Several years ago the planets lined up, Union Board made the impossible happen and — for one night — IU hosted three of the biggest names in music.
This was April of 2011.
Lil Wayne, Rick Ross and Nicki Minaj performed on our campus in a star-studded lineup, the likes of which we haven’t ?seen since.
Sure, some of Union Board’s follow-up acts haven’t been half bad: Macklemore in 2013, ScHoolboy Q in 2014 and Big Sean this year.
Artists with big enough name recognition but without an exorbitant fee are what Union Board needs make a decent Little 500 concert happen each year.
But, truth be told, it’s the not what this great ?campus deserves.
I say we dream a ?little bigger.
The greatest school deserves the (self-described) greatest voice in hip-hop.
So to you, my fellow Hoosiers, I say this: Kanye West 2016 — or, at least, try to bring Yeezy for one epic Little 500 concert some year in the future. I’m not saying it would be easy.
Some might even rightfully say it’s impossible, considering Kanye’s fee is around $500,000-plus per performance compared to Big Sean’s paltry $70,000.
For a man whose career started with “The College Dropout” and followed up with two other education-themed albums, “Late Registration” and “Graduation,” IU would be a fitting background for Kanye’s return to a college campus.
Kanye would also be a perfect headliner for next year’s Little 500 concert because he reflects the what we’re talking about today in not only music, but also American society.
Throughout his career, Kanye has discussed racism, consumerism, power, drug use, sex, fashion, college and so much more, all of which is as relevant as ever.
But if there’s only one reason he should perform for Little 500, it’s because no one does a show like ?Kanye West.
His ability to get an arena hype is legendary, if not occasionally infamous — which is what Little 500 should be all about.
Besides, being able to say IU brought the biggest name in hip hop would be pretty sweet, too.
It’s been done before — I’m sure IU could do it again.
edsalas@indiana.edu
