Programming Board will host its first ever Green Key concert this year, featuring hip hop artists Talib Kweli, Immortal Technique, Big K.R.I.T. and Kemmik, according to Amaris Galea-Orbe '11, concert director for Programming Board. The two-hour concert will also spotlight student opener DJ Enzo, aka Trey Roy '09, and is scheduled for Saturday afternoon from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. in Alumni Hall at the Top of the Hop.
"It's pretty surreal to think that I'll be on stage performing with Talib Kweli" Roy said. "He's a really big deal."
Programming Board began planning which artists to bring to campus for the concerts early during Fall term, according to Galea-Orbe.
"Right after Ke$ha [performed at Dartmouth] I started thinking about what kind of music I'd like for the [Green Key] concert," she said.
Programming Board aimed to bring an underrepresented genre of music to campus for Green Key, according to Galea-Orbe. Throughout the 2010-2011 school year, Programming Board has organized concerts with a focus on different genres every term, starting with pop music star Ke$ha in the fall, classical cello artist Zoe Keating in the winter and now an entirely rap and hip-hop performance this term.
"I try not to repeat music styles," Galea-Orbe said. "A lot of [music] minorities don't feel represented, so this is a way for everyone to have a good time."
The artists became involved in the concert after extensive scouting with a hip-hop theme in mind, according to Galea-Orbe.
"I saw Immortal Technique and Big K.R.I.T at South by Southwest and I called their agents," she said. "I got in touch with my contact Peter Schwartz, who is their agent, and we negotiated."
Programming Board also roped in Talib Kweli because it was "looking for someone who would fit in with the other two acts," Galea-Orbe said.
Galea-Orbe added that she also chose the artists because the messages in their music are relevant to current issues.
"Although some of the artists have explicit lyrics, they have a positive message," Galea-Orbe said. "They're very much about what's happening in politics [and] what's happening in the world."
Since the performers are all hip-hop artists, Roy said he is planning to feature different music styles in his set.
"I'm thinking that I might do something party instead to get people excited," he said. "I usually do any performance off the top off my head but now I'm going to have a set list. I'm definitely putting a lot more thought, though. I'm really excited about this."
Programming Board holds regular Open Mic Nights to allow students to perform and to help Programming Board scout student openers for its concerts.
"I feel like Dartmouth is a great place for student openers to get a great start," she said. "I hold Open Mic nights, so you're not just getting to perform, but you're also holding an audition for me."
Students interviewed by The Dartmouth said they were not aware that the concert was planned for Green Key weekend. Some, like Paige Elliot '13, assumed that the Nappy Roots concert on Monday was the Green Key concert.
Other students said they thought that the Green Key concert would be hosted by a fraternity.
"I knew there would be music but I just assumed it would be whatever [Phi Delta Alpha fraternity] was blaring," Michael Berger '14 said.
The concert was originally scheduled to take place in the courtyard behind Novack Cafe, according to Roy. The concert was moved to the Alumni Hall and to a later time slot because the United Church of Christ is holding a funeral service at that time and because of concerns about rain, according to Galea-Orbe.
