Since then, he has become one of the most well-rounded creatives in the business by excelling in music and entertainment. It used to be filled with a love for drama and plays. Rappers Who Went To College and What They Studied . Answer (1 of 20): Offering a few lesser known but cool artists that attended or graduated from Ivies. One persons journey to the top of the rap game may be the complete opposite of the direction another chose to take. Ryan Leslie, also known asCastor Troy, was born on September 25, 1978 in Washington D.C., and is a Harvard University (BS) graduate. Artists are ranked not according to their skills, but according to the Consensus score of their alma mater. John made his television debut appearing on The Daily Show With John Stewart to promote his book. Aleksia is a Boston-based freelance writer, content strategist, and the outspoken owner of two chihuahuas. With Drayton who called himself Flava Flav, and worked moving furniture for Chucks fathers business Chuck recorded a single called Public Enemy Number One. The rest is history. Albany State University is a four-year, state-supported, historically black university located in Albany, Georgia, United States. How Important is the LSAT to Law School Admissions? Donald Glover graduated in 2006 and went on to land his first network television job straight out of college. At the time, LL Cool J said:"For them to recognize my body of work and my contributions to the world of art is an amazing feeling.". J. Cole Before he became on of Roc Nations leading rappers he attended and graduated graduating Queens St. Johns University with honors. However, like many other musicians on this list, Carlton didn't wind up with a Columbia degree. Despite toting little Megan to recording sessions when she didnt have childcare, Thomas had one requirement when Megan wanted to become a rapper wait until youre 21. Are you the "hip hop expert" on your trivia team? While that foundation may have given Guru the business sense to keep Gang Starr in the black, it was his rhymes, combined with the influential beats of DJ Premier (who attended Prairie View A&M University), that made the duo legends in the underground. John F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1963. What rapper dropped out of Harvard? Majoring in hip-hop isnt even one of the most unusual college degrees anymore. 4. RJ Hunter. He graduated and got a job as a Correctional Officer. Who was the youngest person to graduate from Harvard? David Banner David Banner studied business at Southern University in Baton Rouge, La. We love you, Cube! February 27, 2019 | 12:36am ET. Lil Peep was an American rapper and musician, who died on November 15, 2017, at the age 21 following an overdose. His stand up usually consists of him using a series of one-liners and large pads with comedic drawing on them, as well as playing the guitar and numerous other instruments. College: Southern University and A&M College, later attending University of Maryland Eastern Shore to pursue a Masters in Education (left the latter to pursue music full-time). It was while studying theater at NYU that Mos Def stepped, almost accidentally, into hip-hop. His first stand up performances were done at the theater to warm up crowds before plays. Education: Bachelor's in Government (concentration in Political Science and Macroeconomics) from Harvard College. Matt Damon studied English and Theater at Harvard University from 1988 to 1992, but he did not graduate. 91 Law School afterachieving a near-perfect score on his Law School Admission Test. Obviously, hip-hop worked out for Ice Cube. Before they were selling out shows and dishing out bars, a number of rappers spent their time hitting the books. After that Bill began working his way up the ladder from doing stand up at Chinese food restaurants in upstate New York, to becoming the house emcee at the famous New York comedy club To Catch A Rising Star. Young MC earned a degree in economics from the University of Southern California. Copyright 2023 Interactive One, LLC. In this REVOLT Black News Weekly segment, Skye Townsend and Gabrielle Dennis discuss the upcoming A post shared by Gang Starr 4ever (@gangstarr4ever), A post shared by Phonte Coleman (@phontigallo), 2 Alabama teens tragically killed on prom night after colliding with a semitruck, Portland students stage walkout over Black teachers facing harsh disciplinary action, Sean "Diddy" Combs blazes Coachella stage with Metro Boomin, The Weeknd, and 21 Savage, Parents claim Georgia teacher allowed students to harass Black teen: "How much for your monkey? J. Cole graduated Summa Cum Laude from St. John's University in 2007. The thing is, people sense when you have the least bit of anger or hate towards a group. While there, she participated in several organizations including the Hasty Pudding Theatricals, Harvard Radcliffe Dramatic Club, Harvard Opportunes, and the Black Students Association. In 2018, Chance the Rapper was awarded with an honorary doctorate from Dillard University. Now the multitalented and super-smart Alicia Keys is a 15-time Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter/producer, an accomplished actress, a NY Times best-selling author, and an entrepreneur. As exemplified in his first three albums, he famously dropped out of Chicago State University and went on to explore an education of his own making. Oh, and dont forget Childish Gambino, his hip-hop alter-ego. He could battle with the best of them, too, and boasted about his brilliance with confidence. Waka Flocka Harvard graduates went on to found disruptive companies, invent new technologies, discover new. According to Tyra Banks, she just didn't have the vocal chops to pull it off. M.I.A. College: School of the Art Institute of Chicago. How's that for school spirit? If you can see this in a web browser, it means you managed to install Nikola, and build a site using it. The one hitch that stopped her from singer stardom? College: Alabama State University / Virginia State University. Talib Kweli College: New York University Degree: Theater Even thugs go to school. Ellie Kemper graduated from Princeton University Conan left SNL in 1991 to join the writing staff of The Simpsons. Okay, so academics isnt the first thing you think of when you think of the artist behind Chicken-n-Beer and Act a Fool, but Ludacris is a man of many surprises. The Greatest Women in Music, 1980s to Today, The Best Bands & Artists That Start With Y, The Best Rappers To Listen To If You Like J. Cole, Current Singers You Most Wish You Could Sound Like, These Poetic Geniuses Wrote Your Favorite Songs of All Time. Her work ethic continued to show in 2011 when she got two sitcoms picked up by broadcast networks and was an executive producer on both shows. See our privacy policy. While Bun B has been providing wisdom at Rice Universitys School of the Humanities with Hip-Hop and Religion lessons since 2013, artists such as Beyonc, the Wu-Tang Clan, Nas, Kanye West and Master P have all found themselves at the center of courses that students can take at the collegiate level. Kempers first big break was participating in a K-mart commercial about tents where a spider crawls across her face. In interviews, Ice Cube has attributed his systematic planning to his architectural training, and it has served him well as he has built a three-decade career that has spanned from rap to acting to movie producing. 10. Are you surprised that so many rappers have degrees? In the process, she alsodrew some ire andcondescensionfrom members of Harvard College. Known as half of the iconic group Gang Starr, Guru studied at Morehouse and earned a degree in Business Administration. Your email address will not be published. Novak and John Updike. 8. Daveywavey holds a ball. 93 in 2002 with a bachelors degree in English. Real Name: Anthony Ryan Leslie. Ludacris earned his degree in music management, which was a move that helped him launch his own label, Disturbing tha Peace, in 2000, and pave the way for longevity in the music business. Shonda Rhimes- Dartmouth Source:Evan Agostini/Invision/AP 7. He was a member of the football team, a fraternity brother, and majored in finance and marketing. Meanwhile, hip-hop has become a serious field of academic study consider producer 9th Wonders residency atNorth Carolina Central University, or theHarvard University Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, United States. As a radio communications major, Flavor Flav laid a foundation for a career that would evolve into being an entertainer and reality TV star. Some social media users criticized and attacked Jazz for getting into Harvard because they think that she's not competent enough to be . In the early 2000s, Carlton chased fame by singing in bars across New York City, and dropped out of Columbia to wait tables while she tried for her big break. Along with numerous television credits, she has quite the writing resume as well, regularly contributing to The Onion and The Huffington Post. A post shared by Gang Starr 4ever (@gangstarr4ever) on Apr 19, 2019 at 5:37am PDT. NOTE: Ice Cube gets Honorable Mention only because the technical school he attended no longer exists. Lauryn Hill released her first solo album, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, in 1998 to critical and popular acclaim. Diddy, Howard Univ. 75. RELATED: TV Starts You Didn't Know Went to Ivy League Schools. Degree: Theater,New York University Conan O'Brien graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University in 1985. He made a mark on the comedy world by inventing a new genre of observational comedy: the type of comedy that doesnt seek to change anyones mind or provides some higher message, just point at things we experience on day to day and ask Whats the deal?. Howard University is a federally chartered, private, coeducational, nonsectarian, historically black university in Washington, D.C. Founded in 1913, it is one of the University System of Georgias four research universities. In the spirit of graduation season, there are dozens of rappers to salute for their choice to go to college and experience all that comes along with enrolling. So yes, Ludacris wrote Move B- and Freaky Thangs, but he also graduated with honors from Georgia State and built a business empire estimated at $25 million. Like his mother he majored in English. One of the most admired MCs of his generation, Dante Smith aka Mos Def aka Yasiin Bey is known for his socially-conscious lyrics, his restless reinvention, and his distinctive drawl. One of the best rappers with college degrees, Kweli comes by his verbal dexterity honestly, growing up in a highly literate family that includes an English professor (his mother), a college administrator and sociologist (his father), and a law professor (his brother). In 1994, Campbell lost a lawsuit to the musician, with a judge ordering him to pay out $1.6 million, including nearly $700,000 in withheld royalties. Cole was the kind of kid who seemed to excel at everything he did an honors student, first chair violinist in his high school orchestra and if he wasnt immediately good at something, he worked at it; after being cut from the high school basketball team in his freshman and sophomore years, Cole practiced until he was a starter in his senior year. J. Conan O'Brien graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University in 1985. After years of grinding it out in New York City, he was featured on the Comedy Central showcase Premium Blend. From Kanye to Kweli, here are 10 rappers who attended college. . Daveywavey Daveywavey went to Seton Hall University in New Jersey, a Roman Catholic university - as an openly gay man. Chuck D Public Enemy number 1. Jay Zs first protege at his Roc Nation record label, J. Cole is a Renaissance man of the hip-hop craft, a student of the genre and a creator as adept behind the boards as he is behind the mic. The actress graduated from Harvard University with an A.B. His dedication to the arts remains intact, even raising speculation on Twitter after a series of tweets alluded to him wanting to try his hand at teaching in the near future. Allen kept busy during his years as an Ivy League undergraduate. 87Image Source: Lyrics Wiki. Harvard has produced numerous writers for Saturday Night Live and other television shows. The young rapper's new self-titled album, Lil Pump, is ready for streaming on iTunes and features rappers Smokepurpp, Rick Ross, Chief Keef, 2 Chainz, and Gucci Mane. 93 and received a masters degree in Drama in 1977. He attended Adelphi University and majored in Graphic Design. Whitney Cummings isnt the only prodigy to come out of the University of Pennsylvania M.I.A. The University of Central Florida, or UCF, is an American metropolitan public research university in Orlando, Florida. Ja Rule can now be called a Harvard grad. As a kid, Kweli wrote poetry and stories, getting into rapping only because it was a way for him to be popular in school, but, as with Mos Def, music was largely an afterthought. His appearance was a huge success and John was a fan of the book. He understood that education was a good investment and the networking and interactions will help you later in life. Bill Mahers satirical commentary landed him a role as a host of a late-night political talk show called Politically Incorrect. Whitneys mark on show business definitely earns her a rightful place at the famous alumni table. Campbell hadn't forked over the money by 1995, so Jones placed a lien on some choice Miami property Campbell owned, which would lead to a sale to pay off the legal debt. However, when Megan began posting freestyles to YouTube and Instagram, and destroying local rappers in the cypher, fame wasnt far behind. Rah Digga Rah Digga is a legendary female rapper who attended New Jersey Institute of Technology. One of his Harvard roommates was future Vice-President Al Gore. Ive just been dragged along by fate. of Linguistics and Psychology from USC. Maryland rapper IDK will teach a tuition-free music business seminar at Harvard for BIPOC students this August. She decided to drop out in 1996 to focus on music after all, why get a degree when youve sold $17 million worth of records? 81Image Source: Monstercat Wiki. She released her first comedy special on DVD entitled Take It Like A Man in 2006. Advertisement. Hired by Dr. Dre to write rhymes for his group, the World Class Wreckin Cru, Cube went on to partner with Dre, Eazy-E, and MC Ren as N.W.A., trading in glitzy party records for a hard-hitting, street-reportage style. And 2022 will find her back at USC, this time as a guest lecturer in the entrepreneurship department! One of the most influential Southern rappers of all time, Ludacris made his career on a combination of earworm hooks, inventive videos, and an image that was tough enough to maintain street cred, but comical enough to be relatable to a wide range of fans. In 2008, Lil Wayne was awarded with an honorary degree from the University of Houston. Lil Pump's New Album. When Glover returned to music in 2008, with his first mixtape, the Dirty South-influenced Gambino project was supposed to be a more personal, non-commercial way to express himself during professional frustrations (he would leave Community shortly after). A straight-A student throughout high-school, Hill received a scholarship to this New York Ivy League institution. Alicia Keys was signedby Columbia Records at only 15 years old. Master P. Master P. Changed the game in the 90s and made way for rappers to get paid multi-million dollar deals due to him being one of the first rappers to get large amounts of cash from Universal Records. Comedians sometimes play dumb, but they are typically highly intelligent people. After Simon& Garfunkel's initial lukewarm reception in the music industry, Garfunkel went to Columbia. Despite the misspelled title of his new album, Lil Pump did not drop out of Harvard. M.I.A. 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