Harvard University establishes hip-hop fellowship in honour of Nas

The Nasir Jones Hip-Hop Fellowship will fund arts scholars connected to rap

Harvard University has honoured Nas by naming a fellowship for students after him.

As Rolling Stone reports, the Nasir Jones Hip Hop Fellowship, which has been established by The Hip Hop Archives and WEB Du Bois Institute, will fund scholars who either show productive scholarship or creative potential in the arts with a connection to hip hop.

Harvard’s Hip-Hop Archive was established in 2002, with the aim of studying the genre’s historical genre. Speaking about the fellowship, Nas said: “I am immensely over-the-top excited about the Nasir Jones Hip-Hop Fellowship at Harvard. From Queens, NY to true cultural academia. My hopes are that greed for knowledge, art, self-determination and expression go a long way. It is a true honor to have my name attached to so much hard work, alongside great names like Henry Louis Gates, Jr. and WEB Du Bois and to such a prestigious and historical institution, and all in the name of the music I grew to be a part of.”

Advertisement

Meanwhile, Marcyliena Morgan, Professor of African and African American Studies at Harvard University and founder and director of the Hip-Hop Archive and Research Institute, added: “Having welcomed various artists and scholars, the Hip-Hop Archive and Research Institute is uncompromising in our commitment to build and support intellectually challenging and innovative scholarship that reflects the rigour and achievement of hip-hop performance.”

Last month, Nas was photographed working in a studio with Jay-Z, Justin Timberlake and Timbaland. The rapper, who was hospitalised with severe vertigo in January of this year, released his 11th studio album ‘Life Is Good’ in July 2012.

You May Also Like

Advertisement

TRENDING

Advertisement

More Stories