Lupe Fiasco at Bridges Auditorium

Brought to you by the Associated Students of Claremont McKenna College (ASCMC), Bridges Auditorium will be hosting three-time Grammy Award nominee Lupe Fiasco on Friday, March 5. Opening the show will be hip-hop artists B.o.B and Anthem.
Fiasco, born Wasalu Muhammad Jaco, has released two albums. His debut effort, Food & Liquor, earned the singer three Grammy nominations, including a nod for Best Rap Album. His follow-up, The Cool, produced the hit song "Superstar," featuring Matthew Santos. Other popular titles by Fiasco include "Kick Push" and "Daydreamin,'" featuring Jill Scott.
Although he has worked with other famous names such as Pharell, Kanye West, and Jay-Z, Fiasco's style of music and lyrical content are said to distinguish him from many hip-hop artists of today. His songs have attacked the materialistic hip-hop culture and are often inspired by his childhood in Chicago, growing up without a father, and his Muslim faith.
Most recently, he has gained popularity not from his music but from his philanthropic ventures. In January he climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro on an expedition called Summit on the Summit, which raised awareness and funds to support the fight against the global, clean water crisis. Fiasco also recently contributed to Haiti by recording a track for a benefit album by Music For Relief, an organization that donates money to disaster relief efforts.
Josh Siegel '10, ASCMC vice president, says that aside from producing great music, "Lupe Fiasco is unique in the hip-hop world for his time devoted to philanthropy as well as his pronounced departure from the misogynistic and materialistic themes that permeate much of the hip-hop world.
"ASCMC thinks Lupe Fiasco speaks to the values of many CMCers more than any other mainstream artist popular with college students today," Siegel added.
ASCMC president Isayas Theodros '10 says that factors considered by ASCMC when coordinating performances like this one are the total cost, student body interest, and artist availability. "Of all the artists we considered, from a variety of different genres, Lupe Fiasco seemed to fit that combination best," Theodros said.
Tickets went on sale to CMC students at 8 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 1 in McKenna Auditorium at a discounted rate of $15 per CMC ID (cash or check), and $25 for non-CMC guests. Tickets will be made available to students of the other Claremont Colleges on Wednesday, Feb. 3.
All remaining tickets will go on sale to the general public on Friday, Feb. 12 for $25 each at the Bridges Auditorium box office, and online at Ticketmaster.com.
For further inquiries about this event, please e-mail: ascmc@cmc.edu. Kelsey Brown '13 and Brittany Pineros '11