Image via Complex Original
Higher Learning: Our Favorite Rappers With College Degrees
Each day, Complex will be releasing content from the 2010 Style & Design Issue, our annual roundup of the people, products, and ideas pushing our culture. Visit the Style & Design Homepage for more.
By now, you've probably seen our awesome new Style and Design Issue with Linsday Lohan on the cover and T.I. and B.o.B on the flip side. If you had a chance to sit with the issue, you might have seen the piece about how more and more rappers are attending college. While we do love our college dropouts (word to Kanye), we can't help but give extra credit to the rappers who saw it all the way through and actually finished. That's why we put together Higher Learning: Our Favorite Rappers With College Degrees—if any of these guys end up broke and homeless, at least their degrees can keep them warm.
Chuck D
School: Adelphi University
Major: Graphic Design
Complex says: When you click through the Adelphi website, they actually boast about Chuck D being an alum of the school. We're not surprised. After all, Chuck D has always been one of hip-hop's most intelligent, outspoken, and politically active members. The real surprise is that Flavor Flav also attended Adelphi!
Scott La Rock
School: Vermont
Guru
School: Morehouse College
Major: Unknown
Complex says: One thing we learned about Guru (R.I.P.) after his recent death was that he was an alumni of Morehouse College in Atlanta. According to his obituary in the New York Times, he also attended the Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC before dropping out to chase his dreams, much to the chagrin of his educated, middle-class family.
David Banner
School: Southern University
Major: Business
Complex says: Not only did Banner attend Southern University, but he was also the president of the student government. And after he graduated, he went on to pursue his Masters in Education at the University of Maryland where he claimed he was one of the top five students in his class. However, he dropped out of Maryland to become a rapper. We hope that Banner does one day get his teaching degree. Just so some kid can have his mind blown when he finds out his "boring old teacher Mr. Banner" once recorded a song like this.
Ludacris
School: Georgia State University
Major: Music Management
Complex says: While attending Georgia State, Luda landed an internship at Atlanta radio station Hot 107.9, where he eventually became a radio host by the name of DJ Chris Lova Lova. That was what led to him recording his demo and his career taking off. Never one to forget his roots, Luda eventually paid homage to the school by having a special screening of one his movies held there. Sure, it was crappy-ass Max Payne, but you can't have it all. Oh, and that music management degree? He put it to good use by launching DTP Records. Unfortunately, he also signed acts like Lil Fate, Willy Northpole, and I-20. Guess you can't teach an ear for talent!
J. Cole
School: St. Johns University
Major: Communications
Complex says: For all the Drake/J. Cole comparisons, there's at least one thing that separates the two: their educational backgrounds. While Drake is a high school dropout, Cole went on to get his degree at New York's St. Johns University. How does it feel to know your favorite rapper not only raps better than you, but is smarter than you too?
Phonte
School: North Carolina Central University
Major: English
Complex says: NCCU is actually where Little Brother formed. Pooh first met 9th Wonder and Big Pooh there since they also attended the school (Although, 9th Wonder and Pooh eventually dropped out). Unlike his LB counterparts, Phonte didn't slack off or drop out. Instead, he graduated with Magna Cum Laude honors. LOLZ, Latin sounds funny.
Naledge
School: University of Pennsylvania
Major: Communications
Complex says: It was at UPenn where Naledge first met Double O and the two formed Kidz In The Hall. Not just a bookworm, Naledge went for the full-on college experience by joining the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity. All that schooling is probably why Kidz' first album was titled School Was My Hustle. So much for Asher Roth's "I Love College" mantra; he's just a college dropout while Naledge got it in frat-style and still managed to graduate from an Ivy League school. U mad, Ash?
