Collaboration brings Snoop Dogg to IU

What started out as two fraternities planning their own shows for Little 500 turned into one of the biggest names in hip-hop coming to IU.

Snoop Dogg is scheduled to perform April 23 in the Zeta Beta Tau and Sigma Alpha Mu parking lot.

The show is sponsored by ZBT and Sammy, along with All Around Entertainment and Blue Ocean Live.

Abe Benson, a member of Sammy, said that at the beginning of the school year both ZBT and Sammy intended to put on their own shows. Benson said he and Jonathan Wolf, IU alumnus and member of Blue Ocean Live, have always planned on having Snoop Dogg perform at Little 500.

Wolf said they were able to book Snoop because they had worked with his agents on prior events.

He said it was just one of those lucky moments where everything worked out.
Wolf said they planned on having Snoop Dogg come last year, but because of uncontrollable circumstances, he could not.

Wolf said this year he received a phone call telling him Snoop was on tour and had an open spot on April 23.

“The second I saw that, I was like that’s perfect,” Wolf said. “We knew it was meant to be because that was the one day that wasn’t filled.”

Wolf said Snoop Dogg will be performing in New England prior to his Bloomington appearance and the fraternities had to find a way to charter him a private plane because they were unable to book a commercial flight for the artist.

“We all sat down and figured out a way we could throw one giant cohesive concert,” he said.

Justin Ensidler, from Blue Ocean Live, said the resources of a single house were not enough to bring Snoop Dogg to campus last year.

“Given the amount of time we have to plan the show this year, we are in perfect position to collaborate on the show,” Ensidler said.

Mitchell Schoeneman, from ZBT and All Around Entertainment, said with their collaboration, they plan on making this the biggest show ever to come for Little 500.

Schoeneman also said because everyone who is planning the show has been
affected by breast cancer in some way, part of the proceeds from the concert will go to the Susan G. Komen Fund.

Benson said with bringing MTV to film the concert, the fraternities are setting a precedent for concerts in the future.

“Snoop Dogg is the epitome of the college experience,” Benson said.

Wolf said he has been working toward this opportunity since he was at IU.

“This is the culmination of four years of Little 5 concerts,” he said. “This will be the biggest one yet.”