Top Ten Songs Showing Love To Howard

- Written by Teyonna Ridgeway -

Entertainers loves to show love to Howard University! Time and time again in movies and songs, artists show the world their affinity for The Mecca. And now we’re bringing you HU Reaction’s Top Ten Tracks Featuring Howard University.

1) Drake- “Make me Proud” (2011) 

“Sounds so smart, like you graduated college/Like you went to Yale, but you probably went to Howard knowing you.”  Drake stirred up a little controversy with this line when “Make me Proud” first came out. Students wondered if this was a shout-out or a diss. Inquiring minds still want to know, but I don’t think Drake was trying to play our school. He can’t be that crazy! 

2) Wale - ”DC Or Nothing (2011) 

“Where there’s minimal conscience and there’s thousands of choppers/I know Howard that college, but that town has some problems.” - Wale takes home the award for the most Howard mentions in his songs, which shouldn’t be a surprise since he is from the area. Seems like he loves HU just as much as the students here. We should make him an honorary Bison!

3) Travis Porter- “College Girl” (2010) 

“Graduate from Grady/But that’s in high school/ She’s at Howard now.”  Travis Porter actually mentioned Howard three times in “College Girl” but who’s counting!

4) Wale featuring Chris Brown and Fabolous- “Pretty Girls Remix” (2010)

 Met her out in D.C./ Homecoming, Howard U./ Told her I’m the sickest n*gga around and how are you? While this was Wale’s song, Fabolous was the one who gave the shoutout to Howard’s famous Homecoming.

5) Wale- The Work (Workin) (2010) 

“Don’t get besides yourself, thinkin I’m with the loving/I just came back from Howard I made a deal for the locals.” Wale mentions Howard again on his mixtape “MoreAbout Nothing.” I found it interesting that he referred to people from the area as locals. I guess they don’t take offense to it when it’s from a local.

6) J.Cole- Grown Simba (2009) 

“Somethin‘ like Serena mixed with Trina/ Have you seen her?/She fine enough to be Ms. Howard/ word to Adina.”  J. Cole gives recognition to the beautiful women that are crowned as Ms. Howard on his mixtape “The Warm Up.” He also references Adina Howard, a 90s R&B singer who was not afraid to embrace her sexuality. 

7) Akon- Stay Down (2007) 

“He’d always abused her but what else you expect from a coward/He wasn’t even proud when she got accepted to Howard.”   Self explanatory. Everyone should be proud to get accepted to a post secondary institution but Howard “The Mecca” University should bring laud and accolades...  Let’s be real, they don’t call us The Mecca for nothing.

8 ) Drake- City is Mine (2006) 

“Break it down like you working for your tuition at Howard/ Mama, get it how you live, that thing you working is power.” Obviously Drake knows that tuition at Howard is no joke, as seen through this lyric from his first mixtape “Room for Improvement.” Since Drake so often mentions Howard in his verses, maybe he’ll be the next artist to throw a free concert on the yard a la Jay-Z a few years back!

9) Ludacris featuring Bobby Valentino- Pimpin‘ All Over the World (2004) 

“Make sure I don’t miss the Homecoming at Howard/ Hawaii to D.C., it’s plenty women to see/so if yo a** don’t show up, it’s more women for me.”Another reference to Howard’s impeccable Homecoming from Ludacris’ album, “The Red Light District.” Homecoming is just as exciting for students and alumni as it is for celebrities. Go Howard! 

10) Notorious B.I.G- Kick in the Door (1997) 

“Ain’t no tellin where I may be/ May see me in D.C. at Howard Homecoming/ with my man Capone, dumbin‘, f***insomethin‘.” Notorious B.I.G performed at Yardfest in 1995, no wonder why he mentioned HU Homecoming in his song two years later. It is legendary!

 Do you agree with our list? Do you know more songs that featured Howard University? Let us know!

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