JAY-Z’s Roc Nation School Faces Backlash Over ‘Debt-Free’ Promise

JAY-Z’s Roc Nation School of Music, Sports & Entertainment at Long Island University Brooklyn has reportedly come under scrutiny over its promise that students would graduate debt-free. According to a report from Gothamist, some current and former students have spoken out about feeling deceived after being burdened with thousands of dollars in debt.

The school, which opened in 2021, offered a “Hope Scholarship” to applicants with the highest financial need, covering full tuition. One of the first students to receive this scholarship, Justice Stephenson, claims she was later told she owed $26,000 in student debt, despite being promised a debt-free education. After providing proof of the initial promise, she was able to negotiate the debt down to $5,000.

Stephenson is reportedly not alone, with dozens of other students allegedly receiving letters stating they would graduate without incurring any debt, only to later find out that wasn’t the case.

In response, LIU’s head of marketing, Jackie Nealon, said in a statement, according to the outlet: “Upon admission to the university, Hope Scholarship recipients receive an offer letter from the university that outlines the full-tuition scholarship and any student obligations. The offer letter also expressly includes that neither university fees nor housing costs are included in the scholarship.”

However, it was reportedly revealed that several students received offer letters promising a “full-tuition scholarship” and the ability to “graduate without debt,” without mentioning that academic fees and housing costs weren’t covered.

Students have also allegedly criticized the quality of the education, claiming that the facilities were not up to standard and that promised guest lectures from Roc Nation artists like Rihanna and DJ Khaled never materialized.

JAY-Z and Roc Nation have yet to respond to the claims. This is not the first time a rapper has faced controversy over the operation of a school. Kanye West opened his Donda Academy in 2022, but it shut down later that year after the rapper made antisemitic comments on social media. The school is currently the subject of several lawsuits according to multiple reports.