From Miscellany News
By Adam Buchsbaum

The headliner for this year’s annual Vassar College Entertainment (ViCE) spring concert, co-sponsored by Hip Hop 101, is Das Racist. Up-and-coming hip-hop artist Skizzy Mars and electronic-influenced Tobacco will open at a concert that takes place at Noyes Circle on April 20 from 7 to 10 p.m. and is free to the public. In addition, South Asian Students Alliance (SASA) will host an informal panel entitled “Who’s That? Brooown!” in Taylor Hall 102 from 2 to 3:15 p.m. the same day with members of Das Racist.

Das Racist first rose to Internet prominence from their comedic song “Combination Pizza Hut and Taco Bell” in 2008. Das Racist gained credibility with the release of their two critically well-received, free mixtapes, Shut Up, Dude and Sit Down, Man in 2010. In September 2011, Das Racist released their first album, Relax, which earned number 28 on Rolling Stone’s 50 Best Albums of 2011 list. Their music is characterized by its many references to pop culture, political edge, academic style and witty, satirical humor.

If that biography seems lacking, Das Racist has an official, albeit tongue-in-cheek, biography for the press. “Das Racist is a white guilt art project/science experiment/ponzi scheme piloted by heems, KOOL A.D. and The Honorable Prophet Dapwell. Their goal is to make a million American dollars,” reads the press material ViCE received from the ensemble composed of Himanshu Suri (a.k.a. Heems) and Victor Vazquez (a.k.a. KOOL A.D.) and hype man Ashok Kondabolu (a.k.a. Dapwell).

“They’re really fun. They have really good beats. They’re like the Beastie Boys in a lot of ways,” said ViCE Music Chair Andy Dymond ’12. “They talk about social issues in a more comical, self-conscious way…and they’re also supposed to be an incredible, really energetic live show.”

ViCE and Hip Hop 101 saw in Das Racist a fitting hybrid of the two group’s musical tastes and audiences. The organizations have collaborated closely since the start of their search for a spring concert. “The Hip Hop collaboration has been a long time coming, and we’re excited that’s finally going to happen,” ViCE Publicity Director Eli Schutze ’12 said. “We had a lot of meetings to get an act suitable for a Hip Hop 101, ViCE collaboration.”

Schutze thinks the concert’s outdoor location at Noyes Circles will go well with the springtime weather. Noyes Circle has not been a venue since 2009’s Deerhunter and Gang Gang Dance concert. “We wanted it to be outdoors, but we wanted it to be an intimate setting, which sometimes doesn’t go hand-in-hand,” explained Schutze. “[Noyes Circle] is intimate, and it is outdoors, which is what we wanted.”

The name of SASA’s panel “Who’s That? Brooown!” refers to Das Racist’s opening track to their first mixtape Shut Up, Dude. Associate Professor of English and co-Director of Africana Studies Kiese Laymon and Professor of English Amitava Kumar will conduct a conversation with Das Racist for the panel. “Das Racist, in addition to being great musicians, are really political,” explained President of SASA Noor Mir ’12. “They think critically when it comes to race in America, and it would be silly to not engage with them.”

Dymond approached SASA after confirming Das Racist for the spring concert. Das Racist member Heems and hype man Dapwell are both of South Asian descent. Mir then had the idea for a panel after speaking with Assistant Professor of Political Science Zachariah Mampilly. “He was telling me about how M.I.A. came [to Vassar in a ViCE concert] when the Tamil movement was going on in Sri Lanka,” Mir said. “And he was mentioning it was a shame they hadn’t addressed that when she came, and it instantly clicked.”

“I told Heems that I’d ask him about his past,” wrote Kumar in an emailed statement. “I think Kiese is going to talk more about their production aspect—their rhymes, their rhythm,” Mir said. Das Racist has done panels before, which Mir described as witty, fast and engaging. “It would be a shame for students not to come to the panel,” Mir said. “It adds so much more to the listening experience.”

Opening act Skizzy Mars is an alternative, lesser-known rap artist whose song “Douchebag” brought him to Internet attention. “Skizzy Mars is more underground hip hop,” explained co-President of Hip Hop 101 Eli Stein ’12. “He’s an up-and-comer…really clever lyrics, great beats. It’s the kind of act we try and bring here.”

If Skizzy Mars is decidedly a Hip Hop 101 act, Tobacco is more representative of a ViCE act. “Tobacco is dirty, electronic pop,” Dymond said. “Though that [description] doesn’t really do them justice.” Tobacco is the solo project of Thomas Fec, the frontman for the experimental band Black Moth Super Rainbow.

“We’re the two largest music and entertainment organizations on the campus,” said Stein. “And for us to come together on something like this—we hope to make it real special.”

Join us for ONE LAST CHANCE, the party of a lifetime at The Chance Theater in Poughkeepsie.

You get One Last Chance to party like you never have before. One Last Chance to party with the Class of 2012. One Last Chance to do anything you’ve been wanting to do…

http://www.thechancetheater.com/

We have a lot of important information you need to know so listen up:

> MUSIC

We have three excellent musical performers who will keep you on your feet all night long. :

CODES (soundcloud.com/codeshouse)
This BK, NY based beat maker is reachin’ back to those golden days of hip-hop and house music. The days where you might sit in a record shop for hours searching for that diamond in the rough. His sound is a little cut n’ paste, a little production wizardry, and a lot of love.

MARTINA MCFLYY (http://martinamcflyy.com/)
Atlanta, GA
fearlessly merges hip hop, electronic, disco, house, and r&b music–creating a new sound and setting trends

RESPIRE (http://respiremusic.com/)
He likes loud noises, bright lights and pretty colors.
He plays a tender blend of heavy electro, indie dance, b-more, disco, and funk.
He doesn’t like chocolate all that much, but he does like you.
He wants you to wiggle your hips.
(He is also a Vassar alum!)

> TRANSPORTATION

There will be buses shuttling people from Main Circle to The Chance from 9pm to 3am in a constant loop.

> WHO is INVITED?

This event is open to all Vassar students and their registered guests. There will also be a cash bar for all 21+ attendees so don’t forget your state-issued ID !!

> DRINKS

There will be a full cash bar until 1:15am.

There will be a Happy Hour for the first hour of the event (9:30 – 10:30).
• Beer: PBR is usually served at $4.25 reduced to $3.00 for Happy Hour
• After 10:30, PBR will be available at the reduced priced of $3.75 for the remainder of
the event (until 1:30).
• Mixed drinks: Bay breeze is usually served at $5.00 reduced to $4.00 for Happy Hour

>RE-ENTRY / SMOKING

There will be no re-entry. A fenced-off smoking area is available for smokers and does not require reentry.

> SECURITY

You will be asked to show your Vassar ID or Vassar guest pass. DO NOT FORGET IT.

There WILL BE pat-downs, Do NOT bring bottles, containers, backpacks, etc.

If you are 21+ you will be asked to show your state ID/driver’s license. DO NOT FORGET IT!

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS PLEASE CONTACT EMILY BERNSTEIN AT embernstein@vassar.edu .

We hope to see you there!

Do you want to help shape the entertainment on campus? Do you love what ViCE does?Do you hate what ViCE does and want to change it?? Apply to be on the ViCE Exec Board for the ’12 – ’13 school year!! (if you are going abroad you can still apply!!)

The open positions are:

- Director
- Assistant Director

and Committe Chair for:
- Music
- No-ViCE
- Jazz
- Student Music
- Film
- Special Events
- Publicity

Download an application here:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/66443427/ViCE%20Executive%20Board%20Application.docx

DEADLINE is on TUESDAY, March 27th at midnight!! The sign-up sheet for interviews will be posted on the ViCE Office Door   on Wednesday the 28th.

APPLY!

ViCE has put together a very special WINTER concert featuring Vassar’s own Thea Ballard ’13 and American indie folk band, The Low Anthem.

The Low Anthem is an American indie folk band from Providence, Rhode Island, formed in 2006. It consists of multi-instrumentalists Ben Knox Miller, Jeff Prystowsky, Jocie Adams, Mike Irwin and Tyler Osborne. You can find their music on MySpace, Last/fm, and on their website www.LowAnthem.com and you will love it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGxaRpN5Eb4

The special winter concert takes place TUESDAY FEBUARY 28^TH at 7PM in the AULA.

No tickets are necessary! Snacks and coffee will be served!