Staying true to his habit of breaking news about the Spring Convo Concert via Twitter, Vice President for Student Affairs Kent Smith on Thursday announced the show’s opener.
“@SeanKingston to open for the @ohiou Wiz concert May 18. #BobcatNation,” he tweeted.
The Jamaican R&B artist will open for Wiz Khalifa at the May 18 Convo show.
The Performing Arts Series, University Program Council, Campus Involvement Center and the Black Student Cultural Programing Board are working in conjunction to put on the event with the goal to make the show bigger and better than the B.o.B. concert last year.
“(Kingston) kind of raps but kind of does not,” said Winsome Chunnu-Brayda, associate director of the Multicultural Center and adviser of BSCPB. “Whenever you put a show together, you’re always looking for either one of the artists to compliment the other.”
The initial goal in booking an opening act was to find someone who diversified the ticket and would bring in a greater number of people than would normally attend.
“We can reach other people that may not be into a rap concert,” Chunnu-Brayda said. “We can bring someone in who is more hip-hop rather than rap; we appeal to a greater cross section.”
Kingston was discovered as an independent artist on MySpace before he was signed and released his first single “Beautiful Girls” in 2007. “Beautiful Girls” made it to No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks straight.
He is set to release his third album, Back 2 Life, later this year. It will feature artists such as T-Pain, Nicki Minaj, Kanye West and Dr.Dre.
“I think with the release of his new album, he will bring out really catchy, popular songs,” said Seyi Odunaiya, president of BSCPB. “That should motivate more people to come out to the concert.”
Kingston was booked for $25,000, falling below the organization’s initial budget for an opener said Andrew Holzaepfel, associate director for the Campus Involvement Center, in an email that.
The $25,000 fee is slightly below the $27,500 that UPC, the Performing Arts Series, BSCPB and Campus Involvement Center collectively paid for last year’s opener, Far East Movement.
Chunnu-Brayda said floor and bleacher seats are sold out. The only seats remaining are in the 200-seat level for $25 and the obstructed view seats for $20.
“The students who are a part of the decision making are really excited,” Chunnu-Brayda said. “We will see what the general body response will be when we get back (from break).”
wh092010@ohiou.edu
