Last Friday, the BET Black College Tour made its way to North Carolina A&T. The event took place in Corbett Gym from 4-8pm. Before the event, WNAA 90.1 held a discussion hosted by NC A&T alum and 106 & Park host Terrence J.
The program was scheduled for 2:00 pm but Terrence J was an hour and 20 mins late. He began by telling his story and how he got started.
While he was a student at A&T he was very involved with WNAA 90.1 and the television station.
The key to his success at BET was persistence. He auditioned for BET in New York but they told him he wasn’t good enough. He flew to Atlanta the very next day with the same clothes on to try again. He was cut again but told the President of BET that he wasn’t going to give up and he was going to follow him to every audition until he was offered something. The President liked his drive and offered him an internship.
After about six or seven months he received a call and they told him they had a job for him and signed a contract with BET for $250,000 to host 106 & Park. He said it was very important to come back where he first started to give his story.
Microsoft, BET, and Def Jam all had tables at the College Tour and distributed free items including posters and free software trials. There were also some interactive tables. BET had a table that allowed students to play a trivia game and win some BET paraphernalia.
Xbox had tables where students could compete in a video game tournament with a variety of games. There was also a section of the gym marked off for three point shoot-out basketball. All the tables were run by A&T students who volunteered to help BET with this event.
Around 4:30pm, Terrence J and Rocsi, hosts of BET’s hit show 106 & Park, made their way on stage. The two announced that there would be a singing competition, a guess the beat competition, a 2 on 2 basketball competition, and a freestyle competition. Each competition had three rounds; preliminary, semi-finals, and finals.
The winner of the singing competition won an I-pod shuffle and a book. The winner of the “guess the beat” competition received the new Beats by Dr. Dre headphones. The winner of the Sierra Mist freestyle competition was also chosen Apollo-style. “Rev.” Grey Stanford won a $200 gift certificate to Best Buy. The winners of the 2 on 2 basketball competition, Orlando Daye and Tirelle Daye, each won a Verizon cell phone.
BET’s Black College Tour also showcased performances by SoSo Def artist’s Vistoso Bosses, and Def Jam artist’s Lil’ Ru and Ace Hood. There was also an impromptu performance by some members of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.
They by-passed security and ran on stage to do their famous step to “Atomic Dog” along with Terrence J. That could explain why when asked for her thoughts about being at A&T, a laughing Roci said, “I am completely and extremely happy to be here but I’m staying away from the purple shirts because Terrence and the Que’s are wild”.
Terrence J’s thoughts on being back at his alma matter were a little more in-depth.
“I feel like I never left. I’m excited to see all the young faces that I know will continue to go on to do great things.”
It seems there was a mixed overall feeling of the Tour from A&T students. Sophomore Nia Smith said, “It was whack. It wasn’t what I expected. The video game tournament, for instance, wasn’t hyped up at all.”
Janay Price, a first year grad student and A&T alumni said, “I think it was great. I also think it was really well organized for the location having to change last minute due to the weather”.
Tracy Durandis, a freshman Public Relations major, “It was a good show, I enjoyed watching my friends compete in the 2 on 2 basketball game.”
NC A&T was the BET Black College Tour’s first stop ever, and the tour has sure come a long way from its initial 2 on 2 basketball game and freestyle battle. This is the 8th year of the BET Black College Tour.
- Sylvia Obell & Makailah Fennell