MACHIAVELLI
Chairman/C.E.O.
Howard U. Nixes Marching Band's Appearance in DMX Video
By Byron Stewart==
Oct. 28, 2003
The Howard University marching band was offered a spot in the rap video "We Bout to Blow" by DMX, but university officials decided that participation would not be in the best interests of the university.
"The timing of the request did not give General Counsel a lot of time to review the contract," Franklin Chambers, vice provost of student affairs said. "In the end, we decided that it wasn't in our best interest to commercialize what we do educationally."
Over the years, the marching band has done many events with Def Jam artists such as DMX, and the marching band was offered the video based on that working relationship and experience.
During Howard's Homecoming, students speculated about when and where on campus the video would be shot.
For the video, the band was to form "DMX" on the field, along with the title of the song "We Bout to Blow." A dance routine was also created.
The promoter for DMX was ready to shoot the video, with the marching band segment to be performed Oct. 21.
"I was looking forward to shooting the video on Tuesday (Oct. 21)," Shaun Roberts, a band member and an electrical engineering major, said. "This would have been my first rap video. The video would have been great exposure for the band and the university."
On Oct. 20, DMX arrived in D.C. and started shooting his video at a local club, 1223. Also that day, promoters for DMX met with Howard administrators to decide whether the video would be shot on campus.
However, the university decided that the video would not be shot at Howard. That same day, the band was informed that they were not going to participate.
"I was highly disappointed," Olu Oyelaja, a political science major, said. "As long as the video did not offend anyone, than it still should have been done. Even still, DMX is our culture, and far . . . worse things occur on [nearby] Georgia Avenue on an everyday basis than in a DMX video."
Some students said the administration was using a double standard.
"Balance here at the university must remain an integral part of everyday life of not only the students but the administration as well," Jahdai Dawes, a physical therapy major, said. "Concern has been expressed over the potential offensive nature of the video, but I find it more offensive when my friend is assaulted at a university function and the assailant are allowed to remain and enjoy themselves the rest of the evening. Where is the administration then?"
DMX and his promoters say they are going to attempt to shoot the video elsewhere using the same concept. They have been looking into other university locations, such as Morgan State University in Baltimore.
Byron Stewart is a student at Howard University who writes for The Hilltop.
By Byron Stewart==
Oct. 28, 2003
The Howard University marching band was offered a spot in the rap video "We Bout to Blow" by DMX, but university officials decided that participation would not be in the best interests of the university.
"The timing of the request did not give General Counsel a lot of time to review the contract," Franklin Chambers, vice provost of student affairs said. "In the end, we decided that it wasn't in our best interest to commercialize what we do educationally."
Over the years, the marching band has done many events with Def Jam artists such as DMX, and the marching band was offered the video based on that working relationship and experience.
During Howard's Homecoming, students speculated about when and where on campus the video would be shot.
For the video, the band was to form "DMX" on the field, along with the title of the song "We Bout to Blow." A dance routine was also created.
The promoter for DMX was ready to shoot the video, with the marching band segment to be performed Oct. 21.
"I was looking forward to shooting the video on Tuesday (Oct. 21)," Shaun Roberts, a band member and an electrical engineering major, said. "This would have been my first rap video. The video would have been great exposure for the band and the university."
On Oct. 20, DMX arrived in D.C. and started shooting his video at a local club, 1223. Also that day, promoters for DMX met with Howard administrators to decide whether the video would be shot on campus.
However, the university decided that the video would not be shot at Howard. That same day, the band was informed that they were not going to participate.
"I was highly disappointed," Olu Oyelaja, a political science major, said. "As long as the video did not offend anyone, than it still should have been done. Even still, DMX is our culture, and far . . . worse things occur on [nearby] Georgia Avenue on an everyday basis than in a DMX video."
Some students said the administration was using a double standard.
"Balance here at the university must remain an integral part of everyday life of not only the students but the administration as well," Jahdai Dawes, a physical therapy major, said. "Concern has been expressed over the potential offensive nature of the video, but I find it more offensive when my friend is assaulted at a university function and the assailant
DMX and his promoters say they are going to attempt to shoot the video elsewhere using the same concept. They have been looking into other university locations, such as Morgan State University in Baltimore.
Byron Stewart is a student at Howard University who writes for The Hilltop.