Diamondback Online - The University of Maryland's Independent Daily Student Newspaper

Issue date: 3/13/08 Section: News

Hip-hop artist, songwriter and producer Wyclef Jean will headline this year's SEE-sponsored Art Attack concert on May 2, which will require students to purchase tickets for the first time ever, the group announced yesterday.

This year marks Art Attack's 25th anniversary, prompting Student Entertainment Events to bring on mtvU as a cosponsor, a move Public Relations Director Maggy Baccinelli said will bring bigger acts to the campus.

The decision comes at a cost to students, who will pay $5 per ticket, which were free in previous years. Tickets for the general public will cost $10, a $5 decrease from last year's show.

"[MTV's] getting a cut of it," said Baccinelli, who added part of the fee will cover costs associated with putting on the concert.

Despite students now paying for tickets, Baccinelli remains optimistic that students will continue to attend.

"Our research shows that students are more interested in paying for a great show" rather than attending free but mediocre concerts, she said.

Tickets will be on sale at Hoff Box Office starting April 1 and online starting April 18.

mtvU is co-sponsoring the event as part of its Campus Invasion Tour, in which high-profile and emerging musical acts flock to campuses nationwide. As an event sponsor, mtvU will bring contests, freebies and casting calls to the event.

"The artists we're having doesn't really exclude anyone," she said, referring to the eclectic lineup of musical groups, including Simple Plan, The Bravery, Cobra Starship and The Spill Canvas.

Wyclef Jean is best known as former lead rapper for the musical group The Fugees, which dissolved in 1996 after churning out such songs as "Fu-Gee-La" and "Killing Me Softly."

Jean most recently featured fellow rapper Lil Wayne, as well as singers Akon and Niia in his 2007 single "Sweetest Girl (Dollar Bill)." The song peaked at No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 last month.

Still, last spring's headliner The All-American Rejects may prove hard to beat. More than 9,000 Terps crowded the show at Byrd Stadium. Other past musical acts include Guster, the Bloodhound Gang and the P-Funk All Stars.

"We want to make it something that students will think of as a yearly tradition," Baccinelli said. "We're really trying to make it an exciting and memorable event."

The show is scheduled to begin at 4:30 p.m. at Byrd Stadium. Doors open at 4 p.m.

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