Who's playin' whom? Overwhelming influence of hip-hop culture, rap music on HBCU campuses concerns students, faculty

Black Issues in Higher Education, April 22, 2004 by Pearl Stewart

Franklin notes, however, that those students may find it difficult to find jobs elsewhere. And, like Maple, he ponders the exclusion of other extracurricular interests. "Their level of interest in politics, and other things that affect them more than they think, is very low." He describes a recent forum, sponsored by a local arts group, which brought outstanding filmmakers and actors to Savannah, standouts including Julie Dash and Charles Dutton. "I was only able to get five students to attend, but if Jay-Z or Ja Rule had been there, the place would have been packed."

Dr. Sherry Eaton, assistant professor of psychology at North Carolina Central, agrees with Franklin that the attire doesn't always define the individual. "Some of my best students dress like they're in the music videos. It's a form of expression."

What does concern Eaton are the images and the messages they carry. Eaton was one of the panelists in NCCU's hip-hop forum. "My presentation dealt with images that are projected through actual lyrics and particularly videos, and how they can affect self-concept and self-esteem."

Eaton, like Laws, is especially concerned about female images. "They promote Euro-centric features--the long hair, for example. They're setting the standards for what is considered attractive."

In a recent article in Howard University's student newspaper, The Hilltop, students discussed the continued emphasis on traditionally White standards of beauty in music videos. "Everyone wants to look White," junior broadcast journalism major Leslie Orji said. "You can see it in music videos because there are only light skinned chicks with long hair. It makes people feel inferior and gives (Black people) more of a complex, especially women."

Hip-hop's ever-expanding mushroom cloud could portend serious trouble for HBCUs, many of which are already struggling with low retention and graduation rates. "It's hurting our students," says FAMU's Rasheed. "It's gone to the extreme."

Claflin's Midgette has found the solution in dress codes, African awareness and discipline--all of which are more enforceable at private universities than at public ones. Southern's Maple encourages fellow students to expand their intellectual horizons. "They shouldn't just watch MTV and BET and read Vibe, the Source and Honey." And Laws believes hope lies in continuing the dialogue. In the fall at NCCU, she plans to present part two of the forum, and once again pose the question: "Are You Being Played?"