The UTD Mercury

Issue date: 10/18/04 Section: News

Media Credit: limag.com Rap artist LL Cool J will perform at UTD Nov. 3. SUAAB, the organizers of the event, will pay the rapper $83,900.

The Student Union and Activities Advisory Board (SUAAB) announced Oct. 11 that LL Cool J will perform in its annual concert.

Scheduled for 8:30 p.m. Nov. 3 in the Main Gym of the Activity Center, the concert will be available to UTD students, faculty and staff.

SUAAB Coordinator Stella Mulberry said the final offer to LL Cool J totaled $83,900, just shy of the $85,000 concert budget. The figure was arrived at after "two weeks of serious negotiations," said Faisal Chaudhry, executive chair of SUAAB.

Mulberry said the fee committee, which also sets fees for the Activity Center and Student Life among others, allocated $25,000 more in concert funds this year than last specifically so SUAAB could attract a bigger name.

"We anticipate this will be a bigger event than before," Mulberry said. "We've heard positive buzz so far from students and faculty."

Because of heightened expectations compared to last year's concert, Mulberry said SUAAB decided to limit the concert to UTD students, faculty and staff and their guests. Unlike the previous concert, this one will not be open to the public.

Mulberry and Chaudhry agreed that LL Cool J satisfied their goal for a high-caliber performer.

"He was my second choice to Mace, who is not currently touring," Chaudhry said, adding that he was very pleased that SUAAB was able to sign him.

"LL Cool J goes beyond music," Mulberry said. "He's been in movies and on TV. He's more of a star."

Senior biology major Khaled El Rafie approved of the selection.

"LL Cool J is one of the only remaining old-school rappers, so I'm excited UTD will be the venue for this event," El Rafie said. "This concert will be good for UTD because campus life is almost non-existent."

Although Chaudhry said SUAAB has surveyed students multiple times in the selection of a concert performer and that the campus generally responds well to concert selections, some UTD students doubted LL Cool J could live up to the hype.

"He's old now," said Kevin Chang, freshman biochemistry major. "I don't think he'll attract the student body."

Freshman biology major Julie Phan agreed. "(LL Cool J's) best thing right now is the Dr. Pepper commercial," she said. "Ten years ago, he would have been the bomb."

Yet Chaudhry said he believes most students will approve of the concert, even if the music does not appeal to them.

"Sure there are going to be students who are upset," Chaudhry said. "But I hope they could appreciate the caliber of the performer and how it will help the image of UTD. (The performance) shows UTD's not just a small school with nothing to offer."

Freshman biology major Dee Achilefu agreed UTD might benefit from the performance, but added that he disapproved of the selection overall because of the performer's limited audience appeal.

"It will probably help (the image of) UTD," Achilefu said. "I wish they could get someone better. LL appeals to the middle-aged female."

SUAAB also attempted to bring Blackeyed Peas and Yellowcard to perform at the concert, Chaudhry said, but both bands declined offers.

Last March, SUAAB's concert featured Bowling For Soup and Blue October.

The concert attracted an estimated crowd of 1,500, but it was open to the public.

Mulberry said students, faculty and staff could obtain tickets for the Nov. 3 concert at the Info Depot starting Oct. 18.

Tickets are free with a valid Comet Card. Students will receive two tickets each.

For more information on the concert or SUAAB activities, please call 972-883-6438 or visit http://www.utdallas.edu/orgs/suaab/.

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