ASAP Rocky and Major Lazer will perform on Gold Coast lawn on May 17, Programming Board announced Saturday at a concert outside the Class of 1953 Commons.
The Green Key concert is the first large-scale Programming Board show since Avicii performed last winter.
"Let's just say this, there are three people that are important in my life and ASAP is one of them," Doug Payne '15 said. "Music is one of the things in life that I have a good handle on and know a lot about, so I'm really excited about it."
Payne called ASAP Rocky's "Live. Love. ASAP" one of his favorite rap albums and said he is impressed that Programming Board secured a prominent rapper for the concert.
ASAP Rocky, part of a hip-hop collective called ASAP Mob, hails from Harlem, N.Y., and gained international acclaim in 2011 with his debut mix tape "Live. Love. ASAP."
The artist, called "one of hip-hop's brightest new stars" by The New York Times, recently signed with Sony Music Entertainment for $3 million. ASAP Rocky is known for experimental and witty lyrics, as well as his impressive fashion taste.
ASAP Rocky's most popular songs include "F**kin' Problems," "Wild for the Night," "Peso" and "Long Live ASAP," off his new solo album released in January.
Major Lazer is an electronic music duo founded in 2009 by DJ and producer Diplo in Jamaica.
The group, whose singles include "Pon de Floor," "Original Don," "Watch Out for This" and "You're No Good," has collaborated with M.I.A., Bruno Mars and Santigold and is currently on a world tour to promote its most recent album, "Free the Universe."
During Programming Board's Avicii concert last winter, many students could not obtain tickets due to capacity limits in '53 Commons.
To avoid indoor venue constraints, this year's Green Key performance will be moved to Gold Coast lawn to allow for greater student attendance.
While Programming Board initially planned to host Major Lazer last fall, the artist faulted on a signed contract due to scheduling conflicts.
Student representatives previously said the group would spend over $20,000 to bring a popular artist to campus in the spring and has had issues securing major artists in the past due to budget constraints. Representatives from Programming Board declined requests for comment.
Afroman, Baauer and Adventure Club, will perform at various fraternities throughout Green Key weekend.
Students said they were excited for the performances and outdoor venue.
"It's the first time in a while, it's a big name where a lot of people can get into it," Matthew LaBove '13 said. "Other times only one section of campus is into it, so it's really great that we can get him."
Helen Li '15 said ASAP Rocky is generally popular among students.
"Everyone will know all his music, which is important because last year I didn't know the person who was performing," she said.
Li called ASAP Rocky a step up from Avicii because the last year's venue, '53 Commons, could only accommodate a small portion of campus.
"Avicii was a DJ, so he didn't do as much performing, but ASAP will be doing everything live," Li said. "It's all music that we've heard, it'll be really fun."
Payne criticized Programming Board's concert last year, where student tickets were divided between a live performance and a video stream of the show.
"It's going to be outside, so I won't feel like a deer being corralled into FoCo," Payne said. "Everyone knows Levels' but I'm going to go absolutely nuts when I hear Goldie' and F**kin' Problems."
Jordan Weissman '12, who writes for the music blog Big Green Beats, said the lineup is one of the few Dartmouth shows in the past year that he would want to see.
"All my friends who have graduated were like, We need to go up to see them,'" he said. "ASAP is one of the best new rappers, and Major Lazer supposed to be an absolute blast."
While she said the group has talent, Archana Ramanujam '14 criticized Major Lazer's stage presence.
Ramanujam, who has watched the artist perform live, said the duo pulled women from the audience and put them in compromising positions on stage.
"There's a lot of dry-humping, if you will," Ramanujan said. "While the women do go along with this and appear to enjoy it, at least, I think it lacks taste at best and is downright misogynistic at worst."
