It’s the most wonderful time of the year…Spring Weekend!!! As a member of the CAB Executive Board, I can say that the board has worked incredibly hard to put together an amazing lineup of events for the whole entire week. You’re probably excited, but maybe you’re not exactly sure what to expect from this year’s performers. Here’s some background on the talent that will be visiting Fordham over the course of the week.
CAB kicked off its Spring Weekend announcements by telling us that comedian Colin Jost will be performing on Sunday, April 30th! Colin Jost is best known for his work on Saturday Night Live, where he’s been a writer since 2005 and Weekend Update co-anchor since 2014.
Jost actually joined the SNL team at the age of 22, straight after graduating from Harvard. Yep, you read that right, he’s a Harvard graduate. While in school, he was the president of The Harvard Lampoon, a humor magazine.
Since 2005, he has been nominated for eight Emmy Awards, won four Writers Guild of America Awards, and won a Peabody Award.
You might be wondering how he’ll be as a stand-up comic at Spring Weekend, compared to his hosting role on SNL. Jost actually does do stand up and made his TV debut on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon in 2011.
If you haven’t already, check out the announcement video CAB created for the SNL star here.
After the Colin Jost announcement, CAB released that the Spring Weekend speaker is Ice-T. Maybe you know him as the rapper behind 6 ‘N The Mornin’ or maybe you know him as Fin from Law and Order: Special Victims Unit. Either way, he’s a hip-hop pioneer, award-winning actor, and reality TV star.
Ice-T has overcome a lot in his path to success. He was orphaned at a young age and got caught up in gang scene of LA in the 1970s. To support his newborn daughter, he joined the army, where he became interested in hip-hop music. After leaving the army on an honorable discharge, he started his music career as a DJ.
Since then, Ice-T has released music that has redefined the hip-hop genre and influenced many artists that have come after him. He began his acting career in the mid 1980’s, and has been a series regular on SVU since 2000.
Ice-T has been a speaker at events for over a decade, covering topics from race in America, rap music and culture, and overcoming the impossible.
If you’re a Law and Order fan, you’ll appreciate CAB’s release video which is modeled after the iconic opening credits of the show.
Last but not least came the concert announcement. The headliner for this year will be the pop duo, Timeflies. You’ve definitely heard their hit song, Once in a While, which has been played all over the radio since last year when it debuted.
Timeflies, made up of Rob Resnick and Cal Shapiro, brings together the two genres that Fordham students indicated they wanted the most on the surveys that were sent out at the beginning of the year – pop and rap. With hip-hop, electronic, and pop influences, the band brings a fresh sound to the Spring Weekend concert, which traditionally sees artists from indie and alternative backgrounds.
The pair met while attending Tufts University in Boston, where they began to post cover songs to their YouTube channel which now boasts over half a million subscribers. Following the release of their first album in 2011, they rose in popularity and gained critical acclaim. Vanity Fair referred to them as “musical masterminds” for their unique and seamless blend of different musical genres. Currently, they have three full-length albums and two EPs under their belt.
To see the official announcement, view the last Spring Weekend update video here.
For the chance to win a meet and greet pass for the performers, go to CAB’s Facebook page and follow the contest instructions!
Images via ScreenCrush, Bleeding Cool, and MTV.