Howard University Slammed for Naming P. Diddy as Commencement Speaker
Howard University's decision to have entertainment mogul Sean “P. Diddy” Combs deliver this year's graduating class commencement speech is causing many people cry foul.
The debate began raging as soon as Howard, located in Washington, DC, made the announcement Tuesday on Twitter.
Today, @WFrederickMD announced Sean Combs (@iamdiddy), CEO and founder of Combs Enterprises, will deliver the 2014 Commencement address.
— Howard University (@HowardU) April 15, 2014
Combs, who will also receive an honorary degree from the university alongside CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer, attended the historically black university for two years before dropping out in 1990.
Instead of finishing college, he went on to intern at New York's Uptown Records and then founded Bad Boy Records as a joint venture with Arista Records in 1993. In addition to his own recording career, Combs signed Notorious B.I.G., Jodeci, Mary J. Blige, Usher, Lil’ Kim, TLC, Mariah Carey, Boyz II Men, SWV and Aretha Franklin, among others.
Also read: Sean Combs Bids Reported $200 Million for Fuse TV Network
But, those accomplishments don't seem to matter to critics of the university's decision, who are upset that Diddy never graduated from college. Current Howard student Darien Carter tweeted his displeasure with the decision:
Can someone explain why Diddy, a person who never graduated from Howard, is speaking at graduation?
— D. Gregory Carter (@DarienCarter) April 15, 2014
Allow me to amend that to: DROPPED OUT OF HOWARD
— D. Gregory Carter (@DarienCarter) April 15, 2014
On the other hand, Vibe editor Stacy-Ann Ellis wrote:
Strange to see so many people displeased w/ Diddy being HU's commencement speaker. Too caught up in his lack of degree to note his successes
— Stacy-Ann Ellis (@stassi_x) April 15, 2014
In previous years, Howard's commencement speakers have included former President Bill Clinton, Oprah Winfrey, Hillary Rodham Clinton, former Citigroup and Time Warner chairman Richard D. Parsons, “PBS NewsHour's” Gwen Ifill, Gen. Colin Powell and Maya Angelou.
See below for more of the debate over the decision to have P. Diddy deliver this year's commencement:
diddy is gonna make the commencement speech at Howard but what is he gonna say. "Well I dropped outta here & got rich but good luck"
— alex newell (@alneeZy) April 15, 2014
Diddy is going to speak at Howard's graduation this year…interesting…a big difference from Bill Clinton last year
— Alexus Jones (@_AlexusJones) April 15, 2014
Diddy's net worth is greater than Howard's Endowment. Just to give some context.
— Bruce E. (@Mr_TownHall) April 15, 2014
Morehouse: Barack Obama Howard: Ciroc O'Diddy
— Dezzz (@_Rolls_Royce) April 15, 2014
Diddy is doing Howard Commencement. That's a big look for hip-hop and to his story.
— Jerrell Leeper (@DapperJ) April 15, 2014
Howard had Oprah…Bill Clinton…and now Diddy??? #Envy
— Ming the Merciless (@HardKnockLife7) April 15, 2014
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