Three-time Grammy Award-winning recording artist, actor, producer, songwriter and entrepreneur Clifford Joseph Harris Jr, Tip “T.I.” is teaming up with Dr. Melva K. Williams to teach a course called the “Business of Trap Music” at Clark Atlanta University in Atlanta, GA. President of the university, George T. French Jr. announced the school’s partnership with T.I. on Tuesday.
“HBCUs have a vital role in our community and have managed to withstand even while being some of the most under-resourced institutions,” said T.I. “Our national HBCUs continue to underscore the fact that we have always had to do more with less. I am excited to be partnering with Clark Atlanta University in my hometown – Atlanta.”
“I applaud their innovative approach to ensuring their students are educated beyond the traditional textbook curriculum. I am honored to lend my voice and unique experiences to the betterment of today’s young people and to do my part to lift the legacy of historical black colleges and universities across the nation,” T.I. said.
T.I. will be tag teaming with Presidential Leadership Scholar and hip-hop aficionado, Dr. Melva K. Williams on the “Business of Trap Music”. Williams brought forward the concept as a way to expose the life, career, entrepreneurial success, experiences, and the like of national recording artist, T.I., to the HBCU community. Williams is a prominent figure in higher education and is a long-time educator, HBCU advocate, and co-founder for the Higher Education Leadership Foundation (H.E.L.F.). She also serves as a Vice Chancellor for Southern University Shreveport and New Orleans.
“In higher education it is important that we challenge, empower and equip our students with the proper resources to excel,” said President George T. French Jr. “I believe the best way to do this is to understand their culture and create life-long experiences that will not only motivate our scholars but present them with opportunities to help them become globally competitive,” French said.
Trap Music is a sub-genre of hip-hop music and is a cultural phenomenon that involves a variety of art forms. The genre has been embraced worldwide, has been infused with other types of music and has become a part of everyday living. The effect of Trap Music is well known, but the business of Trap Music and its ability to enlighten and educate will be explored on the campus of Clark Atlanta University.
