David Banner believes the success of HBCU Honors is rooted in something bigger than television metrics.
As the show climbed from fifth to third in its time slot among Black cable viewers, fueled by triple-digit growth with younger audiences on BET, Banner says the surge reflects a generation craving to see real journeys, not just polished outcomes.
Speaking exclusively with BOSSIP’s Lauryn Bass, Banner, who was awarded the HBCU Honors’ Cultural Impact Award for his influential career as an artist and activist, explained that today’s Black youth are not looking for lofty rhetoric. They want proof. They want process. And most importantly, they want to see themselves reflected in the journey.
“What our children want, they don’t want to hear a lot of rhetoric. They want to see it,” Banner said. “A lot of times, they only see the end result of people who made it to a certain level. They don’t see the path.”
Showing the Journey, Not Just the Finish Line
Banner, a Southern University alum, spoke candidly about how rarely young people are shown the beginning stages of success.
He recalled being a freshman in Jones Hall, standing in registration lines just like the students watching today. That relatability, he said, is part of what makes HBCU Honors resonate…