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News Release

Last modified: Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Macklemore, Ryan Lewis coming to IU for Little 500 concert

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 5, 2013

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- The Indiana Memorial Union Board and Live Nation will host Macklemore and Ryan Lewis with special guests Wale and Talib Kweli as the official Little 500 concert, in partnership with Indiana University Student Foundation. The concert will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 17, at Assembly Hall on the Bloomington campus.

Tickets for the concert will be available to IU students through a special pre-sale from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Thursday, March 7, at the Assembly Hall ticket office, IU Auditorium Box Office, Ticketmaster ticket centers and Ticketmaster.com. Tickets for the general public may be purchased beginning at 10 a.m. on Friday, March 8, at the same locations and through Ticketmaster.com. Tickets range from $25-$45 for IU Bloomington students and $30-$50 for the general public.

Independent Seattle rapper-producer duo Macklemore and Ryan Lewis exploded onto the airwaves in 2012 with the chart-topping single "Thrift Shop," holding the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 for four consecutive weeks. Gaining Internet recognition with underground singles like "Wings" and "And We Danced," Macklemore's lyrical prowess and Lewis' clever production have cultivated a rapport with hip-hop and pop fans alike. With their certified-gold debut album "The Heist," as well as acclaimed mixtapes and EP's, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis have captivated a broad audience and introduced the world to Pacific Northwest hip-hop.

From generating buzz on the Internet with his Seinfeld-themed "The Mixtape About Nothing," Wale has established himself as a certified star on Rick Ross' Maybach Music Group imprint. Wale is noted for his clever pop culture references, blending hip-hop culture with sports and celebrity to create a style of his own. His two studio albums "Attention: Deficit" and "Ambition" have spawned radio hits like "Chillin' with Lady Gaga" and "Lotus Flower Bomb."

Kweli is a Brooklyn-born MC, originally rising to stardom alongside Mos Def as Black Star. Since 1995, Kweli has been a staple in the underground hip-hop scene, with socially conscious raps and collaborations with some of the most highly regarded producers in the genre, including Hi-Tek and Madlib. Commercially, Kweli has seen success with singles "Get By" and "Definition" (with Black Star). His most recent full-length album "Gutter Rainbows" met positive critical reception.

The Indiana University Student Foundation's Little 500 is the largest collegiate cycling race in the United States with hundreds of participants competing, and more than 25,000 people attending the races each year. The event is preceded by a week of programming, organized by various campus and student organizations.

The Indiana University Memorial Union Board is the largest and oldest programming body on the Bloomington campus, currently in its 104th year. The board, which also serves as the governing body of the Indiana Memorial Union, strives to organize a diverse range of events and activities around which students may come together.

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