Why USC and Not A Black College, Dr. Dre?

[C-LeB28]

By Walter M. Kimbrough

May 21, 2013
I was in Detroit preparing to give a speech last week when the news came across my Twitter feed: "Dr. Dre and music producer Jimmy Iovine donate $70 million to USC to create new degree." As one of the first university presidents from the hip-hop generation, I had to stop and read the story immediately.

The two music moguls and co-founders of Beats Electronics — recognizing that they needed a new type of creative talent for their growing music technology business — are funding a four-year program that blends liberal arts, graphic and product design, business and technology.

I understood their need to build a pool of skilled talent. But why at USC? Iovine's daughter is an alum, sure. And he just gave its commencement address. Andre Young — before he was Dr. Dre — grew up in nearby Compton, where he rose to fame as part of the rap group N.W.A. The Beats headquarters are on L.A.'s Westside.

Still, what if Dre had given $35 million — his half of the USC gift and about 10% of his wealth, according to a Forbes estimate — to an institution that enrolls the very people who supported his career from the beginning? An institution where the majority of students are low-income? A place where $35 million would represent a truly transformational gift?

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-kimbrough-usc-dre-20130521,0,4154084.story

 

[JAG89]

Same post as SOG.

 

[SAME OLD G]

C-Leb's looks better. We will keep his instead. :lol:

 

[SAME OLD G]

There are a lot of interesting comments being made on the LA Times website. I'm not sure how I feel about it just yet. But $70 million? Damn!

 

[jag4life]

Interesting, but I still feel that this is HIS money... and he is giving to an institution he's probably been a fan of since childhood.

Dr. Kimbrough makes a point that I think is invalid... he says why not give it to "the very people who supported his career from the beginning"? Technically white folk buy more rap music than blacks.

 

[JAG89]

C-Leb's looks better. We will keep his instead. :lol:

:tup:

I'm glad there are some people that don't mind recognizing the fact that someone else has produced a better product. :lol:

 

[bluphiiijsu]

It is His money. His choice.

 

[SAME OLD G]

Interesting, but I still feel that this is HIS money... and he is giving to an institution he's probably been a fan of since childhood.

Dr. Kimbrough makes a point that I think is invalid... he says why not give it to "the very people who supported his career from the beginning"? Technically white folk buy more rap music than blacks.

Well that maybe the case now, but whites weren't buying NWA back in the day.

Personally, I think Dre. simply felt the need to give back something...not necessarily considering the push back he would get.

 

[JR]

Well that maybe the case now, but whites weren't buying NWA back in the day.

Personally, I think Dre. simply felt the need to give back something...not necessarily considering the push back he would get.

That's my thinking. Also from my understanding, USC has done some things in the hood and you got folks like John Singleton, Young MC and others from around the LA area who are USC grads. So I there is some kindred spirit to USC by a lot of blacks in L.A. Especially the non educated ones. Only SOGGY and my Uncle were UCLA fans. LOL.

 

[The Founder]

I'm in the middle of the road on this one.... I feel that Dr. Kimbrough has a point but I also feel that a person should be allowed to give their to whom they want to give it to. Black people are not the only people who purchased Dr. Dre's music.

What HBCUs should do is pursue people who have money and ask for support. I read somewhere about Dr. Dre donating that a guy stated that why should USC accept a person's money who said Fugg the Police.:shame:

 

[SAME OLD G]

I will say this much, I don't recall any white folks crying foul when white folks made large contributions to HBCUs. In fact, I don't recall black folks crying foul either.

 

[jstate83]

Well that maybe the case now, but whites weren't buying NWA back in the day.

Personally, I think Dre. simply felt the need to give back something...not necessarily considering the push back he would get.

The two music moguls and co-founders of Beats Electronics — recognizing that they needed a new type of creative talent for their growing music technology business — are funding a four-year program that blends liberal arts, graphic and product design, business and technology.

These two guys are looking to grow their company in the future. The talent pool is limited. This will churn out more people with the development talent they need right in their backyard.

As for why USC and not a HBCU.
1) It is in his "backyard."
2) USC already has a school of music, acting(dramatic arts), etc., that are funded big time byHollywood heavyweights.
3) Dre moved away from that "they didn't buy my stuff back in the day" when he left Death Row. It is about business now since he has branched out from just "music producing / performing."
4) No obligation to a HBCU since he didn't attend any college.
5) His business partner already has established ties to USC since his daughter is an alumni of USC. Shat probably breezed through and they don't have to invest in "infrastructure" even though they building a degree from the ground up.
6) IT'S HIS MONEY AND HE CAN INVEST IT WHEREVER HE WANTS.

 

[JAG89]

Well that maybe the case now, but whites weren't buying NWA back in the day.

Personally, I think Dre. simply felt the need to give back something...not necessarily considering the push back he would get.

But Whites were and probably still are making money off them, such as Capital Records. IMO, gangsta rap help to redirect tons of money out of the Black community, but it is his money.

Album: The N.W.A Legacy, Vol. 2
Label: Capitol/EMI Records
Released: August 27, 2002

http://www.mtv.com/artists/nwa/discography/324488/

 

[jstate83]

Funny how I'll bet these same blacks that was out protesting N.W.A, Death Row, and DRE, crushing their cds under steamrollers, trying to make them outcast in the black community back in the day are now riding their nuts, talking about how their money should be given to projects they deem is a better fit.

Example: Giving $35 million "to the people that supported his music in the past." Correct me if I'm wrong but hasn't white kids been the largest consumers of rap music as for actually going to the store and buying it? :lol:

 

[jag4life]

Well that maybe the case now, but whites weren't buying NWA back in the day.

Personally, I think Dre. simply felt the need to give back something...not necessarily considering the push back he would get.

He's made much more money SINCE NWA. Those folks bought the hell outta The Chronic, Doggystyle, Marshall Mathers, etc... and Beats.

 

[Jax]

These two guys are looking to grow their company in the future. The talent pool is limited. This will churn out more people with the development talent they need right in their backyard.

As for why USC and not a HBCU.
1) It is in his "backyard."
2) USC already has a school of music, acting(dramatic arts), etc., that are funded big time byHollywood heavyweights.
3) Dre moved away from that "they didn't buy my stuff back in the day" when he left Death Row. It is about business now since he has branched out from just "music producing / performing."
4) No obligation to a HBCU since he didn't attend any college.
5) His business partner already has established ties to USC since his daughter is an alumni of USC. Shat probably breezed through and they don't have to invest in "infrastructure" even though they building a degree from the ground up.
6) IT'S HIS MONEY AND HE CAN INVEST IT WHEREVER HE WANTS.

Bottom line.

 

[pv_symbiotic]

Stop tripping. Bottom line, he gave the $$ to the school that his whyte masters told him to give it to.

 

[jstate83]

Stop tripping. Bottom line, he gave the $$ to the school that his whyte masters told him to give it to.

Good lawd. :smh:

Why is it black people think anytime a BLACK PERSON don't give all their money to BLACK PEOPLE that honestly didn't give a shat about them when they was making their money or BLACK ONLY projects is a slave to a white man.

 

[buckwheat]

Interesting, but I still feel that this is HIS money... and he is giving to an institution he's probably been a fan of since childhood.

Dr. Kimbrough makes a point that I think is invalid... he says why not give it to "the very people who supported his career from the beginning"? Technically white folk buy more rap music than blacks.

That's how I feel about. It's his choice plus he lives in L.A. so it's a no-brainer.

 

[bluedog]

Good lawd. :smh:

Why is it black people think anytime a BLACK PERSON don't give all their money to BLACK PEOPLE that honestly didn't give a shat about them when they was making their money or BLACK ONLY projects is a slave to a white man.

I buy that but are you saying that the white folks that didn't play their music and didn't want their kids to listen to their music did?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Da Slim One]

These two guys are looking to grow their company in the future. The talent pool is limited. This will churn out more people with the development talent they need right in their backyard.

As for why USC and not a HBCU.
1) It is in his "backyard."
2) USC already has a school of music, acting(dramatic arts), etc., that are funded big time byHollywood heavyweights.
3) Dre moved away from that "they didn't buy my stuff back in the day" when he left Death Row. It is about business now since he has branched out from just "music producing / performing."
4) No obligation to a HBCU since he didn't attend any college.
5) His business partner already has established ties to USC since his daughter is an alumni of USC. Shat probably breezed through and they don't have to invest in "infrastructure" even though they building a degree from the ground up.
6) IT'S HIS MONEY AND HE CAN INVEST IT WHEREVER HE WANTS.

you hit the nail on the head. Its his money and plus there are no known ties between him and an HBCU. Plus it just makes sense. As already been noted, USC is in his back yard. He and ol'boy are planning to expand the business and having USC near them with a degree that will directly benefit the company is a smart business move. These kids will be groomed for this business and will eventually become interns because the BEATS proximity to USC.

At the end of the day, I could care less where he is giving his money. At least he is giving money back to help a future generation.

 

[TSUGIRL07]

I usually have respect for Dr. Kimbrough, but he was off base with this one:

1. USC fundraisers probably have been courting Dre and his business partner, who has USC connections, for this gift for a few years. Did an HBCU ask for the gift or the academic program? No. That is our major problem.

2. This was a business move - strictly an invest they will use to train talent for their company

3. I would have felt better if Dr. Kimbrough would have said to "why not a minority serving institution in California" - If you look at any of the institutions the California higher ed systems that are struggling financially right now, they are those with relatively high black and Hispanic enrollments. Kimbrough's argument actually would have made more sense by bringing them into the argument, especially since a few of those are in black communities in Cali.

4. Dre has no ties to an HBCU and we have to stop thinking just because someone is black they should simply support our institutions. Our foundations and advancement folks have to do a better job of telling the great things that we do to people of all races to increase donations and partnerships since our alumni giving rates are dismal across the board. It does not hurt to build a relationship with someone and make the ask.

5. The program probably will increase the diversity at USC. Sounds like a program that you could easily recruit a lot of African American males into.

6. IT's his money!

 

[jstate83]

I buy that but are you saying that the white folks that didn't play their music and didn't won't their kids to listen to their music did?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using Tapatalk 2

It is a fact that white parents was just as bad as Rev Butts? when it came to N.W.A and rap music period. They thought it was the end of the world. But it is a fact that white kids was and still is the largest group of consumers of rap music on the planet when it comes to opening their wallets and purses.

Now as for this project DRE and his business partner did with USC, what is the problem. I'm sure the students at USC was bumping N.W.A and death row shat from the start. USC is not located in a vanilla white hood. USC is located in the middle of THE HOOD and you go deeper into the hood when you go to the Colisumn for football games.

DRE probably been walking USC's campus since before his "Float On" days. :lol:

 

[TSUGIRL07]

It is a fact that white parents was just as bad as Rev Butts? when it came to N.W.A and rap music period. They thought it was the end of the world. But it is a fact that white kids was and still is the largest group of consumers of rap music on the planet when it comes to opening their wallets and purses.

Now as for this project DRE and his business partner did with USC, what is the problem. I'm sure the students at USC was bumping N.W.A and death row shat from the start. USC is not located in a vanilla white hood. USC is located in the middle of THE HOOD and you go deeper into the hood when you go to the Colisumn for football games.

DRE probably been walking USC's campus since before his "Float On" days. :lol:

Exactly LOL

 

[chocalate_topaz]

My thoughts:

1. Yes, its his money and he ultimately did what he wanted and isn't living under a rock
2. BUT when he was with NWA...he seemed to understand the repression of "his" people from the top; to the bottom, right? He knew AAs were basically the "hunted"....and amazingly, somehow as he got older and made more money, he ah....forgot? :smh: Just completely forgot that AAs have less resources, more repression, stopped wondering why big corps didn't help the hood...and when his turn up to the plate came....he helped the good white folks. :smh:

Follow folks ACTIONS...that tells you the truth about the person. If you got an NWA album or record, you ought to smash the shit out of it right now... just saying. Y'all can give all the passes you want...but when we got it and can help ourselves and our own...we somehow don't. YOu mean to tell me, that dude couldn't have given 10 million to at least one HBCU? Well...maybe I"m being premature and he plans to give another 70 million to an HBCU in the future.