NASHVILLE, TN. (www.mtsu.edu) - WHO: Kanye West, Fantasia, & Keyshia Cole
WHEN: Thursday, November 17, 2005
WHERE: Murphy Center Complex – Middle Tennessee
State University
TIME: 6:30 pm – Doors; 8:00 pm – Show Begins
TICKETS: $36
MURFREESBORO, TN: Middle Tennessee
State University is thrilled to announce it will play host to the Verizon Wireless presents
Kanye West and the Touch the Sky Tour featuring
Fantasia and
Keyshia Cole on Thursday, November 17th at the Murphy Center Complex on the MTSU campus.
Recently named one of Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People in the World, Kanye West, the in-demand producer known for his unique beat making skills, has taken the hip-hop industry by storm. His 2004 debut album, The College Dropout, sold a staggering 3 million copies and went on to win him Grammy awards for Best Rap Album of the Year and Best Rap Song for the hit single “Jesus Walks.” His clever use of vintage R&B, live instrumentals, and witty lyricism has made everyone take notice of the
Chicago native. Released in 2005, his sophomoric album, Late Registration, features more controversial topics. Undoubtedly the most creative force in the hip-hop industry, West promises to keep delivering music that is all at once thought provoking, soulfully inspiring, sometimes edgy, and always impressive.
The 2004 winner of one of television's highest-rated shows, “American Idol,'
Fantasia brings the same soulful delivery that made her an instant favorite with millions of viewers to her much-anticipated J Records debut, Free Yourself. Released in November 2004 the album sizzles with tracks that capture the energy that the soulful twenty-year-old from High Point, North Carolina invests into every performance.
Fantasia teamed up with music elite, including Missy Elliott, Jermaine Dupri, The Underdogs, Harold Lilly, and Soulshock & Karlin, to highlight the depth and range of her ability. The powerhouse vocalist went on to make history with the release of the hit single “I Believe” by becoming the first artist in the history of Billboard's Hot 100 chart to debut at No. 1 with her first solo record.
With her powerful voice, Keyshia Cole's talent, personality, and faith have won her fans and supporters within the notoriously picky entertainment industry since she was a young girl. Before she was 12 years old, Cole had performed and recorded with then-superstar MC Hammer. For her first album The Way It Is, released in June 2005, Cole garnered the support of reigning hip-hop star Kanye West; producer and songwriter DaRon of R&B group 112; rapper Chink Santana, whose gruff stylings have graced hits by
Ashanti and The Inc.; and popular producer E-Poppi. She also got a chance recently to collaborate with Eve for her debut single, “Never,” on the Barbershop 2 soundtrack. A self-described "hard worker", Cole is passionate about providing inspiration to young girls, and young people in general, who come from troubled backgrounds. Compared by many critics to her own inspiration, Mary J. Blige, she was recently nominated for three Vibe
Music Awards.
Tickets are now available to MTSU students, as well as the general public, at all Ticketmaster locations, online at www.ticketmaster.com, and the Middle Tennessee
State University's Box Office. Tickets are $36 and reserved seating is limited. For more information, call 615-898-2551 or visit www.mtsu.edu.
ABOUT MTSU STUDENT PROGRAMMING & EVENTS
MTSU Student Programming & Events' is students brainstorming, preparing and producing events on campus especially for other students and the University community. Projects include concerts, full-length feature films, MTSU student film festival, performances, thought-provoking lectures, and other exciting events. The students are the only ones who choose what programs and/or events are brought to the campus and they work closely with acts or events to provide the best possible programming available. The structure of MTSU Student Programming & Events is designed to provide students with individual opportunities outside of the classroom to learn and grow experientially.
