Snoop Dogg May Perform at Harvard

If all goes according to plan, Snoop Dogg may “drop it like it’s hot” on stage at the Harvard Concert Commission’s (HCC) May 1 event, according to discussion during the Committee of College Life (CCL) meeting yesterday.

The concert has not been confirmed, according to CCL members, and Snoop Dogg has not signed a contract, though he has been in negotiations with the HCC.

His appearance is also dependent on the College’s creation of a security plan with the Boston Police Department and the receipt of an entertainment license from the Boston Mayor’s Office of Special Events.

Since projected costs for the concert are larger than anticipated, the Undergraduate Council (UC), which funds HCC events, is unsure whether it will be able to cover the expense of the event, which falls the day after Springfest.

The rapper is best known for his hip-hop songs like “Gin and Juice,” as well as his catchy revamping of spoken words to include an “izzle.” He has also received notoriety for his alleged involvement in a drive-by shooting.

Associate Dean of the College Judith H. Kidd said yesterday she had not intended to release information about the concert to The Crimson during the CCL meeting.

In addition to sponsoring the concert, the UC also plans to make this year’s Springfest more focused on students. From 1994 to 2002, the UC funded Springfest solely for the undergraduate population. But since the office of University President Lawrence H. Summers assumed all costs for event, it now serves the entire Harvard community, including faculty, staff, and their families.

After Springfest’s daytime fair, which traditionally includes a barbecue, rides, bands, and student-run booths, the UC plans to host a student-only event from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

“This [evening] event that we are currently working on will solidify the weekend and provide students with a relaxed way to hang out with their friends on a nice Spring evening,” Lauren P.S. Epstein ’07, chair of the UC’s Campus Life Committee, wrote in an e-mail.

Harvard students will have to show their college ID to enter the Malkin Athletic Center (MAC) Quad for the evening, where there will be student bands, food, and beer for students over 21, according to UC President Matthew J. Glazer ’06. He said the alcohol will be in a separate section of the event.

UC Student Affairs Committee Chair Aaron D. Chadbourne ’06 said the budget for the evening event would be tight, since the UC’s funds are running low after a series of costly events like the Bob Dylan concert, $1 movie nights, and an upcoming Boston Harbor cruise scheduled for April 22.

Chadbourne said that the UC hopes that University Hall will help fund the event.

“This is one way to bring the undergraduate community together in a vibrant and social way, which is where we saw concerns in the survey,” Chadbourne said, referring to a 2002 survey that found low student satisfaction at Harvard. “We want to make sure that Springfest is about undergraduates.”

Glazer added the evening event would provide a fresh element for Springfest.

“To imagine that from last year to this year we would be discussing a college-wide event centered around what students actually want is great,” Glazer said. “The UC has been working really hard to make these things possible.”

—Staff writer Nicole B. Urken can be reached at urken@fas.harvard.edu.