Hip-hop has been associated with African Americans and Hispanics since the 1970s. Hip hop culture gave them a voice, a way to express their frustrations with the system. It was also a way to channel out their culture and creativity through rap music and disc jockeying; and their art through graffiti. Hip hop – especially the music aspect has now become a globally recognized and accepted phenomenon proving to me a source of great wealth to the artistes.
Regardless of its growth, the origin of hip hop in the ghettos has not been forgotten, with artistes shooting music videos showing their so called ‘gangsta’ sides, and using lyrics that show the tough life. Due to this most people believe that despite the money these artistes get, they are uncultured and just from the ghetto with little or no education to boot. Well, quite a number of them did get a serious education- even went to college.
Rapper Common, previously known as Common Sense, graduated from Florida A&M University with a degree in Business Administration. He however does not fit the usual ‘stereotype’ of a rapper. Common is always calm and collected, his lyrics and diction showing his education level.
Popular rapper and actor Ludacris studied Music Management at Georgia State University where he graduated Summa Cum Laude. With his credentials to back him up, he successfully co-founded a record label (Disturbing the peace).
The real shocker was old school legend Flavor Flav, who now stars in his reality show (The flavor of love). Flav graduated from Adelphi University back in the 1980s although the details as to what he specialized in are scarce. Some rappers have even graduated TWICE! David Banner is a fine example of this. He has a bachelor’s degree in business and Master of Arts degree in teaching.
Others who attended college but did not graduate include industry headliner Lil Wayne and Plies who surprisingly studied nursing. So the next time anyone wants to put down rappers as uneducated, please for your own sake THINK TWICE!