Ice Cube coming to SIU April 28

Rapper, singer, songwriter, actor, producer and media personality Ice Cube is coming to SIU next month.

The man who has sold millions of records worldwide will perform at the SIU Arena at 8 p.m. April 28. Concert tickets officially go on sale at 10 a.m. March 19. But an online-only presale through the SIU Ticket Office kicks off at 10 a.m. Wednesday, March 14.

"People on campus and in the community have told me that they want to see major entertainment and cultural events on campus," said SIU Chancellor Carlo Montemagno. "In keeping with our vision of a revitalized SIU, we are listening to the requests of our students and community to bring major acts to southern Illinois."

Elvis, Bruce Springsteen, Heart, the Grateful Dead, Foreigner, Kiss, Aerosmith, the Blue Man Group and countless other legends have all performed on the SIU campus.

Canadian rapper and singer Drake's first live solo performance took place at SIU, and Peter Gabriel recorded part of his "Plays Live" album here as well. The Ice Cube concert continues that history.

"We want people to think of SIU as the place to go not only for a tremendous education but also as a place where they have positive experiences and make lasting memories," Montemagno added. "We're also confident these efforts will benefit the city of Carbondale and the region through tourism revenue."

He said the university is relying on community and student support, as well as ticket sales from across the region, to make this and other events a success.

Bringing popular entertainment to campus is the goal of SIU Presents, a new campus initiative dedicated to booking, coordinating, promoting and seeking sponsorships for the Ice Cube concert and other popular entertainment. The Ice Cube concert was suggested by a number of students in an informal survey.

Ice Cube, whose real name is O'Shea Jackson Sr., rose to fame with the hip-hop groups C.I.A. and N.W.A., but his rap and songwriting abilities led to a successful solo career with millions of albums sold.

Credited by many as one of the founders of the "gangsta rap" genre, he's also starred in numerous films, including the critically acclaimed "Boyz n the Hood" and "Straight Outta Compton." He has appeared with Elmo on PBS's "Sesame Street" and launched the television series "Are We There Yet?"

He's a successful entrepreneur as well, with a clothing line, a record label and other ventures.