Howard U Keeps Marching Band Out Of DMX Video

Howard University officials ruled that the prestigious school’s marching band could not appear in “We Bout to Blow,” a new video by rapper DMX.Franklin Chambers, Vice Provost of Student Affairs, said the school’s General Counsel did not have enough time to review the contract, due to the timing of the request.Chambers also said the historically […]

Howard University officials ruled that the prestigious school’s marching

band could not appear in “We Bout to Blow,” a new video by rapper

DMX.Franklin Chambers, Vice Provost of Student Affairs, said

the

school’s General Counsel did not have enough time to review the

contract, due to the timing of the request.Chambers also

said

the historically black college did not want to commercialize their

learning institution.”In the end, we decided that it

wasn’t in

our best interest to commercialize what

we do educationally,” Chambers told the Black College

Wire.The

band had worked out a dance routine, planned to form the letters “DMX”

and was prepared to play the music to the song.Some students

opposed the decision, alleging the university officials were operating

on double standard.”Concern has been expressed over the

potential offensive nature of the video,” student Jahdai Dawes said.

“I

find it more offensive when my friend is assaulted at a university

function and the assailant[s] are allowed to remain and enjoy themselves

the rest of the evening. Where is the administration

then?”DMX’s

representatives are looking to use the marching band concept at another

university, including Morgan State in nearby Baltimore, where Def Jam

President Kevin Liles attended college.