17 Times Pop Culture Gave A Nod To Black Colleges

Music, movies, and your favorite television shows.

Tons of schools have gotten recognized in pop culture, and it's an amazing feeling when you see your school repped in a show you love or by a celeb you admire.

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But when HBCUs get recognized it's not just amazing, it's MONUMENTAL. It happens so rarely that when it does you really have to savor the moment.

1. Like when real HBCU bands competed in Drumline.

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Don't try to lie and say this wasn't your favorite movie at some point. Nick Cannon's character Devon Miles plays drums for fictional HBCU Atlanta A&T University, but a number of actual HBCU bands compete in the climax of the film, including Grambling State University, Morris Brown College, and Clark Atlanta University.

2. Or when Hollywood madeThe Great Debaters.

David Lee / AP

Based on the true story of Melvin B. Tolson, a professor at Wiley College who inspired students to form the school's first debate team, the movie follows a group of HBCU students as they compete against various schools before defeating Harvard. In real life, however, the team did not compete against Harvard in the national championship but the University of Southern California, which they defeated.

3. Stomp the Yard was an entire moment.

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Um, who hasn't seen Stomp the Yard? And why? The film is set at a fictional HBCU and was actually filmed on historically black college campuses: Morehouse College and Clark Atlanta University.

4. And you rejoiced when Boyz N the Hood's Tre and Brandi made it to Spelman and Morehouse.

Columbia Pictures / ©Columbia Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection

John Singleton's coming of age story set in the Crenshaw section of Los Angeles is a must for everyone. Two HBCUs get nods in the film when Cuba Gooding Jr's Tre and Nia Long's Brandi head off to Atlanta to attend Spelman and Morehouse.

5. Um, all of School Daze is about HBCUs.

Columbia Pictures / ©Columbia Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection

School Daze is based on Spike Lee's own experience at college and takes place at fictional HBCU Mission College — sidenote: there's actually a real Mission College, but it's not an HBCU. Some of the film's scenes were shot at Morehouse, Morris Brown, Spelman, and Clark.

6. And ATL's New New defied her dad to go to the college of her dreams.

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OK, I have a lot of feelings about this movie but I'm not going to go there right now. ANYWAY, one of the conflicts in the film is New New, aka Erin's, decision to go to Spelman, something her father really fought against. But, in the end, we see Erin gearing up for her freshman year at Spelman.

7. Oh, and let's take a look back at television's golden years.

8. Khadijah loved repping HBCUs.

9. Martin had his moments too.

10. And so did Cole.

11. HBCU alums even appeared in reality TV shows like Harlem Heights.

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Bridget Bland was a Spelman grad and Landon Dais went to Morehouse.

12. And I religiously watched College Hill. BRING IT BACK BET!

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13. Musicians love historically black colleges too. Drake...

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14. Biggie...

Courtesy Everett Collection

15. Rick Ross...

Bennett Raglin

16. Common...

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17. And Wale.

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Who's gonna show some love next?