Ampitheater headliners:
June 28: Steely Dan
June 29: Def Leppard, Foreigner and Styx
June 30: The Fray
July 2: Roger Waters
July 3: John Mayer
July 4: Tool
July 5: Bon Jovi
July 8: Toby Keith
There's something for everyone, including those who like their music to glorify and romanticize drugs, violence, and misogyny.
From The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
An urban music package featuring Ludacris with Chris Brown, Ciara and T-Pain will headline the Marcus Amphitheater at Summerfest on July 1.
Tickets are $45, $40 and $35, excluding service charges; there also will be limited free lawn seating the day of the show.
...A protégé of producer and rapper Timbaland, Ludacris cracked the top 5 on the album charts with his major-label debut, "Back For the First Time," in 2000. He has also been successful as a film actor, appearing in "Crash" and "Hustle & Flow."
Even as the chaos in the city claims more victims, I suspect some leaders in Milwaukee's African-American community will praise Summerfest for bringing Ludacris to the Ampitheater on July 1.
I know columnist Eugene Kane complained about the lack of rap at Summerfest, insinuating that the festival was racist.
Personally, I don't know how you can look at what Ludacris does and not call it racially offensive.
Nonetheless, Ludacris gets a pass. The justification is what he does is art. He expresses a picture of real life. He gives the experience of some African-Americans a voice.
I think that's ridiculous.
Is Ludacris really the sort of performer that Summerfest should be welcoming?
Back in fall of 2006, Ludacris hosted Saturday Night Live.
One of the skits was "The Bitchslap Method." It was a fake infomercial about how to save your marriage using Dr. Bitchslap's techniques. Ludacris (Dr. Bitchslap) demonstrates his method on mannequins, hitting them as he says things like, "Who’s yo daddy, bitch?" and "You ain’t walkin’ out on me bitch!"
Needless to say, it was extremely degrading.
Read the transcript of the skit.
This was on NBC, the same network that canned Don "nappy headed hos" Imus.
Then, there's Al Gore. His upcoming Live Earth concert will include Ludacris. It's ironic that wife Tipper led the charge against the vulgarity and misogyny in music, demanding warning labels on CDs to help parents shield their kids from inappropriate material.
Al doesn't seem to mind that Ludacris' lyrics are peppered with profanity and racist language.
Most likely, Summerfest has no second thoughts about booking Ludacris.
If SNL and Gore can tap his talents, why not Summerfest?
What's funny is that the libs are always looking for root causes when it comes to social ills like violence, yet they are willing to completely overlook the impact of music on young minds.
Free speech is a cherished right of Americans; but exercising a right doesn't eliminate the need to be responsible.
You reap what you sow.
Monday saw SEVEN shootings and two homicides in Milwaukee.
Does Milwaukee really need to showcase Ludacris?
Will Mayor Tom Barrett give him the key to the city?
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