The I’m Different rapper, 2 Chainz, who is an alumnus of Historically Black University, Alabama State University, released a single with rapper Lil Wayne, Money Maker. The single sampled a rendition of the Guy hit, Piece of My Love, and was played by an HBCU band, Southern University’s Human Jukebox. Throughout the song, 2 Chainz also recognized several other HBCUs in the south, aside from Southern and ASU, when he shouted out Alcorn State University, Jackson State University, Grambling State University, Texas Southern University, Tuskegee University, and Morehouse College.
The only thing I like about the song is the Guy sample and the fact that it was played by an HBCU band. Aside from the poor representation of HBCUs with a single titled “Money Maker”, the song, along with the visual, seems like it was thrown together through a lackluster creative process and 2 Chainz added a popular sample as an attempt to make it sound good.
HBCUs represent Black excellence, prestige and achievement and this song in no way portrayed what HBCUS stand for, and that includes the song and the visual. I wouldn’t call this an anthem; I’ll call it a flop.
If you’re going to pay tribute to HBCUs, do it the right way. If you need an example, check out Beyonce’s Homecoming performance (on Netflix) as the first Black woman to headline Coachella, where she pays tribute to HBCUs.
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