“Lost in the Atlantech,” aka Homecoming Week 2014, kicks off this year on October 23rd. The annual celebration begins with a free concert on Tech Green featuring rapper Hoodie Allen. Allen’s newest album, “People Keep Talking,” was released on Tuesday, so students can get a preview at the concert before buying the album.
Hoodie Allen, or Steven Adam Markowitz, was born in 1988 in New York City. Allen graduated University of Pennsylvania in 2010 and was a brother of Alpha Epsilon Pi.
He worked as a Google AdWords associate during the day and wrote songs during the night. He left Google after receiving the opportunity to perform in live shows.
The 26 year-old will be preceded by fellow Yellow Jackets Michael Hartle, a DJ who has performed at events around campus, and The Round Table (TRT), a rap and hip hop group of five who have performed at Center Stage and other events around Atlanta.
The concert takes place on Tech Green on October 23rd. Students have free BuzzCard access to the concert and can bring one guest who does not have a BuzzCard.
Doors open at 7:30PM, and the concert begins at 8PM. Backpacks, large purses, food and drink are not allowed. Fun is mandatory.
SCPC has hyped up this event on Facebook and around campus, but are Tech students excited for this year’s artist? Moreover, do they even know who Hoodie Allen is?
“No…should I know?” asks junior business major Bronwyn Carlson.
“Not even, not even a little bit,” says fifth year ME Dan Grisell. “I probably won’t be going.”
“Is that a person?” inquires senior BMED Sanjay Sridaran. “I haven’t been to the past three concerts because of who they got, and I don’t see a point going now, even if it’s free this time.”
Tickets to each concert were not free until last year; SGA has cut funding from other programs in order to accommodate for the lack of revenue.
Some of Tech’s previous homecoming artists include T-Pain in 2012, 3OH!3 in 2013 and Turquoise Jeep and Dev from last year.
“I had to look him up on YouTube when I heard his name,” says senior ME Kyle Speight. “I’m not going to a concert when it’s someone I don’t know or don’t want to hear.”
“I have not heard of him before, but I might go if I can find the time,” says junior ChemE Nathaniel Robinson.
So far, not good. The number of students oblivious to Hoodie Allen is impressive despite SCPC’s efforts, though not as impressive as last year’s numbers for Turquoise Jeep.
However, there are some members of the “Hoodie Mob” on campus who have heard of him before and have been following him for years. But for Allen to have a decent crowd at the concert, those followers will need to bring some friends.
“My friend suggested him to me three years ago,” says freshman Pre-Health Siddhi Shah. “I think he’s pretty popular. He has another concert in December at the Tabernacle, but my parents said I couldn’t go to that one. So I’m really excited that he’s coming here now.”
“Hoodie Allen has a couple sweet songs,” said 2nd year ME Noah Eggleston. “I’m looking forward to this year’s homecoming concert.”
“Hoodie Allen is my favorite rapper,” said sophomore ME Thomas Stefany.
At least a few students are looking forward to Hoodie Allen’s performance. This concert will boost his popularity at Tech and hopefully garner him some new fans and album sales. Most would agree that Hoodie Allen is an outstanding choice compared to Turquoise Jeep.