Apr. 16, 2008 | 4:56 pm

NU close to bringing Chicago rapper Common for Dillo Day

Northwestern and Mayfest are close to signing Chicago-born rapper Common for Dillo Day 2008, a Northwestern official confirmed Wednesday.

Northwestern has sent a signed contract offer to the performer’s management, which has not yet signed it in return, said Judith Cooper, assistant director at the Center for Student Involvement, in a phone interview.

The process is “in its final stage,” said Cooper, who is the university’s adviser to Mayfest, the group that organizes Dillo Day. The band has agreed to the time, date and cost, but there’s always the possibility that Common’s management “may not agree on a stipulation,” she said.

Cooper said that the university was in similar negotiations for the recent Counting Crows performance at the A&O Ball up until two weeks before the event was due to take place.

Greg Longstreet, Common’s publicist, said in an e-mail Monday that the rapper is currently scheduled to play at Northwestern on May 31.

Common has participated in two Grammy Award-winning songs. “Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip Hop),” won the 2003 “Best R&B Song.” “Southside,” which he performed with Kanye West, won the 2008 “Best Rap Performance by Duo or Group.” His 2007 album Finding Forever hit number one on Billboard’s Top 200 list.

Common has also made an appearance in several films, including Smokin’ Aces and American Gangster.

Mayfest co-chair Ben Stix declined to comment Wednesday.

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6 Comments »

  1. daily said,

    April 17, 2008 @ 1:07 am

    how you feeling NBN that the daily stole your scoop and everyone seems to be reading that one a whole lot more than they are reading this story?

    but go common best Dillo Day ever! represent chi town!

  2. hmm said,

    April 17, 2008 @ 10:34 am

    doesn’t seem to matter. just goes to show that the daily can’t come up with their own stories and has to rely on other publications to get them. now that nbn has a magazine, a lot of students are staying they’re much better than the daily. looks like the daily needs to step it up.

  3. common would rock said,

    April 17, 2008 @ 10:48 am

    Why doesn’t Mayfest just put it on their website if it’s leaked like this??
    Dilloday.net doesn’t have anything about this yet…

  4. One A&O perspective said,

    April 17, 2008 @ 11:13 am

    Now I am not on Mayfest, the group that puts on Dillo Day. But I am familiar with the booking process. It is technically illegal for anyone on Mayfest to confirm these acts are coming without a finalized signed contract from both Common and the school. That is why they decline to comment and why it is not posted on their website.

    Thats also why they cringe when their stuff leaks like this. Sorry guys! ;)

  5. haha said,

    April 17, 2008 @ 11:17 am

    A battle between NBN and the Daily! Gotta love competition.

  6. René Jovel aka El Luchador said,

    April 19, 2008 @ 5:18 pm

    NBN > Daily

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