Dress to Impress

Rappers are seen as, or stereotyped as, uneducated individuals with baggy clothes and criminal records. However, that is not true or fair for all rappers. In fact, some of the most well-known rappers have either obtained college degrees, are getting degrees or at least have a couple years of college education under their belts.  Talib Kweli earned a degree from NYU in theater, Lil’ Wayne is enrolled in courses at Phoenix University and Kanye West decided to drop out of college after a couple years and released his very successful album, “The College Dropout.”

 Jamilah Evelyn author of “The Miseducation of Hip-Hop – Discrimination in Education” asks whether or not “… atrocious retention rates really be linked to reckless music? (Evelyn, 2008)” Evelyn writes about a college student Jason Hinmon who moved back home to the University of Delaware after attending Morehouse College in Atlanta because of financial reasons. Evelyn describes Hinmon as, “Dark-hued, dreadlocked and, well, young… (Evelyn, 2008).” Hinmon believed that because of the way he looks and dresses professors did not want to give him the time of day and that his appearance did not portray him as wanting to be a good student.

Evelyn also interviewed Dr. Thomas Earl Midgette, Director of the Institute for the Study of Minority Issues at North Carolina Central University, who believes that rap music influences the way that students dress. His description of this terrible look in students is, “They look like hoochie mamas, not like they’re coming to class. Young men with pants fashioned below their navel (Evelyn, 2008). “ Midgette goes on to talk about himself and how and he used to wear bell bottoms in his day but he knew to trim his hair, “afro,” when he was going to deal or negotiate with the higher education world.

From my personal life experience I can say that there are many stereotypes not just that of the rap music influence. When it comes to education I don’t think it’s fair to judge a book by its cover as the saying states. If a college student is dressed with baggy clothes but has good grades why should that even be a factor? Professors need to overlook stereotypes and look for the students who have potential and a desire to succeed. Hinman felt very lonely at the University of Delaware when he could not get help from his professors during their office hours. The way people dress is just an expression about their beliefs and culture. However, if Hinman would take it personal and decide to drop out of college because he was overwhelmed by the actions of his professors, a good student would have been lost. I think that Hinman has all the right to dress in whichever way he wants and not be sterotyped by his clothes but by his achievements and desire to continue his education. The fact that he inquired for help should have been enough reason for his professors to lend him a helping hand. I believe that Midgette is too old fashioned but I do agree with him in that there is a time and place for everything. Realistically a person dressed in baggy clothes or skimpy clothes will not get the job over the person dressed in a suit. Even if the person in the baggy clothes has a higher education than the one in the suit, dressing for success is basic. In the end, I believe that being educated and culture means you are not afraid to express who you are but that you also make intelligent decisions when need be. In this case, I do not think students need to dress differently for class but should once they enter the professional working world.  

Works Cited

Evelyn, J. (2008). "The Miseducation of Hip-Hop - Discrimination in Education". In L. Gray-Rosendale, Pop Perspectives Readings to Critique Contemporary Culture (pp. 559-566). New York: McGraw-Hill.