Rapper Lupe Fiasco is scheduled to perform at this year’s Spring Fling, according to a concert listing on his website.
The artist, who is best known for his song “Superstar,” listed a performance at Yale University on April 26, the day of Spring Fling, on his website. The listing, along with other April concerts at colleges including Cornell University, was taken down Friday around 9 p.m. after the News published the information earlier that afternoon. Members of the Yale College Council declined to comment on the possibility of Lupe performing at Yale, or on the posting.
The YCC typically asks artists not to release information about Spring Fling appearances, as this can make it more difficult to negotiate other acts, Events Director Michael Chao ’11 said. Some artists might care which other artists are performing, Chao said.
“We generally do ask them not to advertise it until we publicize it,” he said. “[It] makes it easier for us to work on securing other artists.”
Chao also declined to comment on whether any acts other than Lupe had been booked yet, explaining that the YCC only discusses details about Spring Fling once all contracts for all acts have been signed. He said this would likely be in late March or early April, adding that the Committee is at about the same place as its predecessor was at this point last year.
Last year’s lineup was leaked on the blog IvyGate in late March.
April will not mark Lupe Fiasco’s first visit to Yale: the artist performed for students in 2008, as part of that year’s Black Solidarity Conference.
“Lupe brings a unique energy to the stage,” said Daniel Esannason ’11, who attended the concert. “He’s a high-energy performer who feeds off the crowd’s enthusiasm.”
Esannason added that students are more familiar with Lupe’s songs now than they were in the past, which he said he expects will make the artist’s Spring Fling appearance successful.
Nigel Tann ’11, president of this year’s conference, added that he knows several people who interacted directly with Lupe Fiasco at his 2008 appearance, and said that he was “very amicable.”
“People will critique a lot of things about Lupe, but no one will ever critique his rapping or his performing,” Tann said.
While two of nine students interviewed had never heard of Lupe, seven said they were excited to see the rapper perform, and thought he was a good choice for Spring Fling.
Micha’le Simmons ’12 said the artist will make for a better Fling than last year’s rap act, the Ying Yang Twins, whose lyrics were labeled offensive by some students.
“Having Lupe is an informed decision because he’s more of a socially conscious artist than the Ying Yang Twins, who are highly controversial,” she said. “You can tell by his music that he doesn’t just rap about sex and foolishness and it isn’t as degrading, from what I know.”
Two students said they would like to hear more mainstream music at Spring Fling. Ananya Hemvijitraphan ’12, who had not heard of Lupe Fiasco, said she would like the YCC to hire a top 10 artist for this year’s event.
Molly Emerson ’13 said she felt that last year’s Fling was “too indie.”
“I like Matt and Kim but I don’t listen to them when the sun goes down,” she said. “If you want people to stay longer, you need more ‘dancey’ music.”
Lupe Fiasco has released two albums to date, and a third album, “Lasers,” is set to come out March 8.