VCU Homecoming 2012 | Artist profiles

Samantha McCartney Contributing Writer

VCU’s 2012 Homecoming is just a few days away, and students are pumped for the annual concert. VCU has been known to grab great performers in past years like Drake, J. Cole, and Wale, and this year is no different.

Kendr ICK L A m A r

Growing up in Compton, Calif., rapper/songwriter Kendrick Lamar was exposed to hip hop at a very early age. In 2003, his first mixtape, “Youngest Head N---In Charge,” kickstarted his career, and he was soon signed to Top Dawg Entertainment. Since then, he has worked with many acclaimed artists including Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, Drake and Wiz Khalifa. In 2010, Lamar toured with legendary hip hop artist Tech N9ne and Jay Rock on “The Independent Grind” tour. He was most recently featured on XXL Magazine’s 2011 Freshman Cover which annually acknowledges upand-coming hip hop artists. Kendrick Lamar’s music combines the often rough vernacular of rap music and the softer sound of R&B to create a rare kind of sound that can be compared with both The Isley Brothers and Tupac.

O UTA s I gh T

Outasight, also known as Richard Andrew, is mostly known for his 2011 hit single “Tonight is the Night” which has been used in the most recent Pepsi campaign. He has described his music as “eclectic,” drawing from several genres of music like hip hop, soul and rock. Outasight was formerly known as just “Outsight” and performed as an independent singer and rapper in New York at several different open-mic nights. He is quoted as saying, “If there was any sort of opportunity, I’d jump on it.” His desire for success was achieved when PepsiCo, a company who had hired musicians such as Britney Spears and Michael Jackson, utilized his music.

“I love the song ‘Tonight is the Night.’ It just makes me want to get up and dance,” said VCU student Anna Branch.

B I g s e A n

The headlining act for VCU’s 2012 homecoming is rapper Big Sean, who in 2011 became one of the most popular artists in the U.S. In 2007, he released a mixtape titled “Finally Famous,” which got him noticed by music industry big shots. However, it was his first album with the same exact title that helped him attain popularity with the American public. His single “Marvin & Chardonnay” was an upbeat hip hop song featuring Kanye West, and its sound was incomparable with anything that was playing on the radio at the time. It was Big Sean’s song “Dance (A$$),” that won over not only every club in the United States, but every radio station and iPod kept the song on repeat.

The song became 2011’s “twerkin” anthem, and females across the nation were “shakin’ that ass” as Big Sean so wonderfully instructs in his song.

Tia Smith, a freshman at VCU who had previously attended one of his concerts described the experience as “hype as s---” and thinks that he is a great choice for the Homecoming concert at the Siegel Center. CT