Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

Pharrell Williams
Pharrell Williams
Pharrell Williams

Hampton Roads Community News

Music Superstar Pharrell Williams Keynotes NSU’s Commencement

By Randy Singleton
Community Correspondent
New Journal and Guide

NORFOLK
Grammy-winning producer and Oscar-nominated songwriter Pharrell Williams was the keynote speaker at NSU’s December commencement on Saturday (Dec 11) at Joseph G. Echols Memorial Hall. Williams organized the “Elephant in the Room Forum” which brought business leaders to the campus of NSU to discuss current economic issues of concern to residents of Virginia in November.

In his remarks, Williams urged the graduates to honor our local heroes and to vote with their wallets. He also revealed that he was a life-long admirer and supporter of the NSU Spartan Legion. Williams said that he asked his high school band teacher if his band members could be like the Spartan Legion. He said his band teacher told him that you have to have written music to be like NSU. This motivated Williams and started him on his music writing career.

Williams was awarded a Doctor of Humane Letters honorary degree and he was made an honorary member of the Spartan Legion. The university conferred degrees to almost 400 students at the ceremony.

Williams, a native of Virginia Beach, orchestrated a music festival at the Oceanfront in 2019 which he called “Something in the Water”. This year, he announced he would not support a second festival, citing too much “toxic energy” in the city as a cause.

Please follow and like us:

NJG 2023 Calendar

Purchase Through Paypal

You may find these interesting

Black Arts and Culture

By Helen Ross PGA Tour Special to NNPA Newswire The uniforms were the start. Black skorts and orange, purple, red and white polos with...

Black Arts and Culture

2023 Hampton Roads Mayors’ Masked Ball Held In Portsmouth Special to the New Journal and Guide HAMPTON ROADS The 6th Annual UNCF Hampton Roads...

Black History

By Jaelyn Scott Spring Intern New Journal and Guide Chloe Anthony Wofford, also known as Toni Morrison, was born on February 18, 1931, in...

Black History

Dr. Dorothy Ferebee: She Was Norfolk-Born, Became National Leader By Leonard E. Colvin Chief Reporter New Journal and Guide In 2016 weeks before the...

%d bloggers like this: