David Banner speaks out on Homecoming 2003 rejection

NEW ORLEANS – After administrators denied Lavell Crump, a.k.a. hip-hop recording artist David Banner, the right to perform at the 2003 Homecoming concert, the former Student Government Association president said that things at Southern University has not changed.
“I am mad because the powers at Southern are the same powers that were there when I was there,” said Banner. “It is bad that a person has been blessed and has been so connected with Southern and the officials did me the way they did.”
Conflict between the administration, SGA and the rapper arose after WEMX Max 94.1 FM, a sponsor of the event, drew criticism from parents at Northeast High School after radio personalities distributed David Banner’s Mississippi: The Album to students. The album carried a parental advisory warning for explicit language.
In an October interview with The DIGEST, Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Raymond Downs said that he did not think it would be in the best interest to bring Banner to the university.
“Our community would not understand. I was not in favor of bringing him to our concert,” said Downs. “We’re always fighting a battle with rappers and comedians that come here. This is a college campus, we have to exert some supervision.”
Despite the rejection, Banner said that he still has love for SU.
“I will still represent SU till the day that I die, but I really see that times ain’t changed,” he said. “You have alumni who has accomplished a lot and is willing to give money back to their school. They want to call me up to get money, but won’t let me come back and represent my school. That is bad business.”
Banner said that it is up to students to stand up to the administration to bring forth change.
He encouraged them to come together and voice their opinions.
“As long as they know that we don’t care about our rights they can do anything. They can do anything with our money, do anything with our education. We have to set a presence,” Banner said.
The bitter taste of rejection is still fresh in the mouth of the Jackson, Miss. native whose songs about growing up in the South climbed up Billboard rap charts.
“I scream Southern everywhere I go and I can’t even perform for my people and I was going to do it for free,” Banner said.
However, rejection from the administration will not stop the rising star to move to higher heights and showing love for his alma mater.
“I might just throw a concert outside of Southern and invite all of the students for free.”