Fayetteville native and hip-hop artist J. Cole is coming home.
The rapper was contracted by the Carolina Union Activities Board for $105,000 to perform for Homecoming in Carmichael Arena on Nov. 4 after being the top-voted artist by students on CUAB’s whiteboard and email surveys last year.
Tom Low, CUAB’s president, said an opening artist hasn’t been chosen.
Lauren Sacks, assistant director for student learning and activities and CUAB’s adviser, said that many other top-voted names like Dave Matthews Band, Jay-Z and Kanye West were out of CUAB’s price range.
She said The Weeknd, and even The Beatles, were also suggested. One hundred fifty different artists were suggested in total, Sacks said.
Students could make suggestions during 10 days in April. CUAB members took pictures of the whiteboard three times a day and tallied the results.
“We didn’t reach every single student on campus, but we were trying to get some sort of feedback,” Sacks said.
Low said J. Cole’s contract was about the highest CUAB was willing to pay, with help from the Carolina Athletic Association. The New Pornographers performed at last year’s Homecoming for $40,000.
Low said student tickets will go on sale Sept. 25 and tickets for the general public will go on sale Oct. 16.
