Cudi to play spring concert

Renowned rapper and cross-genre artist Kid Cudi will perform at Middlebury on May 7 in Pepin Gymnasium, members of the Middlebury College Activities Board (MCAB) confirmed to The Campus on Monday. The news put weeks of student rumors to rest — as well as a protracted negotiation process that had lasted for over a month.

The MCAB executive committee approved the selection before the concerts committee could negotiate the performance details. Cudi is one of the highest profile musicians to come to Middlebury in recent memory.

Co-chair of the Concerts Committee Dan Crepps ’12 said Cudi should excite students because he has yet to reach the peak of his career.

“He is a fresh, up-and-coming artist that is on the rise in terms of popularity and music quality,” Crepps said.

“Cudi will bring an up-tempo, danceable, high-quality music flavor that blends hip-hop with electro-pop beats, something that I believe the Middlebury student body will greatly enjoy. I am so excited that we have the opportunity to bring an artist that not only has fantastic music, but also is nowhere near past his prime.”

Born in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1984 as Scott Ramon Seguro Mescudi, the rapper first gained attention in 2007 with his first mixtape. “A Kid Named Cudi” featured Washington D.C.-based rapper Wale and attracted the attention of Kanye West, who signed Cudi to the GOOD music label.

West later used vocals from Cudi on his “808s & Heartbreak” album, which drew national attention to the rapper. In September 2009, Cudi released his debut album, “Man on the Moon: The End of Day.”

The first single of that album, “Day N’ Nite,” was released on Feb. 5, 2008 as a digital download. Critics praised the song and it eventually rose to the number-three position on the Billboard Hot 100 charts.

An Italian DJ duo, Crookers, remixed the song in February 2009 and brought it to prominence across Europe. The song received three Grammy nominations.

Two additional singles, “Make Her Say” and “Pursuit of Happiness,” were also released from that album. Cudi has worked with West, Common and David Guetta, among other artists.

Cudi will also act in the HBO series, “How to Make it in America.”

Crepps confirmed that Cudi was the committee’s second choice, behind the rock band Passion Pit.

Earlier on May 7, MCAB will host the annual Midd Mayhem event. Along with an outdoor picnic for members of the community, MCAB plans to offer several water-themed activities.

Ticket prices and the exact time of the Cudi show remain to be determined in the coming weeks. Tickets will go on sale next week.