drummer.
“It wasn’t really that dramatized, but it was like the closest thing you can get when it comes to HBCUs –- the [fraternity] organizations, the band, and the music organizations that they represented in that movie,” he said.
After graduating in 2019 with a bachelor’s degree in music education, Freeman’s connection with an old friend led to an opportunity to advance his talent in a different setting.
“[Marching band] is embedded into my DNA and my life at this point, because this year, I’m running my elementary school’s bucket drumming club,” he said. “I got this plan to put on performances and really work with these kids. I’m gonna create some cool stuff.”
In addition to teaching, Freeman is also DJing, consuming more music history, and playing in a heavy alternative band.
The former-marching-band-member-to-teacher pipeline is more common than you’d think. For example, Spelman College graduate Dianna Sanders cherishes her time as a trombone player with the members of Morehouse College’s House Of Funk, and it influences her today as a teaching assistant at Florida Atlantic University.
Sanders frequently “refers back to [her] roots from marching band at Morehouse College,” so she acknowledges that there are some clear differences between the musical style at HBCUs in comparison to her current work environment.
“[Florida Atlantic University] plays similar music because we’re a South Florida school, they’re very cultured down there,” she said. “We do play HBCU-style music in the stands, but there’s just some things I simply cannot teach them. I’m always making comparisons in my head, like there’s just something each band does better than each other, but that’s the beauty of music overall.”
During my junior year at Florida A&M University –- one of the state’s two historically Black colleges -– I enrolled in a jazz history course taught by Professor Lindsey Sarjeant. The syllabus for the semester-long class detailed the development of jazz music throughout the 19th century, and it indirectly revealed the thorough preservation of Black music that occurs at HBCUs.
Beyond this course, Sarjeant’s notability in Tallahassee arises from his work as the chief band arranger for the incomparable Marching 100, FAMU’s collegiate marching band that has accrued global praise for performances like the 2007 Super Bowl Halftime Show and the Louis Vuitton Men’s Fashion Show in Paris.
The incomparable high-energy sound that separates HBCUs and predominantly white institutions is a result of the late Dr. William P. Foster. In 1946, he was hired as the director of bands at Florida A&M University and founded the Marching 100, and his innovative contributions revolutionized all marching bands. Any viral performance that includes a modern hip-hop or R&B song is more than likely a result of Foster’s advocacy.
Interacting with a professor like Sarjeant or Foster is a testament to investing in blossoming students and historically Black music programs. Whether it’s their intention or not, a syllabus with a history of jazz, ranging from the Harlem Renaissance to the evolution of modern music, is a key factor in preserving Black history.
Like Sanders and Freeman, Alabama State University alum Ayana Cummings pursued a career in music education after marching band. Even though her mother and high school band director piqued her interest in attending Alabama State University, her musical influences derived from a drum set that her six-year-old self received for Christmas, as well as middle school and high school band.
In college, her degree focused on percussion and music composition, and her hard work in the band led to an achievement as her alma mater’s first female percussion section leader.
“All the knowledge that I have about music came through my degree in performance, as well as actually performing, and I’m able to use that to navigate through the education world,” she said. “I was percussion section leader [in college] — you’re doing a lot of teaching and a lot of explaining, and you’re responsible for a lot of people and your peers, so all of that really helped me to be comfortable in the education world.”
But what happens after graduation, when a background in marching band isn’t paired with an interest in teaching? As Freeman mentioned, it’s a disservice to not fully immerse yourself in music history, at least one post-graduate visit to homecoming, and a casual jam session with fellow musicians. My own involvement in college radio led to my interest in DJing, and the graduates I spoke to shared their future plans for film scoring, music supervision, and production.
For Edwin Mompremier, a fellow graduate from Florida A&M University, his participation in the university’s jazz band and symphonic band opened up different opportunities to perform live music in Tallahassee.
“While I was marching, I was still doing other gigs,” he said. “It ranged from being at church to playing at shows, but my first real break came when I started playing with Tallahassee Nights Live [a local jazz ensemble], and that’s when I got more exposure, met some more people, and got involved in the music scene a little bit more.”
These are just a few of the stories that demonstrate how the longstanding marching band tradition at HBCUs doesn’t just set Black college bands apart: It also keeps history alive and prepares students for greater opportunities when they graduate.
HBCU institutions have a rich music culture. Over the last few decades, its various schools across the country have helped boost the careers of numerous artists by providing a space for their music to thrive. The shortlist of artists who have seen this effect include Jeezy, Lil Boosie, Rich Homie Quan, Migos, Young Thug, Young Dolph, and more. Additionally, the importance of music can be seen through HBCU bands that are extremely important to the fabric of school life. It comes to life through big displays like the annual Battle Of The Bands competitions and smaller instances like the infamous Grambling vs. Southern rivalry football games.
With all this being said, it’s no surprise that HBCUs have also produced some of the music’s most famous artists. From legends like Lionel Richie and Common and present day stars like Megan Thee Stallion, SZA, and Metro Boomin, the spirit of HBCUs runs through a number of artists — even if their tenure at the institution was short.
Ahead of homecoming season, we decided to spotlight ten artists who have connections to an HBCU. Scroll down for the list of artists and the institutions they attended.
Megan The Stallion (Texas Southern University)
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In 2021, the same year that she went No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts for her “Savage” remix with Beyoncé, Megan Thee Stallion graduated from Texas Southern University with a Bachelor’s degree in Health Administration. During an interview with Rolling Stone in 2021, Megan spoke about being in school “for so long” and how she balanced her rap career after deciding to ramp up her semester load to finish sooner. “Every time I had an assignment or something due, one of my managers would just pull me to the side and be like, ‘Hey Megan, you know you got to do this presentation today.’ Or ‘Hey Megan, you know you got to turn this assignment in today,’” she said. “I would have not been successful this semester without my team.”
SZA (Delaware State University)
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SZA attended Delaware Statue University after graduating from high school in 2008. The singer majored in marine biology and earned straight As for her first two semesters before losing interest. In a 2023 interview with Elle, SZA opened up about her experience in college. “I’m like, ‘I told you I was smart and I proved my point. I have to leave now,’” SZA said, recalling a conversation with her mother. A few years later, the singer met TDE president Terrence “Punch” Henderson Jr., signed to the label, and the rest is history.
Metro Boomin (Morehouse College)
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Multi-platinum producer Metro Boomin spent just one semester at Atlanta’s Morehouse College before dropping out to pursue music. He spoke about the decisions that led to him leaving the school during a 2017 interview with GQ. “As grateful as I was to be there, I didn’t want to be there,” he said. “It was bittersweet, because I knew for a fact that I need to put all of my time into music. School is the same as producing: If you want to make it far, there are a million, trillion people trying to do the same thing. If you’re not in over-grind mode, it’s probably not going to work the way that you want it to.”
Rick Ross (Albany State University)
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Grammy-nominated rapper Rick Ross attended Albany State University on a football scholarship, but dropped out of school soon after. Ross’ pursuit of a music career kicked into gear at the turn of the century, and in the decades after, Ross’ ties to Albany State University have remained strong. In 2022, he spoke to students at the school for the homecoming convocation ceremony, where he told students that “the greatest job you will ever have is being CEO of your life.”
2 Chainz (Alabama State University)
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Just like Rick Ross, 2 Chainz also attended an HBCU off an athletic scholarship. His, however, was a basketball scholarship to Alabama State University. In a 2017 interview with The Daily Beast, 2 Chainz said that he left ASU after his freshman year after he “got into some trouble.” He later returned to the school to complete his degree. In another conversation, this time with Rolling Stone, 2 Chainz addressed rumors that he graduated with a 4.0 GPA. “Don’t believe anything on Wack-ipedia,” he said. “There’s a lot of false stuff on there, to the point that every time I try to fix one thing, something else comes out.”
Wale (Virginia State University & Bowie State University)
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Our collection of HBCU scholarship athletes continues with Wale. The DMV rapper initially attended Robert Morris University on a football scholarship before transferring to Virginia State University. His football career would come to an end when he transferred to another HBCU, Bowie State University, but Wale would later drop out to pursue a music career. It was at VSU that Wale discovered his musical talents. In a 2021 conversation with The Ringer, Wale recalled spitting freestyles art the school’s Foster Hall. “The guy that was across the hall from me in my dorm was like, ‘Keep going, keep going. You tight,’” he said. “People really started f*cking with me at Virginia State.”
Killer Mike (Morehouse College)
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Earlier this year, Killer Mike won his first Grammys as a lead artist for Best Rap Album with Michael and Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song with “Scientists.” Those awards came more than 20 years after Mike won his first Grammy thanks to a feature on Outkast’s “The Whole World.” That song was the result of Mike and Big Boi’s friendship which came about through Mike’s attendance of Morehouse College in the 1990s. “The deciding factor for me getting into Morehouse was probably my homeroom teacher,” Killer Mike told the Seattle Times. “He was a Morehouse man. His name was Mister Lee-Roy Arnold.”
He added, “I think [Mr. Arnold] saw something in me, because he pushed me and messed with me for five years, to the point where he bet me all my book money for the first year that I would not get into Morehouse.”
Common (Florida A&M University)
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Before Common achieved his dreams of being a successful rapper, the Chicago native was enrolled at Florida A&M University under an academic scholarship as a business administration major. Common would only stay at the school for two years before dropping out to pursue rap. In 2019, nearly 30 years after he attended, Common would be honored with a doctorate degree in fine arts and invited him to speak at that year’s commencement ceremony. In his speech, Common said that his activism, which went on to be ever-present in his music, began right at FAMU where he says his experience was unlike anything he went through in hometown of Chicago.
Erykah Badu (Grambling State University)
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Erykah Badu nearly graduated from Grambling State University with a major in theater, but she left the school in 1993 to focus on her music career. Four years later, she delivered her debut album Baduizm, a masterclass in neo-soul that’s still heralded as a classic today. In an interview with the school’s newspaper The Gramblinite, Badu recalled her time at the university. “I auditioned for several plays while at GSU at the Floyd L. Sandle Theatre,” she said. “I danced with the Orchesis and was involved in a rap group called ‘CP Posse,’ which stands for Cultural Production.”
Lionel Richie (Tuskegee Institute)
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While all the artists on this list did not experience the HBCU life until their adult years, Lionel Richie’s time at an HBCU dates back to his childhood. The legendary singer grew up on Tuskegee Institute’s campus before attending the school and earning a Bachelor’s degree in economics with a minor in accounting. “In my world growing up on campus, we were surrounded by gospel music because of the choir,” Richie said of his experience to The Austin Chronicle. “R&B music was the music they played on the college campus.”
In July 2019, the phrase “hot girl summer” went viral on social media, spawning tons of memes, tweets, and posts, all thanks to the song by the same name, written by Houston rapper Megan Thee Stallion (born Megan Pete). Writing a hit track is hard enough — but writing a track that acts as a permanent pop culture reference point while also shouting out your respect for higher learning (i.e. And who gon’ tell him that my bitch is getting her degree?)? Well, that’s basically impossible. But not for Meg.
In 2021, two years after releasing her Billboard-topping hit, Meg crossed the stage at Texas Southern University, one of the nation’s largest historically Black colleges and universities, scooping up a bachelor of science degree in health administration. She’d also foreshadowed this moment in her hit track “Thot Shit,” confidently rattling off “2021, finna graduate college,” and even took fans along for the ride with her as they celebrated her with a new viral hashtag, #MeganTheeGraduate. It was the same year she won Best New Artist at the Grammys, making it even more remarkable that despite already achieving career success, she prioritized getting her degree. And it wasn’t easy.
Meg started her studies at another HBCU near Houston, Prairie View A&M University. However, her initial plan to nab a nursing degree while on campus was put on pause when she decided to pursue a rap career, uploading freestyle videos online. Still, even after she left Prarie View she continued to study at community colleges before deciding to return to Texas Southern University. Somehow, while performing and topping charts, she found a way to take five classes in one semester, according to Rolling Stone. “Every time I had an assignment or something due, one of my managers would just pull me to the side and be like, ‘Hey Megan, you know you got to do this presentation today.’ Or ‘Hey Megan, you know you got to turn this assignment in today,’” she told the magazine. Around that same time, she tweeted to her fans (aka Hotties) reminding them of the endless possibilities education could offer them: “My college experience has been a roller coaster! I started at PV went to some community colleges in between and I’m ending at TSU. Don’t get discouraged! You can chase your dreams and your education at the same time.” Reading the thread of responses, you can see Meg’s impact. One follower responded, “You’ve been one of my biggest influences in continuing with my education while also trying to pursue my music career. I hope to get there one day, thank you so much Meg!” Another shared, “Congratulations to #MeganTheeGraduate working and being in school is NOT easy by any means. To have someone at the height of their career showing people that education is STILL valuable is something that needs to be celebrated.”
And Meg’s push for access to higher education didn’t stop with herself. In 2019, she hosted a beauty pageant with a $2,500 scholarship prize because, “I know that tuition ain’t no joke,” she told the New York Times. “So if I could do something to help somebody else, then I thought that would be nice.” She also worked with the Roc Nation School of Music, Sports & Entertainment to give out two $10,000 scholarships to women of color. Her alma mater TSU even started Thee Megan Fund, a scholarship pool to assist more hot girls in graduating. She’s also shared that her ultimate goals is to use her degree to open assisted living facilities, hiring new graduates so they can get the job experience fresh grads rarely receive. In February 2022, she launched the Pete and Thomas Foundation, named in honor of her parents. The foundation provides scholarships, school supplies, and resources to help students in under-served communities.
For Meg, keeping her late mother – who passed away in 2019 from brain cancer – and her late grandmother in the back of her head allowed her not to give up while working towards her degree. “Before they passed away, they saw me going to college and they were really hard on me about finishing college, so I was like, you know what? I’m not just doing it for myself, I’m doing it for them too. I want them to be so proud,” she told Rolling Stone. Chatting with Billboard, the Texas emcee explained why her family ties were also the reason she wanted to get her degree from an HBCU. “I feel like I’m making all of the women in my family proud,” she said. “All the women in my family went to HBCUs. I’m just going down the legacy of doing the same thing of fully college-educated women. I definitely just had to keep making them proud, and I had to make myself proud. I had to prove to myself that I can finish it, and I did even in the middle of my chaotic life. I just also wanted to show the Hotties that you can do whatever you put your mind to. So I’m super proud to have graduated from an HBCU.”
Meg’s been putting those smarts to great use. Earlier this year, she linked a historic deal with Warner Music Group, that will allow her full rights as an independent musician while also having access to the music company’s global services, ranging from radio promotion to marketing worldwide. Now, all Meg’s music is released through Hot Girl Productions – her independent music and entertainment entity. The deal also gave her full creative freedom over her music releases.
Going from Grammy winner to graduate may have not been an easy task for the Head Hottie, but she’s continuing to use her HBCU education to inspire her fans, beyond her music. As she told her millions of followers after her commencement ceremony: “I want y’all to remember that you can do whatever you wanna do and be whoever you wanna be, cause look at me!”
Bands at HBCU Homecomings are a cornerstone of the celebration, embodying the spirit, culture, and tradition of these institutions. Known for their high-energy performances, intricate choreography, and powerful music, HBCU bands play a vital role in creating an electric atmosphere that unites alumni, students, and the community. They do more than just perform; they tell the story of the school’s history and pride through every beat, step, and melody. These bands are a source of inspiration, showcasing the rich heritage and artistic excellence of HBCUs, making Homecomings an unforgettable experience that goes beyond just a football game.
There are always different experiences at Homecoming when you ask the “bandheads”, those students that were in the band and love nothing as much as band performances. Jabari Johnson, a former member of the Mighty Marching Hornet Band of Alabama State and certified “bandhead”, says the approach to Homecoming from the band’s perspective is about celebrating across generations. “It’s dependent on how the different Student Government Associations would like to incorporate their festivities, along with the time constraints the bands have now. The mentality of the band at Homecoming is not as aggressive as ‘Classic’ games due to tradition.”
HBCU Classic football games are special matchups between historically Black colleges and universities, often featuring long-standing rivalries and celebrated traditions – like Grambling vs. Southern in the Bayou Classic. They typically are held at neutral site venues and are large events in their own right, but have a different vibe than Homecoming. For Homecoming, there are a great number of people you have to account for, and to a degree appease, because of the number of people that come back to celebrate and the personal nature of what Homecoming represents. Johnson went on to add from his experiences as a member that most bands, including his, would “pay homage to the ‘old school’ within the show, possibly [with] an Alumni Band, spell the University’s name, a ‘special guest’ performance, or old school dance routine, and then get back to battling in the stands.”
Just like HBCUs in general, each band comes in different shapes, sizes, and styles. While the focus is often on the big-name bands like the Human Jukebox at Southern or the Marching 100 at Florida A&M, the band still shows out at Homecoming for smaller institutions too. I recently spoke with Torre C. Goodson, Interim Director of Bands at Clark-Atlanta University, about the “Mighty Marching Panthers” perspective during such a festive and important time for HBCUs. When asked about the mentality and approach of the band at Homecoming considering what it represents to HBCU students and alums, Goodson spoke to that same unique balance of the past and present at Homecoming as Johnson.
“Football Homecoming is a cornerstone of the HBCU experience; our primary mentality is that we have a legacy to honor, enhance, and elevate. There’s a two-pronged approach to our contribution to the Homecoming experience: enhancing the current students’ collegiate experience and providing the alumni with an opportunity to reminisce on an integral part of their life. We make it a point to prepare music that is relevant to the current atmosphere and culture as well as providing consistency for the returning alum. It’s a very busy week for the band in general: there are on campus events to perform for, alumni take the time to come back and engage with the current students, and it provides us with an opportunity to reflect on the legacy of those that came before us.”
There is also a concerted effort to bridge the gap with that engagement musically. As Johnson noted, there’s an “old school” element to Homecoming shows, but the bands will also mix in hits from today. Hugh Douglas spoke with us for our previous piece about how the football team loves hearing the latest songs from the band while playing and how that impacted his play. I guarantee you this year because of the popularity, Kendrick Lamar’s hit song “Not Like Us” will be blaring through instruments all Homecoming season
Whether at the biggest programs or smaller Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Director Goodson’s perspective reminds us how the bands play a central role in the Homecoming experience, embodying the spirit and pride of their institutions. Though these schools may not have the vast resources of larger universities, their bands are no less passionate or impressive. These ensembles pour heart and soul into their performances, delivering electrifying halftime shows that blend traditional marching band precision with vibrant, contemporary music. Their performances are a source of pride for the entire community, uniting alumni, students, and local supporters in a celebration of culture, history, and school spirit.
The bands at these smaller HBCUs often become the highlight of Homecoming, showcasing their talent and creativity in a way that resonates deeply with everyone in attendance. However, there is a pressure that comes along with the expectation to be one of the most memorable parts of the Homecoming experience, and Director Goodson spoke to how they try to embrace that pressure.
“There is definitely an extra pressure to perform. Homecoming is a time where the alumni-people who have done this before and given their blood sweat and tears to do so and are able to observe and revel in their collegiate experience. As a bandsman, there is tremendous pressure to not let the alumni down. These are people that come and give back to the program and the University, and you always want your stakeholders to feel pride and see the return on their investment. But when it comes to the Mighty Marching Panthers, we stay ready so we don’t have to get ready. The pressure is palpable, but it’s not anything we aren’t prepared for.”
HBCU bands at Homecoming are more than just musical ensembles; they are a vital cultural force that brings together generations of alumni, students, and communities in celebration of tradition, pride, and excellence. Their electrifying performances, marked by precision, creativity, and energy, elevate the Homecoming experience beyond a football game, turning it into a dynamic display of artistry and unity. From the pulsating rhythms of the drumline to the high-stepping majorettes, HBCU bands embody the spirit of their schools, carrying forward a legacy of empowerment, resilience, and joy. Their presence at Homecoming showcases the rich cultural heritage of historically Black colleges and universities, creating memories that resonate for a lifetime.
Nobody has a better front-row perspective to the growth and development of pop music — and how it affects pop culture — than DJs. As the party controllers, they are the ones who set the vibes, yes, but they also get to see trends as they play out in real time. Sometimes, they’re even the ones sparking those trends.
In much the same way, so much of American culture has come from the Black experience: jazz, rock & roll, hip-hop, and dance music all started in music halls and underground venues catering to a Black American clientele that was often barred from more mainstream spaces.
One of the spaces that Black folks were kept out of was higher education. And so, as we found juke joints and empty rec rooms to develop jazz and launch hip-hop, Historically Black Colleges and Universities became cultural hot spots, where new movements in politics and art were nurtured and primed to change the course of American history.
In looking to gain some new insights and perspectives on how HBCUs have impacted America’s various party scenes, there was no better resource to turn to than LA native DJ R-Tistic. A veteran of the DJ scene, playing everything from local weekly residencies to corporate gigs to Coachella, R-Tistic has seen every kind of party imaginable. And, as a graduate of Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University — also known as Florida A&M or FAMU — he’s got the unique experience of seeing how Black student life can have an outsized impact on social and cultural standards, even hundreds of miles away.
Can you tell me a little bit about what your experience at FAMU was like and how that has informed your approach to your craft today?
I didn’t start DJing until I got there and I was… Plugging in my laptop. Initially I didn’t even plan to be a DJ. It was more so, it just happened throughout time. But I would say it influences it in so many ways because the main thing is that everybody’s coming from somewhere different. So at that time, this is the mid-2000s, when I feel like everybody’s music was so different. You can argue and say that it’s still different sounds now, but overall we know it’s a lot more similar. Back then, St. Louis had Chingy and J-Kwon and Nelly versus LA having Snoop and Game. And even The Bay sounded different from LA back then.
My first time doing a New Orleans party, they were like, “But you from LA. You don’t know our real music. All you know is Lil Wayne. We wanna hear Webbie.” At a HBCU, I think everybody comes in as a freshman kind of arrogant because it’s like, you coming from whatever city you came from. You think your city’s the best. I got there playing Bad Azz and Eastsidaz and Suga Free, and they’re like, “Why you playing this happy music?” Harlem dudes are playing all Dipset. And even Harlem and Brooklyn going at it, talking about Dipset versus Jay-Z or the Philly dudes and D Bloc. So I feel like it was just the fact that we had so many different styles, and we got to really meet people and see how they reacted to it.
I remember it was a group called Dude ‘n Nem, they had a song called “Watch My Feet.”
Juke, juke, juke, juke!
I would’ve had no idea what it was. It would’ve sounded foreign to my ears if I was just in LA hearing it because I was out there, and I heard, “Bang, bang, bang, skeet, skeet, skeet, and let me bang.” It made sense when I heard it. So it’s just the fact that you hear so many different varieties [at HBCUs].
I think over time, as the blogosphere moved in, that replaced that in-person experience.
In some ways it did. It is still different because even when I go back now, you’ll still hear more regional music. For FAMU specifically, it’s different only in that because of the cost of everything, I don’t think there’s as many out-of-state students as it used to be when I was there. Whenever I go to the Hood clubs out there now just to check in, I do hear a lot more of the southern music and just Florida music than I hear the other sounds. The blog area and social media and streaming, it did kind of homogenize things to an extent, but you still will get a different variety.
A lot of those artists had sounds that didn’t match where they were from. Even Kendrick. People argue now that “Not Like Us” is his first LA song. [Writer’s Note: Those people are SUPER wrong.] I get what they mean because “Swimming Pools” and those songs did not have a traditional West Coast sound. I think they grew up in the era where they didn’t really have as much of a direct connection to that regional sound. So they made music that appealed based on what they grew up watching on 106 & Park versus what was really local.
How did the melting pot aspect of going to an HBCU help those artists break through, then?
We had a showcase called “Rep Your City,” where each city had their own two minutes to play their regional song and do a dance. So Chicago did “Bang Bang Bang Skeet Skeet.” We might’ve did a “Wrong Idea” or something like that. We crip up. The Bay had a little hyphy moment. Everybody had their own little moments. And some people got booed. They booed us just because it was like, “What is this LA music?”
A lot of folks are still stuck in whatever their region is into. Freshman year, everybody gravitates toward what city they’re from, and that’s your whole identity. So I think that, that flattening happens at HBCUs because after a couple of years you start meeting friends from different places.
I always wondered what kind of role the HBCU college scene played in accelerating or even in breaking things. Because a lot of times people would come back from school, and they would know what song was about to hit even before it hit on a national level. It almost feels like that’s the spot where everything starts. As much as we talk about “Black people generate culture in America,” I feel like that’s the microcosm.
Yeah, for sure. I remember bringing K-Wang back to LA in ’02, ’03 first time I heard it and I couldn’t dance to it, but people just liked the beat. And then I didn’t hear it to get in LA until ’08. And now it’s crazy because it’s a whole line dance to it. I think a lot of times it did accelerate things, because I remember even in high school when my boy, his older brother was at Morehouse, and he told me, he was like, “Hey, Jay-Z got a song with Twista called, ‘Is That Your Bitch?’ And Missy’s on there too.”
I had a homie who went to Clark, and once he got to Clark, all he liked was Atlanta music. So he got back, he was playing Bone Crusher and Drama and Pastor Troy in LA. I realized that a lot of the major DJs around the country are from HBCUs, from Young Guru to Drama and Cannon and Jae Murphy.
There’s been talk of whether HBCUs are still relevant. Politically, there have been a lot of arguments against HBCUs that have gotten louder. What do you see as the primary benefit beyond music, beyond anything else, of having HBCUs as not just learning institutions, but as cultural centers, as places that are for us in the climate that we currently exist in?
It’s an argument that I feel like anybody who even questions why they exist, they’re already going to be turned off and not really open to hearing the true answer. One argument is always that the real world isn’t all Black, but nobody white would ever tell somebody white to not go to Harvard or Yale or any other school that’s 70% or 90% white. “Don’t go there because that’s not diverse.” You never hear that.
For us going into the real world, it made no difference. Once I graduated, I realized that it made no difference because the only difference between us and other folks is when it comes to cultural references. That means we might have a joke about The Wood, they might have a joke about Breakfast Club. But even with that, we can watch a movie. We can learn “Don’t Stop Believin’.”
It’s more so them just realizing that Black students might not have the same advantages to begin with. So I had classes where the actual professor called me one night at 1:00 AM on a Thursday, like, “Hey Ron, you didn’t turn in these four assignments. Hey, if you don’t turn those in, you might not pass.”
And that’s 1:00 AM on Thursday. I spent until 7:00 AM working on that and turned it in. And it’s like that type of experience wouldn’t happen at a white school at all. I doubt it would. Maybe it would, but I doubt that because it was a Black teacher who felt like I was his nephew.
Right. He was trying to get you through the class, graduated from the school, so that you’re in a position where, okay, if you’re going to sink or swim, but at least get you on that platform first.
