DURHAM -- Students from North Carolina Central University have created their own record label, thanks to Grammy-winning musician 9th Wonder.
"Hip-hop at one point -- and still is to some regard -- used as a megaphone of what is going on in our communities, whether people want to hear it or not,” said 9th Wonder, who is also the head of Raleigh's Jamla Records.
Ninth passed that love on to students during a music business class at NCCU this semester, and his final test was no easy task.
His course encouraged the students to create their own record label, and by the end of the school year, that's just what they did.
- Grammy-award winning musician 9th Wonder started the course for his class at NCCU.
- 9th Wonder is also a Winston-Salem native.
- Current signees include $wank and Ernest III.
The label, Black Bullies Entertainment, was started by NCCU students Ivey Johnson, Nia Darby, Malcolm Parsons, and Amonie Moore.
The students say they can't wait to see what the future holds for Black Bullies.
"Some of the greatest record labels started from people being in college or sitting in their dorm. Def Jam started from just being in a dorm and playing beats," said Darby. "I think that we have something great.”
Whether Black Bullies is the next Jamla remains to be seen, but Ninth says as long as the students keep pushing the limits, they will succeed.
"We don't plant that seed in them enough. I've seen that seed in them grow over the past eight weeks from them to say 'I can do this,” said 9th Wonder.
What started as a project for a semester has the potential to give the world music to last for a lifetime.