Parental Advisory: This column contains explicit language.
And yet again, Students on Target’s Groovin’ on the Grounds failed to produce a family-friendly festival — “a good time not wasted.”
Apparently, quite few of us were. Marijuana smoke emanated through the crowd throughout the afternoon and beer cans scattered the Parade Ground.
YelaWolf, an Alabama rapper with an Eminem-esque knack for violent lyrics, kicked off the show as the first national act.
He played a song, then began complaining that his contract stated he couldn’t use profanity in a curse word-laden rant ending with a complaint about a violation of his First Amendment rights.
He didn’t return to finish his set.
Lupe Fiasco headlined the festival. Though he tried to keep it clean, more than a few curse words made it into the show.
The ordeal reminisced Ludacris’ alcohol and weed-fueled performance at last year’s Groovin’.
Two years in a row begs the question: Why is Students on Target putting up such a false facade?
The festival is clearly not what it’s advertised to be.
And why do Students on Target hire performers with parental advisory warnings on everything they release to play if they want to promote a family-friendly atmosphere?
Common sense tells you the artists aren’t going to listen. The artists — particularly YelaWolf, Lupe and Ludacris — are young, rebellious, famous and rich. They make their own rules.
I mean, Luda’s got a song called “Move Bitch.” Lupe raps about getting high.
And YelaWolf raps about drugs, sex and, you know, killing people — in almost every song.
Just Google the lyrics to “Catfish Billy.”
Can we blame the artists for breaking the rules?
No. We can blame Students on Target for not taking the six seconds it takes to realize the acts they hire aren’t going to fit in with the all-ages atmosphere they try to create.
Come on, you guys said no to MGMT a few years back because they sing about drugs — but you hired a guy who raps about killing people.
It’s time to stop pretending Groovin’ is something it’s not. Get rid of this idea that a college festival should be for all ages. Let the crowd get rowdy and most importantly, let the artists be artists.
We need to promote what’s great about the First Amendment on college campuses — the ability to congregate without censorship.
In the words of the great YelaWolf: “Free speech, motherf***ers.”
Michael Wayne Atha, known by his stage name Yelawolf, covers his mouth with a bandana April 14, 2013 during Groovin' on the Grounds at the LSU Parade Grounds.
