2011.03.29: March 29, 2011: Known for his socially conscious lyrics, philanthropy and global activism, hip-hop artist Lupe Fiasco will headline a Peace Corps 50th anniversary benefit concert in Hill Auditorium in Ann Arbor
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2011.03.29: March 29, 2011: Known for his socially conscious lyrics, philanthropy and global activism, hip-hop artist Lupe Fiasco will headline a Peace Corps 50th anniversary benefit concert in Hill Auditorium in Ann Arbor
Known for his socially conscious lyrics, philanthropy and global activism, hip-hop artist Lupe Fiasco will headline a Peace Corps 50th anniversary benefit concert in Hill Auditorium in Ann Arbor
"We went through several lists of artists, to make sure an artist fit the mission and the work of the Peace Corps. You can imagine that list wasn't very long, but we did have several names and we debated back and forth. Lupe was chosen because of his dedication to philanthropy," says Ghida Dagher, Michigan Student Assembly Chief Programming Officer at the University of Michigan. "The terms of timing is also good because he just released an album and we know he has a huge following in the student body, added Dagher. "We figured it was a nice balance." In fact, Fiasco's album recently debuted in the No. 1 spot on Billboard's album sales chart. All 3,500 tickets for the Hill show sold out in three days, said Dagher. "The concert is a wrapup, a celebration of all the events (around the Peace Corps founding)," she explained. "We wanted it to be musical; we wanted it to be festive. A lot of the things that have taken place on campus (around the Peace Corps founding) have been panel-oriented, or information sessions and ceremonies." According to Dagher, all proceeds from the show will be donated to Peace Corps projects focused on developing secondary education in Sierra Leone.
Known for his socially conscious lyrics, philanthropy and global activism, hip-hop artist Lupe Fiasco will headline a Peace Corps 50th anniversary benefit concert in Hill Auditorium in Ann Arbor
Hip-hop's Lupe Fiasco headlines Peace Corps 50th anniversary benefit concert at University of Michigan
By: Roger LeLievre
Freelance Entertainment Writer
Posted: Mar 29, 2011 at 5:39 AM [Mar 29, 2011]
Known for his socially conscious lyrics, philanthropy and global activism, hip-hop artist Lupe Fiasco will headline a Peace Corps 50th anniversary benefit concert Friday night in Hill Auditorium.
Fiasco is the perfect choice for the event, said Ghida Dagher, Michigan Student Assembly Chief Programming Officer at the University of Michigan. He has worked with Summit on the Summit, a program to raise awareness for billions who lack sanitary drinking water, and with Music for Relief, a charity for the immediate relief and long-term recovery of Haiti following the 2010 earthquake.
"We went through several lists of artists, to make sure an artist fit the mission and the work of the Peace Corps. You can imagine that list wasn't very long, but we did have several names and we debated back and forth. Lupe was chosen because of his dedication to philanthropy," Dagher said.
"The terms of timing is also good because he just released an album and we know he has a huge following in the student body, added Dagher. "We figured it was a nice balance." In fact, Fiasco's album recently debuted in the No. 1 spot on Billboard's album sales chart.
All 3,500 tickets for the Hill show sold out in three days, said Dagher.
"The concert is a wrapup, a celebration of all the events (around the Peace Corps founding)," she explained. "We wanted it to be musical; we wanted it to be festive. A lot of the things that have taken place on campus (around the Peace Corps founding) have been panel-oriented, or information sessions and ceremonies."
According to Dagher, all proceeds from the show will be donated to Peace Corps projects focused on developing secondary education in Sierra Leone.
The show, presented by the Michigan Student Assembly, Big Ticket Productions and New Beat Happening, is the culmination of programming at the U-M begun last fall marking the semi-centennial of Sen. John F. Kennedy's speech on the steps of the Michigan Union in which he first outlined the concept of the Peace Corps.
From that idea, and the action of the U-M students, grew the signature program that has defined international volunteer service for the past 50 years. Since 1960, nearly 200,000 Americans - including, Dagher said, 2,300 U-M graduates - have lived abroad in the service of world peace, making a difference in the lives of others.
PREVIEW
Peace Corps 50th anniversary concert
* Who: Lupe Fiasco and special guests RJD2, and ZAK! Downtown.
* What: Hip-hop to mark the 50th anniversary of the Peace Corps.
* Where: Hill Auditorium, 825 N. University Ave.
* When: 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 1.
* How much: SOLD OUT. Info: www.msa.umich.edu/blog/lupe-fiasco-peace-corps-ben efit-concert or 734-763-3241.
Raised in Chicago, Lupe Fiasco (real name Wasalu Muhammad Jaco) found fame in 2006 following the success of his debut album "Lupe Fiasco's Food & Liquor." His new album, "Lasers," was released earlier this month, with the single "The Show Goes On" enjoying immediate chart success.
When the he was a child, his mother gave him the nickname "Lu" by shortening his first name. Soon his friends began calling him Lupe, and he picked up Fiasco from a track by hip-hop's the Firm.
"In general his music hasn't been the typical hip-hop / mainsteam rap," said Dagher. "His lyrics are very socially oriented, especially in terms of the inner city and in terms of politics and foreign policy. That's very unusual in hip-hop. Usually rappers in the music industry who take that route do not become very successful."
Roger LeLievre is a freelance writer who covers music for AnnArbor.com.
Links to Related Topics (Tags):
Headlines: March, 2011; 50th Anniversary of the Peace Corps; Local Groups; Fund Raising; Music; Michigan
When this story was posted in May 2011, this was on the front page of PCOL:
Peace Corps Online The Independent News Forum serving Returned Peace Corps Volunteers
| Peace Corps: The Next Fifty Years As we move into the Peace Corps' second fifty years, what single improvement would most benefit the mission of the Peace Corps? Read our op-ed about the creation of a private charitable non-profit corporation, independent of the US government, whose focus would be to provide support and funding for third goal activities. Returned Volunteers need President Obama to support the enabling legislation, already written and vetted, to create the Peace Corps Foundation. RPCVs will do the rest. |
| How Volunteers Remember Sarge As the Peace Corps' Founding Director Sargent Shriver laid the foundations for the most lasting accomplishment of the Kennedy presidency. Shriver spoke to returned volunteers at the Peace Vigil at Lincoln Memorial in September, 2001 for the Peace Corps 40th. "The challenge I believe is simple - simple to express but difficult to fulfill. That challenge is expressed in these words: PCV's - stay as you are. Be servants of peace. Work at home as you have worked abroad. Humbly, persistently, intelligently. Weep with those who are sorrowful, Care for those who are sick. Serve your wives, serve your husbands, serve your families, serve your neighbors, serve your cities, serve the poor, join others who also serve," said Shriver. "Serve, Serve, Serve. That's the answer, that's the objective, that's the challenge." |
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Story Source: Ann Arbor.com
This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; 50th; Local Groups; Fund Raising; Music
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