IDK Is Bringing Back No Label Academy to Teach Hip-Hop, Music Business at Harvard
No Label Academy and professor IDK are back this year for their second cohort of students, who will be studying hip-hop and music business at Harvard for the next 10 days.
IDK is bringing hip-hop to the ivy league for his second run of the No Label Academy at Harvard University in Cambridge, MA. Over nine days from August 19 to 27, 22 students from around the country will be participating in a hip-hop curriculum covering all corners of the music industry, aimed at passing on the knowledge and skills necessary to jump-start their careers.
This year’s class will also host Kaash Paige, a platinum selling artist for her “Love Songs” remix with 6LACK, as a featured attendee. Graduates of the 2021 No Label Academy program have furthered their careers as artists, as well as entered the business side of the industry.
“The idea started when I realized how my situation had a lot to do with the odds being against me,” IDK told Rolling Stone about working with No Label Academy in 2020. “I, being a felon and having minimal education in terms of certifications, was still finding a way to create a career that’s not only lucrative, but in line with what I actually wanted to do in life.”
No Label academy is a nonprofit organization that uses popular culture to empower BIPOC creatives with education and opportunities that are typically gated behind access to expensive institutions and nepotism. The nonprofit was founded in 2018 by 2020 Harvard graduates Miles Weddle and Marcelo Hanta-Davis.
“It shouldn’t cost so much to learn the music business,” Hanta-Davis said in a press release. “All of this information should be accessible, which is why we created No Label Academy.”
Students this year will be taking part in a hands-on program at The Harvard School of Engineering and The Harvard Art Museum, that features guest speakers like Joey Bada$, Benny the Butcher, and Tobe Nwigwe. They will also receive a one of a kind uniform designed by IDK and Dior: a sweatshirt, t-shirt and chino pants adorned with a Dior/No Label Academy patch in Harvard colors of burgundy, navy blue and cream, and Dior moccasins.
IDK, which stands for Ignorantly Delivering Knowledge, has been putting out a lot of music since his 2019 major-label debut Is He Real?, including F65 which made Okayplayer’s mid-year best of staff picks list earlier this year.