Outrage over Fabolous performance is biased

October 30, 2009

TO THE EDITOR:

I don’t think it would be too outrageous to say that the feelings about Fabolous coming to perform for Homecoming are extremely biased.

Being that UNC is a predominantly white school and one of the main performers for homecoming is a major hip-hop performer, it doesn’t surprise me that people are seeing it as a waste of money, when really the Homecoming committee probably decided that this year might be a good year to cater to a different genre of music that happens to cater to a different crowd than it usually does.

There have been many acts for Homecoming in the past that were a disappointment to a large number of people on campus, but there weren’t many complaints because the Homecoming performers are kind of known and expected to be a joke.

Now a performer is scheduled to come in, but because a majority of people on campus don’t listen to 97.5 or 102.1 on the radio when a significant amount of people do, it’s a waste of money.

Some people may say that they’ve never heard of Fabolous, but I know a good amount of people that have never heard of Kid Cudi, including myself. It’s disappointing that people are throwing fits because this one year the performer doesn’t cater to the campus “majority.”

Rachel Galanos
Senior
Biology

If anyone is really that offended about Fabolous...

Submitted by Whiny Jerks on November 2, 2009 - 15:02.

...JOIN CUAB. there are 17 completely student-run committees that love having new students and their input.

If you don't join and let them know what you want, how can you complain? Contrary to popular belief, CUAB can't read minds, so join and help bring stuff you want.

Bias

Submitted by brian71490 on November 1, 2009 - 20:46.

The only thing we're biased against is terrible rappers like Fabolous.

really? the race card?

Submitted by corbds4 on November 1, 2009 - 18:02.

come on... this is ridiculous. im white, go to unc, and love hip hop. first of all, fabolous would not really be considered a "major" hip hop performer currently. second, making sweeping generalizations about the music people at unc listen to is silly and unfounded. third, as stated below, kid cudi is decidedly black... and a hip hop artist. i just get the feeling that the author of this letter just needed something to get angry about. and with that, i point you to thing #101 that white people like... "being offended."

http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.com/2008/05/28/101-being-offended/

alright let's chill out for a second...

Submitted by mebarbee on October 30, 2009 - 23:37.

I think it's unfair to be so harsh on CUAB when they do spend so much time and energy trying to provide good entertainment to the student body. Granted, Fabolous doesn't stand out as much as new up-and-coming artists like Kid Cudi, but I think people will have fun if they have a positive attitude coming into the concert. I know I'm not the only one who felt cool bopping to "Young'n," "Now That's Grindin'," etc. at middle school dances...YOU CAN'T DENY IT ;)

I am happy with the week later addition of Anoop Desai. He's a source of inspiration for anyone trying to achieve their dreams. That being said, I do think it would have been interesting if CUAB took a sort of "home grown" approach to this year's homecoming. Instead of spending thousands of dollars on Fab, which seems to have disgruntled many Tar Heel students, maybe Anoop could have been the feature act instead, and there could have been a sort of arts & music festival on campus. I would have loved to watch a showcase of all the talent UNC has to offer - all different styles of dancing, singing, a cappella, poetry readings, plays in the ampitheatre, odd and unusual talents, local bands, etc. I have a feeling this would have cost significantly less than the price of Fabolous, and that many students would be in attendance - who doesn't want to come out and support their friends, and watch them do their thing? I hear a lot about such campus and local groups, but hardly have the opportunity to catch performances.

I didn't suggest this to CUAB, but it could be an option in the future. Meanwhile, I think everyone needs to give them a break, appreciate the hard work that was put into this year's homecoming concert, and to support Anoop as well, because in the words of Fabolous: "The entree ain't as good without somethin on the side." HOLLA BACK woo woooooo :)

Uh-huh

Submitted by burly.bear on October 30, 2009 - 15:23.

Kid Cudi is a black hip-hop artist who probably doesn't cater to the campus "majority", so I don't see your point.

Once again the DTH is trying to actually create contreversy rather than report on one. I really don't feel like people care about all of this outside of the DTH offices.

But this Fabulous deal is nothing new--CUAB always seems to wait until the last minute to pay outrageous amounts for the only performer left. I remember when I friend told me about the time she was on the music selection committee for the Springfest a few years back. The committee had spent a good deal of time compiling a list of cheap up-and-coming artists. They presented it to the main board, and every name was dismissed. At the last minute, someone said "BOYZ II MEN" and voila, we paid 40,000 dollars or so to bring '90s has-beens to the Dean Dome. These selection committees are treating this allotted money like its an essay assignment that can just be farted out the night before. The problem is not Fabulous' race, or his music, its the laziness of the homecoming committee when they scavenge through the musician bin with our student fees.

Unless you were on the Homecoming committee...

Submitted by BRC2009 on October 30, 2009 - 16:27.

You cannot compare this year's committees that make program selections to last year's, nor can you compare committees during the same year that are made up of different students that make selections for different events.

The dynamics of any committee at UNC changes every year, because students move on and graduate, new students come in and join, students' views may change from year to year...there are so many factors that contribute to the changing dynamics of a committee from year to year. It is an unfair comparison to generalize any committee or selection committee, especially if you are not a member of any of them.

Unless you were on that committee that chose "BOYZ II MEN" last year, or on the Homecoming committee this year, it is completely unfair to be so severe.

It is amazing that so many students lack respect for all of the time and effort that go into planning these events. Students that are members of these committees take their tasks and responsibilities very seriously, and work tirelessly to bring the best result possible to please the students.

I am fairly certain it is common knowledge that even if you choose not to join any of the organizations that are made up of committees that make selections like these (such as the Carolina Union Activities Board), these committees always accept suggestions and ideas from ANY students.

I vote for: "These selection

Submitted by MoreThanAwesome on October 30, 2009 - 15:40.

I vote for: "These selection committees are treating this allotted money like its an essay assignment that can just be farted out the night before." as Monday's featured online reader comment.

Please, DTH? Make a prolific featured commenter happy.

doubt it's racial

Submitted by w on October 30, 2009 - 14:01.

i don't remember a lot of complaints about the roots.

the problem isn't that he's a hip-hop artist. it's that he's such an unremarkable one.

Biased, of course. Racial? I doubt it.

Submitted by ddeerson on October 30, 2009 - 11:52.

Of course people's opinions about homecoming performer are biased. They are opinions.

But is it racial bias? Isn't Kid Cuddi (who I have never heard of either) also black?
I don't think anyone would complain if it was 50 cent, or lil' wayne, black people that everyone has heard of.
I also think there would be complaining if it was a white artist who no one had heard of.
This just seems like a baseless accusation.

Maybe, or maybe not

Submitted by okellie on October 30, 2009 - 11:02.

To the post below mine, I guess you have made a few good points. However what I can't seem to rap my head around is what do people really want? Clearly CUAB and CAA (please don't forget they were also involved) did what they felt that had to do. When the two artist they were originally looking at canceled on them last minute, they immediately chose another artist that was available. Would you rather we not have a Homecoming concert at all? Imagine the backlash then? Exactly. And whether the fact that the announcement was late, if you are a fan, or really want to go, you will figure out a way to make it happen. Otherwise you'll chalk it up to being another homecoming concert that doesn't interest you. All the unnecessary publicity by the DTH is over kill because honestly when has the Homecoming Concert ever been a must see event?

BTW I would have love to been here when OutKast was a Homecoming performer...I just seem to find that hard to imagine.

I know in the past they've

Submitted by MoreThanAwesome on October 30, 2009 - 13:05.

I know in the past they've held a 'Battle of the Bands', so to speak, when they were unable to book an act that had some degree of appeal for the student body. There are other options, but you can't please all of the people any of the time.

I'm not at all saying that Fabolous is a bad choice. (I'm not saying it's a great choice, but it's certainly not a bad one). People are going to complain no matter who the headliner is, regardless of whatever issues race may or may not raise.

We're playing the race card

Submitted by MoreThanAwesome on October 30, 2009 - 08:13.

We're playing the race card now? Really?

Most of the criticism I've seen has not been that no-one likes Fabolous, but more that the CUAB was not proactive in planning _two_ homecoming events, or that there was simply a last minute announcement of an artist after the first plans fell through. (This was all before Desai was announced to be the second act at Homecoming).

Interesting fact? I'll point you to the DTH: http://dailytarheel.com/content/homecoming-headliners-picked

This is from 2007. Please to be noting the quote: "Breaking the trend from R&B and hip-hop performers who have performed at Homecoming in recent years....".

These performances were also popular; so it's entirely possible that it's not a racially motivated slander against Fabolous, but simply one of personal tastes and preferences.

Does anyone have a list of the past 10-15 years of Homecoming? Two hip-hop performers that I know of are, I believe, OutKast in '00, and The Roots in '06.

Maybe this is my 'bias' talking, but I'm not sure that the race is playing into people's disapproval.