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Dr. Kimbrough goes even further to explain why USC was a questionable donation target for someone who grew up as a struggling Black kid in South Central Los Angeles.
USC is a great institution, no question. But it has a $3.5-billion endowment, the 21st largest in the nation and much more than every Black college — combined. Less than 20 percent of USC’s student body qualifies for federal Pell Grants, given to students from low-income families, compared with two-thirds of those enrolled at Black colleges. USC has also seen a steady decrease in Black student enrollment, which is now below 5 percent.
A new report on Black male athletes and racial inequities shows that only 2.2 percent of USC undergrads are Black men, compared with 56 percent of its football and basketball teams, one of the largest disparities in the nation. And given USC’s $45,602 tuition next year, I’m confident Dre could have sponsored multiple full-ride scholarships to private Black colleges for the cost of one at USC.
Dr. Kimbrough made a courageous decision to write this article. There are some who might criticize him as a “hater” or argue with his right to question what Dr. Dre does with his money. But I’m not talking to those people right now. Instead, we must look at the facts: Dr. Dre, a man who has made hundreds of millions of dollars selling back urban culture to the world has made his largest donation to a predominately white university that doesn’t need the money and rarely admits black students unless they can play a sport. I love Dr. Dre’s music, but I am dying to ask my good brother, “What were you thinking?”
By the way, as schools like USC have gotten rich from Black athletes, HBCUs can barely pay the bills. All the while, almost none of this money is returned to the Black community, and multi-million dollar USC athletes like Reggie Bush have their integrity questioned for receiving a few hundred dollars under the table. The fact is that these schools rob Black people blind, don’t give hardly anything to the Black community, and laugh at the fact that we are ridiculous enough to turn around and give money back. If I were the president of USC, I’d be giggling under my breath and wondering how a group of people can have such little respect for themselves.
I think this is what some in the dotcom era might call an “SMH moment.” Dr. Dre is a brilliant producer, but this move just doesn’t make any sense. I hope he has something to say.
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I don’t see nothing wrong with it if you give that kind of money to a black college you will not be used right with black have a tendency of trying to keep the other person down and if anything their pocket the money before they put it where you need to be at that’s why the black colleges are suffering right now
What’s your intention, and why?
I don’t know the real reason this became an issue. But I personally grew up in the residential area near USC. My then elementary school was and may still be one of USC’s adopted schools. USC has provided for 39th street school and the new Foshay Learning Center since I can remember. And I believe there are a list of other schools they attribute to. And theses are all community schools.
USC provided me the opportunity of attending Troy Camp as an eleven year old, and USC has provided continued assistance to the children within its immediate area through mentorship and scholarships.
So, I can understand donations being given to USC.
Dre can do what he wants with his money. Everyone criticizing Dre should ask “what have I given to the HBCU’s that I care about?”…Dre is an astute business man. Dropping 35 million for a music program near South Central LA may be where his business interests are. Perhaps not so much in NOLA or Tuskegee, Alabama. I am just saying. I am from Los Angeles, and there are many disadvantaged youth there that will never see the HBCU campuses…but might have the chance to attend the program Dre has endowed in Los Angeles.