033012 Chicago Maroon

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FRIDAY • MARCH 30, 2012

ISSUE 33 • VOLUME 123

THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO SINCE 1892

CHICAGOMAROON.COM

Slang Bang vents, hip-hop follows

Student anger subsides after Pierce renovations

Onstage and online, a custodian hones his craft Jennifer Standish News Staff When Roosevelt Burkett launched his rap career three years ago under the name “Slang Bang,” he had been working as a custodian at the University for over a decade. His work has been simmering since then, laying just under the radar of the Illinois hip-hop scene. But between U of C students on Facebook and the small army of fans he has cultivated over Myspace, Burkett—now a custodian at South Campus residence hall—seems to have grabbed hold of something that demands attention. Burkett dubs his work “ventmusic,” a concept he developed himself and hopes to someday copyright, which consists of simply setting a beat and “going on a rant.” His YouTube channel, “Mr. Slang Bang,” is alive with videos of him “venting” in such a way. “I rap about, you know, that street life. I grew up on the South Side. I’m just like a street analyst. I just tell what’s going on,” he said. Reverbnation.com, a website that promotes and rates up-andcoming musicians, has documented Burkett’s considerable success for a new rapper, ranking him 10 among

Illinois rappers out of more than 1,000. He has garnered 12,774 fans on the site and his Myspace profile combined. This has translated to gigs, booked through Chicago-based labels Process of Progress and Rush Entertainment, and he performs at various venues in the Chicago area, such as Exedus II in Wrigleyville and Adrianna’s Club Ballroom in the south suburbs. He also performs monthly at the Checker Board Lounge in East Hyde Park in a show sponsored by Rush Entertainment. Though Burkett wants to continue togrow his rap career, he says it’s for his own satisfaction rather than the publicity. “I do this for the love, whether I get fame from it or not,” he said. Still, his longtime facilities job at South Campus weighs on his mind. “I’ve been working for the University of Chicago for 16 years. I’m just trying to get out of my situation. I’ve been doing custodial work for a long time, and I just feel like I’ve got talent. Some people think I don’t, but I’m not going to stop for nobody.” The next stage for Burkett’s music is a DVD compilation of music VENT continued on page 2

Housing and Facilities Services made changes to Pierce Tower over spring break, after plumbing and other issues last quarter. Among other improvements, they replaced the booster pump for water, repainted common areas like the ninth floor lounge (above), replaced furniture, and renovated lounge kitchens. julia reinitz | the chicago maroon

Lina Li News Staff An extensive renovation of Pierce Tower over spring break has left the building flush with new furniture, plumbing equipment, and even pianos and flat screen TVs, but certain structural problems—along with student anxieties—persist. The renovations followed last

month’s upswell of student outrage over the building’s plumbing problems, which included exploding toilets and intermittent water shortages. Administrators, along with Housing and Facilities Services staff, vowed to improve the situation in talks earlier this month. Over the break, a new booster pump was installed to improve plumbing functions in the build-

Uncommon Interview: Jon Huntsman, Jr. Jon Huntsman, Jr., governor of Utah from 2005– 2009 and former United States Ambassador to China, dropped his bid for the Republican presidential nomination in January after a third-place showing in the New Hampshire primary. Since then, he has been appointed to the Board of Directors of Ford Motor Company and was among the candidates for the presidency of the World Bank. The Maroon sat down with Huntsman after his lecture at International House earlier this month to discuss the viability of a two-party system, the wildcard of North Korea’s new supreme leader, and the future of American industry. See the full interview online at chicagomaroon.com.

Jon Huntsman spoke at International House on March 13. jamie manley | the chicago maroon

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Chicago Maroon: In your talk just now, you likened your views to those of Republicans Abraham Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, Dwight Eisenhower, and Ronald Reagan. But party platforms and beliefs can change drastically over time. What does it mean to be a Republican today? Jon Huntsman: My view of conservatism has always been pretty consistent, and

it comes out of Bill Buckley’s school of conservatism: It’s small government; it’s economic freedom; it’s a strong and confident national security infrastructure; it’s pursuing the ideals of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Party priorities go in cycles, and I think the cycles are pretty tied to leaders of particular periods of AmerINTERVIEW continued on page 3

ing, according to Housing and Facilities Services. The previous cushion tank—the source of the exploding toilets—will now only be used as a backup if the booster pump fails. In that case, administrators have assured students that a Facilities staff member will be stationed there for 24-hour supervision. Housing staff also installed new PIERCE continued on page 2

Policy institute snags $1.5 million for alternative fuels research Sarah Miller News Staff A University research institute studying the economic and sociological factors of energ y policy has netted a $1.5 million gift from a Californian nonprofit organization that promotes the expansion of American domestic fuel production. The Energ y Policy Institute in Chicago (EPIC) received the gift from the Irvine-based Fuel Freedom Foundation, which bills itself as “dedicated to breaking our oil addiction,” to establish a new Transportation Fuels Initiative. Through the initiative, U of C faculty in the fields of economics, law, business, physical sciences, and pub-

lic policy will research the viability of fossil fuels and alternative energ y sources in transportation use. EPIC itself is operated jointly by the Harris School of Public Policy and the Booth School of Business. EPIC co-director and economics professor Robert Topel said the gift marked the first collaborative project between the institute and the foundation. The $1.5 million will fund the Transportation Fuels Initiative for the next three years, at which point EPIC will evaluate the initiative’s progress. The gift will support research by faculty and Ph.D. students at the Booth School and the Harris School, in addition to financing a visiting EPIC continued on page 2

IN viewpoints

IN Arts

Remix to tuition

Edifice complex: Logan Center draws mixed reactions » Page 7

Responsibility to reflect

Hunger Games mrore than satisfies audience’s appetite » Page 7

» Page 4 » Page 4


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