Rapper and actor Donald Glover, also known by his stage name Childish Gambino, will headline A&O’s Fall Blowout concert Oct. 11, the organization announced Sunday night.
University President Morton Schapiro made the announcement through a video on A&O’s website.
“Hey Wildcats, this year I’m very excited to say that the headliner for Blowout is a very talented performer that you guys handpicked in the poll last spring,” Schapiro said in the video. “Are you ready? Childish Gambino.”
Gambino, who starred as Troy Barnes in NBC’s sitcom “Community,” released his debut album “Camp” — which included hits “Bonfire” and “Fire Fly” — for Glassnote Records in 2011. The Blowout opening act has yet to be announced.
A&O spokeswoman Rosalind Mowitt said the group selected Gambino because of the results of a poll students took in the spring. She added that this was the first time the organization sent out a poll specifically for Blowout.
“Childish ended up being the highest-ranked person available and within our price range, which is the first time we have been able to do that,” she said.
A&O chairman Demetrios Cokinos said he’s excited for Gambino to bring his “diverse talent” to campus.
“He’s such a different kind of rapper,” he said. “For me, I love Donald Glover and everything else he has done with TV and sketch comedy on YouTube.”
Mowitt said Gambino reminds her of a typical Northwestern student.
“I think it’s funny because he’s almost the perfect fit for Northwestern,” she said. “When I think about what differentiates the Northwestern student body, (it) is definitely that mindset of a really well-rounded person who does a bunch of things.”
About 1,200 students filled out the poll, which included 75 artists. Next month, A&O will release an informational video on how the group uses student polls in selecting performers and speakers.
“We want to give students an in-depth look on how we pick artists,” Cokinos said. “We love hearing what the students have to say and really try to bring who they want the most.”
At the President’s Convocation on Monday, Schapiro hinted at the selection of Gambino with a reference to the rapper’s 2011 single “Heartbeat.”
(Schapiro teases A&O Blowout announcement)
“I feel really bad that I couldn’t tell you who the A&O performer is,” Schapiro said. “If I could tell you, I would tell you in a ‘heartbeat’ … ‘heartbeat.’”
The annual concert will be held at Welsh-Ryan Arena. Tickets will cost $10, but the show’s time and date of ticket sales have not yet been announced.
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