Tyrese’s Emotional Reaction to HBCU Pop-Up at MEAC/SWAC Challenge

The Cricket MEAC/SWAC Challenge concluded in a thrilling matchup between Florida A&M and Norfolk State, with renowned actor and R&B singer Tyrese Gibson among the attendees.

Tyrese was there to promote his upcoming film, 1992, which is set during the intense first night of the 1992 Los Angeles riots. However, he found himself deeply moved by the student musicians of Florida A&M’s Marching 100 band. In a video he shared, Tyrese spoke of the profound admiration he felt, stating, “They the stars. They in college. They’re breaking the generational curses in their family. They are the stars.”

Tyrese’s appearance at the MEAC/SWAC Challenge was not a singular event. He has been actively engaging with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) as part of his promotional efforts for 1992. Earlier in the week, he visited Spelman College and shared his experience on social media.

“Shout out to all of these very, very special and specifically blessed freshman who just started their first day at Spelman college in Atlanta!!! They had no idea that I was coming to interrupt their first class. We talked, we laughed, we cried, we exchanged and I wanna believe that everybody in this room understands how important it is to show up for 1992,” he said on his X account regarding his visit.

Tyrese’s passion for supporting educational opportunities at HBCUs is evident in his philanthropic efforts over the years. Back in 2015, he donated $50,000 towards a Morehouse College student’s tuition, per a report by NewsOne. On Instagram, he credited his inspiration for giving back to radio legend and Tuskegee University alumnus Tom Joyner, whose foundation has greatly benefited HBCUs over the years.

“Why did I decide to put this young kid from Compton through college? Because I #dream with my eyes OPEN,” Tyrese said in the Instagram post announcing his donation.

Lorenzo Murphy, also known as Zo the Motivator, spoke emotionally about Tyrese’s contribution towards his education.

“None of this would be possible without God, @tyrese, the support from my family, and of course, my relentless hard work. Annually, Morehouse is around 45k-50k and as you can imagine, that is a lot of money. I thank God for placing @tyrese in my life,” he wrote. “It is because of him believing in me and investing in my future, that I am able to receive my education. I am among the world’s greatest leaders and I want to thank @tyrese for giving me the opportunity to pursue my academic and career endeavors at Morehouse College.”

1992 arrives in theaters on August 30th.