The prestigious university of Harvard has consistently been the home of global innovation since its founding, and now with IDK’s No Label Academy, the school is once again ground zero for a movement that can change music in the coming years.
No Label Academy, now in its second year, is a 10-day hip-hop and music business course for BIPOC students taught at Harvard by IDK and other special guests.
Musicians from across the nation applied to the program, but only a total of 22 bright up-and-comers were chosen to participate in the event from Aug. 19 to 27. The cherry on top: Nike and its family of brands, along with Dior sponsored the event, provided each student with official class kits.
These students were treated to lectures from industry players like Roddy Ricch, Joey Badass, and Tobe Nwigwe, who shared tips on the different aspects that make the music business move.
Co-founders Marcelo Hunta-Davis and Miles Weddle, who are both Harvard grads, created the academy’s curriculum with the goal of building a “pipeline for bipoc talent to kickstart their music careers” essentially “democratizing and reframing what is attainable in the industry.”
A goal that they academy is eagerly fulfilling. Artist Zahir, who we interviewed earlier this year, shared on Twitter that IDK and the program helped him realize the essence of his brand.
“This is what comes with success,” IDK told Boston’s NBC 10 in an interview. “A responsibility for changing and shaping the way a specific community or groups of people move and think.”
This year is hip-hop’s 50th anniversary and while we celebrate the history of a genre founded by titans that revolutionized the music industry globally, IDK and No Label Academy are helping the next generation rise to the top.