As Rice University has moved into full swing with the 2026-27 academic year, activity on campus has regained its familiar liveliness. Students swarmed to the welcome back party, where they were greeted by a new-but-familiar face: Bun B.
Entrepreneur and rapper Bernard Freeman, also known as Bun B, joined the celebration after recently opening Trill Burgers in the Rice Memorial Center. The award-winning smashed burger concept will serve Rice and its visitors throughout the fall and spring semesters, bringing its beef and vegan burgers to campus.
Trill Burgers was quick to share the enthusiasm for its move to the Rice campus and the subsequent student following on its social media sites.
“This partnership represents much more than bringing a popular restaurant to campus,” said Beth Leaver, assistant vice president of housing, dining and hospitality. “It reflects Houston and the cultural intersections that make this city special.”
As a resident in Houston during the rise of Southern hip hop, she noticed that artists like Bun B and his role as half of Underground Kingz helped give Houston and the South a distinctive cultural voice.
“Music, food, art and entrepreneurship have long shaped our city with influences crossing neighborhoods, cultures and generations. I often say that Houston is the smallest big city because there is always someone who knows someone. That sense of connection is part of Houston’s spirit. We show up for our communities, support local entrepreneurs and celebrate the people who make our city unique,” Leaver said of Rice’s decision to partner with Bun B.
Housing, Dining and Hospitality jumped at the opportunity to bring more of Houston’s identity to campus. Rice is an incredibly diverse community, and Leaver said her team thought “our dining offerings should reflect the cultures, flavors and experiences of both our students and the city around us.”
Bun B’s history with Rice made the partnership especially meaningful. He previously co-taught Rice’s popular Religion and Hip-Hop Culture course, bringing together music, scholarship and community. Leaver said Trill Burgers felt like a natural continuation of that relationship. Bun B has extended his cultural impact into entrepreneurship and food, making Trill Burgers part of Houston’s contemporary story.
“When we consider local partners, we look for those authentic connections to Rice and Houston,” Leaver said.
