Students at Cal State Long Beach are organizing a protest before and during the Associated Students, Inc.-sponsored Ludacris concert on Saturday to demonstrate against the rapper they believe has offensive lyrics.
“His lyrics are misogynistic, racist, homophobic, they glamorize capitalism and overconsumption, and promote violence against women,” said Marina Wood, a junior women’s studies major and organizer of the protest.
Wood, co-organizers and other individuals and organizations plan to begin the demonstration at the main entrance of The Walter Pyramid at 7:30 p.m.
“We want people to know that we don’t want to end the concert,” said Alaina Chamberlain, a junior women’s studies major and organizer of the protest.
Wood and Chamberlain both said Ludacris is just one example of mainstream hip-hop that can be dehumanizing.
“Our protest is aimed towards the bigger picture,” Wood said.
Flyers for the protest have been distributed around campus, many of which cover the original concert advertisements made by ASI.
Concert background
The Special Events and Entertainment Commission of ASI compiled a survey in fall 2007 to get student input on which big-name artist to bring to campus. The survey included many “Top 40” artists that ASI knew it could afford and could persuade to perform on campus, according to ASI Communications Coordinator Melissa Duque.
The surveys were distributed in the dorms, at Beach Pride events and at noontime concerts for about three months.
Duque said she did not know the exact number of surveys returned, but knew it was more than 1,000 and that Ludacris was among the top three chosen artists.
“It depended on when we could get the venue and when we could get the artist,” said Duque. “I want them to know why we chose Ludacris.”
Ludacris, an accomplished rapper who got his start in Atlanta, has had many top 40, 25 and 10 hits.
Out of about 4,000 tickets available to CSULB students and the general public, this Saturday’s concert sold 1,500 as of last Thursday, according to Duque.
CSULB student prices include bleacher seating for $35 and $45 for floor seating. Tickets are still available and will also be sold at the door.
The Walter Pyramid’s capacity is approximately 4,500 seats.
Duque said the concert has been cross-promoted at three other campuses: Long Beach City College, Cal State Dominguez Hills and Cal State Fullerton.
Although the event has been designed for students and not to make a profit, the tickets sold as of last Thursday account for only 40 percent of the 75 to 80 percent required to break even.
“This is the first concert in eight years that’s been pushed by ASI and completely controlled by ASI,” said Chance Decker, the Beach Pride Center coordinator. “We’re hoping if we have a successful event, we can have more control and continue with events like this one.”
Student reactions
“I’m not against what they’re doing,” said Matt Hubbard, a junior marine biology major and Program Council volunteer. “I think that it’s good. It shows the difference and diversity on campus.”
Some students didn’t understand the purpose of the protest.
“It’s irrelevant for them to be protesting,” said Tristan Wynn, a sophomore business major and program assistant for the Program Council. “You can’t go to every single concert and protest … I don’t see what they’re going to get out of it.”
Duque said she appreciated the students’ spirit of advocacy.
“I love that they’re protesting because I don’t think they’re protesting ASI,” Duque said. “I love the idea they’re protesting Ludacris if it means student activism.”
Keya Allen-Littleton, Program Council program coordinator, said, “No one here has animosity towards the protest. We’re trying in Program Council to represent every student, so for us to be one way or another is wrong. We have to be open.”
Coalition protest
Project Safe, a collaboration of CSULB’s Women’s Resource Center, the Sexual Assault Crisis Agency and Interval House Domestic Violence Program, released a statement Sunday in support of the protest.
“ASI’s decision to bring Ludacris to the CSULB campus is both inappropriate and irresponsible … Rather than support artists who promote violence against women, we call on the CSULB student body, as represented by ASI, to work together to ensure a safe and violence-free university environment for all students,” the statement said.
Several organizations have gotten involved in the protest and plan to attend: the Campus Progressives Collective, Lydia Today (an Orange County group against sex-trafficking), and MIAmerica, an Orange County-based group on working to end the femicide in Guatemala.
Other supportive organizations include the Feminist Organization to Reclaim Consciousness and Equality (F.O.R.C.E.) and the Feminist Magazine Radio show on KPFK, according to Wood.