KRS-ONE to perform with flier warning

By JENNIFER KELLEHER
Staff Writer

Rapper KRS ONE will perform at tonight's Troy Week concert, despite recent concerns from the Office of Student Affairs over past concert programming.

Vice President of Student Affairs Michael Jackson allowed Program Board to schedule KRS ONE if his concerns about the content of the show were addressed.

Program Board will give out fliers at the beginning of the concert telling the audience about KRS ONE, the content of his music, and other events happening on campus that people can attend instead.

"(Jackson's) concerns were that certain people present at the concert portion of the show may be offended by a show that has adult content, based on past precedence," said Barrett Reiff, concerts director.

Jackson did not return repeated phone calls seeking comment.

Rapper Ice-T was canceled as the Homecoming concert performer because Jackson felt that the content of the artist's show would not be appropriate for an outdoor performance.

"We came up with the solutions on how to address (Jackson's) concerns, which would enable us to do what we wanted to do," Reiff said.

Craig Springer, associate dean of Student Affairs, said the decision to allow KRS ONE to perform was simply a result of discussions over the university's philosophy of quality programming.

"This is one more in a series of ongoing conversations about trying to program events that take into consideration the interests of all audiences on campus," Springer said. "I think the goal is to have a programming philosophy that's inclusive (of all) groups and doesn't purposely exclude anyone."

"I think that the KRS ONE show that Program Board has put together accomplishes that goal," he said.

Reiff originally planned to do an alternative-based show for the Troy Week concert, even though the concert traditionally features hip-hop artists.

The media portrays rap as a violent type of music, Reiff said. "Alternative music does not have the same stereotype attached to it."

"Rap is a bit more inclusive of the population on campus, because it transcends social and racial boundaries," Reiff said. "Troy Week has a history of hip hop events that tries to be inclusive to everybody."

Program Board directors did not want to consider a rap artist until they consulted the Office of Student Affairs because of Jackson's cancellation of Ice-T.

"I didn't want to look in that direction, without getting their OK first," Reiff said.

During the week of Nov. 2, Reiff and Black Student Assembly chairperson DeVon Franklin met with Jackson several times and discussed what artist to bring to campus for Troy Week. Initially, Jackson was against featuring a rap artist, Reiff said.

"(Jackson) had the same concerns as Homecoming," Reiff said.

"Who judges what is an appropriate act or venue?" Franklin said.

There is no one individual who decides what those interests are, Springer said.

"Universities are collegial environments, lots of people have input into those decisions - students, faculty, all the audiences on campus."

Jackson was willing to cooperate with Program Board, Reiff said.

"It definitely strengthened our relationship, now that we know there's a possibility for compromise," Reiff said.

"We had to be very persistent and pesky," Franklin said. "Students have to push to get a little movement."

The KRS ONE concert was put together at the last minute through the same personal connections used to get Ice-T, Reiff said.

"KRS ONE is one of the most legendary people...as far as music is concerned," he said. "KRS ONE is by far the best choice.

"I wouldn't be bringing an act on campus that would be highly offensive to a large majority of the campus."

Franklin said hip-hop is popular and brings people together.

"KRS ONE is very political, he's involved with getting rap on the mainstream," he said. "He's about education, not expletives."

The informational fliers that will be passed out before KRS ONE's performance will describe who the rapper is and what his music is about. They will contain background information about KRS ONE and warn about the possible explicit language in his performance, Reiff said.

"KRS ONE was one of the original artists in hip-hop and rap," Reiff said. "He raps about empowerment and positive education. His emphasis is on bettering oneself through education. But at the same time, he's not a preacher."

There will be a jazz show at GroundZero Coffeehouse and a women's basketball game at the same time as the concert for those who choose not to attend KRS ONE's performance, Reiff said.

"I hope to see 5,000 Trojans out there," Reiff said. "This show has potential to be big."

Springer is looking forward to the concert. "I think it's going to be a great show," he said.

KRS ONE will perform at 7 p.m. tonight in Hahn Plaza.

Copyright 1998 by the Daily Trojan. All rights reserved.
This article was published in Vol. 135, No. 54 (Thursday, November 19, 1998), beginning on page 1 and ending on page 13.