Saweetie’s Filipino Mom Kept Her On Track To Graduate College

The ICY GRL rapper Saweetie, aka Diamonté Quiava Valentin Harper, is a USC graduate with a communication major thanks to her Asian mom who kept her going even if finishing her higher education wasn’t always in her plans. 

Saweetie Prioritized Education over Career

It took a lot of effort for Saweetie to become the rap game’s most influential glamour girl. From a young age, My Type rapper had big dreams. Still, unlike her idols Ashanti and Aaliyah, who dropped out of college, she prioritized her education over pursuing her musical career. 

Saweetie was raised in the Bay Area by a Filipino-Chinese mother and an African American father. She spent her childhood in a big apartment complex with her family, playing with the neighboring kids. 

She attended Monterey Trail High School in Elk Grove. Upon graduating, she first enrolled in San Diego State University for a year and later in the University of Southern California (USC). 

During a 2019 interview with Daily Trojan, the rap star revealed she had no intention of graduating from college, but she promised herself that she would if she could transfer to her dream school (USC).

But I promised myself if I got into USC, it was a sign I needed to finish college.

The artist applied to USC’s communications program and was accepted just a few weeks later. Soon, she began her sophomore year at the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, where she majored in communications with a business concentration. 

Saweetie's Asian Mom Wanted Her to Graduate with Good Grades

In an interview with Cool Accidents back in 2020, when asked about her college life, Saweetie acknowledged that every time she pursued music, her grades suffered. This was unacceptable to her Asian Mom, in her words, “a Tiger mom.” So, she gave her 100% until graduation and then continued her music.

So I figured you know, I’m just gonna give it 100% until I graduate so that I’m able to get my good grades and after I graduated, I just pursued music full on.

Eventually, with her hard work and dedication, she did pretty well in class: “I graduated with a 3.6 GPA,” she told Vibe in 2017.

“I think that kind of instilled in me that I need to be consistent when it comes to my academics. [My Mom] was really serious…”, Saweetie continued. 

In the interview, when asked about her parents’ take regarding her career, she responded her mom was definitely indifferent and concerned for her like any other mom, even though she supported her. However, she was sold after watching her debut single Icy Grl. 

“I think she just wanted to see that I was serious, but I was kind of nervous at the same time,” the rapper said. Saweetie’s mom wanted her to have a better life, and once her mom saw Saweetie’s love and passion for music, she was all in. 

Her dad was pretty cool and always encouraged her to do her own thing from a young age. The Tap In singer believes her father raised her like a little boy he trusts and not like a little girl. 

During the interview, Saweetie also shared that her dad was her best friend, teacher, and one of the first people who heard her rap. “He would put me on the spot, and that kind of helped me come out of my shell,” the rapper said.