Rowan hip hop culture club finds community at first meeting of semester

On Friday, Sept. 12th, Rowan’s Hip-Hop Culture Club hosted its first general meeting at Wilson Hall in room 212. The meeting was held to introduce students to what Rowan Hip-Hop is about, get to know each other, and play fun games. 

The meeting started with the latest hip-hop news from new album drops like Gunna’s new album The Last Wun, to scandals like Young Thug cheating on Mariah the Scientist. 

Rowan Hip-Hop immediately began community building by going around the room to have everyone introduce themselves. Students shared things like their favorite artists, favorite songs and albums, inspirations, and dream collabs. The room was filled with many aspiring artists, those who already have a role in the industry, and those who just enjoy the culture. 

Hip-Hop Culture Club was created only two years ago. The purpose was to build a community on campus to meet others with the same interests, career goals, and passions. 

“Within the major, I feel like hip-hop wasn’t highlighted at all,” said Yashira Guzman, a senior music industry major and president of Rowan’s Hip-Hop Culture Club. “It’s an amazing genre, and I feel like it’s good to have this community.”

Many felt that the community was being established within only the first meeting. 

“I noticed that being part of communities like this, you actually feel like you belong,” said Jules Lopez, a freshman sports media communications major. “You don’t feel like you don’t belong. It feels like you’re actually meant to be here.”

The club goes beyond just the music aspect of hip-hop. The fashion, dancing, and politics are just as important as the music. 

“We try to highlight all of that, not only music. People are here for fun, but we also talk about the more serious conversations that need to be had,” said Guzman. 

Attendees had the opportunity to participate in a game of bingo, where they had to walk around the room and interact with people to fill their board. Spaces on the board included prompts like having a pet, owning a record player, and having met a celebrity/artist.

Individuals were also tested on their knowledge of hip-hop in a game of trivia. The Kahoot game included questions about how many Grammys artists have won, who featured on top-charting albums, and what year popular mixtapes came out. 

Many in attendance were looking forward to the events that the Hip-Hop Culture Club would be holding in the future. 

“I heard that we would be doing spoken word. I definitely would be excited to see something like that,” said Lopez. 

“I would like to see talent shows,” said sophomore and music artist PRETTIUNA. “A lot of people in there, they DJ, they sing, they rap, they do anything music, so I would like to see more of their artistry.”

“Having these artists perform is going to help uplift the community,” said Guzman.

By the end of the meeting, students left with connections and a sense of belonging on campus. Hip-Hop Culture Club proved to be more than just music; it’s where culture and community come together on campus. 

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