When Queen Latifah, Boogie Down Productions and X Clan take the stage in Rec Hall on March 26, many black students will enjoy how the groups' raps glorify ancient African civilization, African pride and the "Motherland."

But some student leaders said they hope African-Americans fully understand the meaning behind these lyrics, which are founded on the Afrocentricity -- the belief that the world should be viewed through African culture and history.

University students who advocate Afrocentricity said they worry that some black youth's actions are reducing a resurgence of interest in African heritage and civilization to a fad. This might prevent it from aiding African-Americans in their struggle for unification and empowerment, they added.

"While it's much better to show black pride even in trendy and frivolous things, there's a danger in the revival of black culture becoming a trend," said Malcolm Thomas, Black Caucus Re-education Committee head. "It becomes cyclical and dies and comes back every 15 or 20 years."

Thomas said the popular movement lacks substance and needs to reinforce black pride by taking action to improve the black community.

Natalie Hibbert, editor of The Drum, Black Caucus' biweekly newspaper, agrees with Thomas, but said she thinks the treatment of Afrocentricity as a popular movement does help "encourage Afrocentricity, slowly, and help it sink in."

While Joyceline Gray (senior-history) said she feels that the movement is positive, it will not survive unless African-Americans can gain political, economical and societal power.

Afrocentric items include: red-and-green-and-yellow African medallions, necklaces adorned with likenesses of the head of Nefertiti, a queen of Egypt in the 14th century B.C., and clothing complimented with traditional kente cloth.

While the turnout for on-campus speakers like Zak Kondo, professor of Afro-American and African history at Bowie State University in Bowie, Md., and Na'im Akbar, a prominent theorist on African-American psychology, has been good, it is unfair to expect people to absorb so much knowledge at one time, Thomas said.

"We need to have more follow-up programs," Thomas said. "The speakers can't do it all. Knowledge without action really doesn't amount to much."

Thomas said Black Caucus' Afrikan School helps to "provide a forum for education to counter and supplement the information that (black people) are given in society."

Although the popular movement needs to develop more substance, the resurgence of African pride seems to carry more weight in urban communities, Hibbert said.

"'When I was growing up (in New York) people didn't want it to be known that they were African or West Indian," Hibbert said. "Now people are really proud of their heritage and aren't afraid to show it."