Despite having dropped out of high school, rapper Lil Pump has—for the last two years—cultivated the rumor that he went to Harvard. The rumor began in 2017 when Pump randomly tweeted: “I REALLY DID DROP OUT OF HARVARD TO SAVE THE RAP GAME” (he didn't). Since then, Pump has done his best to incorporate this into his own rap mythology. Doubling down on the rumor, Pump even titled his new album Harverd Dropout.
Given this, it's somewhat surprising that a number of people took seriously a promotional hoax sent out by his record label on Monday claiming Pump will deliver the 2019 commencement speech at Harvard University. Many news outlets took the bait, and reported that Pump would make history as Harvard's youngest commencement speaker.
As the email from Warner Bros. read:
As officially confirmed by WHRB Harvard Radio today, the multi-platinum selling modern icon and history-making teenage superstar will deliver the 2019 commencement speech at Harvard University. This honor places him in good company with a bevy of game-changers, thought leaders and Nobel Peace Prize winners throughout history who have addressed the graduating class of the world’s most prestigious university. Given his status at the forefront of the culture and position as a voice for the youth, Harvard University handpicked Pump to be its “youngest commencement speaker in history.” This serves as a testament to his undeniable influence on the current generation.This is, of course, not true. Angela Merkel, the Chancellor of Germany since 2005, will deliver Harvard's commencement address and not Lil Pump, who once premiered a song at the Pornhub Awards.
When contacted by Esquire, a Harvard spokesperson reiterated that Merkel is scheduled to deliver the 2019 Harvard commencement.
Anyway, it would be mildly entertaining to watch Lil Pump scream Gucci Gang at a bunch of egghead Harvard grads.
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