Florida rap legend, Plies has been a vocal supporter of HBCUs for years. He consistently posts about HBCU sports and culture to his over 10 million social media followers.
The Fort Meyers, Florida native recently shared a video from the South Carolina State University Football Instagram account. The video emphasizes the significance of college graduation for football players, instead of solely focusing on the opportunity to play professional football.
The video features speaker Michael Summers Sr., who is not only a former SC State football player, but is the CEO of his own company, Summertime Enterprises, Inc., a logistics services and real estate investment company.
“There’s only one percent… And I know everybody in this room thinks they gonna play the national football league,” Summer says to the team in a lecture hall. “There’s a lot of people who sat in those seats, way before you… Me being one of them, came here with aspirations to be the best person I could be, the best football player that I could be, but there are a lot of guys who left here as professionals…”
Summers notes that many South Carolina State football players, while not going pro, found success in other professional fields after obtaining their degree from the university.
“I’m gonna be honest with you for about 5 or 10 more minutes,” Summers continues. “I’m a millionaire and football didn’t make me a millionaire, I didn’t make millions of dollars playing football, but I came here to South Carolina State. I took advantage of the opportunity that it gave me that used to get a degree.”
Summers graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture and business in 1988. He played football from 1984 to 1988 and was inducted into the South Carolina State University Athletics Hall of Fame in 2020. Summers was also signed as a free agent with the Indianapolis Colts in 1988.
Summers says of the numerous South Carolina State football players who didn’t become pro football players but found themselves as professionals in other areas of life after getting their degree from South Carolina State.
Before he became the rapper known as Plies, Algernod “Nod” Washington was a star wide receiver at Fort Myers Senior High School. There, he was crowned Homecoming King and also graduated as the valedictorian. After completing his high school studies, he enrolled at Miami University where he played as a wide receiver from 1995 to 1997, and later transferred to the University of Central Florida.
Although Plies, a Grammy-nominated hip-hop artist, is widely known for his music, he is also someone who can understand the importance of pursuing a profession other than football. This point of view is something he can now share with his millions of followers who may not be aware of the real-world mentorship opportunities available to student-athletes at HBCUs like South Carolina State.
By sharing a video of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU), rapper Plies sheds light on the importance of college graduation for football players.
The video serves as a reminder that education plays a vital role in shaping a successful future and graduating from college can open up countless opportunities. Aspiring football players should take note that a college degree not only enhances their prospects on the field but also sets the foundation for a prosperous career off the field.
