Shoutout to UR

Today’s best-known Spider in pop culture gave UR’s academic excellence some serious exposure on his TV show and social media channels, whose viewers and followers combine to number in the millions.

Dave Burd, ’10, who broke out as a rapper via viral videos, has given that early success durability with hit singles and a TV series, Dave, which is the FX networks’ highest-rated comedy ever. In the episode “Ad Man,” which aired July 21, Burd’s semifictional alter ego, Dave, participates in a media event alongside rappers Lil Yachty and Desiigner. After the first two detail hardscrabble backgrounds, the camera cuts to Dave, who makes a rule-of-threes comedy turn. He skewers his comparative privilege by detailing a comfortable upbringing in the Philadelphia suburbs. Then he turns to his college years.

“I went to college at the University of Richmond, and I graduated as the marketing student of the year,” he says. “And actually, Businessweek ranked my undergraduate program as the No. 1 undergraduate marketing program in America. So by the transitive property, I was incredibly well-positioned.”

Burd was indeed a business major and graduated summa cum laude, although the 2010 commencement program makes no mention of an award. The ranking stat is embellished but not far off. Businessweek ranked the Robins School of Business No. 15 on its 2010 list of best undergraduate business programs.