Danny Brown will perform for Dillo Day 2013 as the midday hip-hop act, Mayfest announced Thursday.
The Detroit-born rapper, known for his sexually explicit lyrics, unusual voice and recent fellatio drama, will take Kendrick Lamar’s Dillo 2012 slot, from 3 to 4 p.m.
“Last year we were pretty thrilled with our daytime act, and I don’t want to necessarily compare Danny Brown to Kendrick Lamar, but we feel like the quality of his work and his current career path are very reminiscent of Kendrick Lamar’s last year,” said Xander Shepherd, Mayfest’s director of concerts.
Mayfest is anticipating a high-energy performance from Danny Brown, Shepherd said. The 32-year-old rapper’s popularity on campus this year placed him near the top of Mayfest’s list.
Winter quarter's "Who do YOU want for Dillo Day?" campaign wasn't directly affiliated with Mayfest's selection process, but it gave the group a good look at the music tastes of Northwestern - and Danny Brown, who has collaborated with A$AP Rocky and toured with Das Racist, has been getting national nods, as well as a substantial amount of NU love.
For the announcement, Mayfest has plastered walkways with QR codes linking to one of Brown's music videos. It's sort of a scavenger hunt, according to co-director of promotions Bri Hightower.
"We really want to build up the campus speculation and all the conversations on social media," Hightower said. "Obviously campus gets really excited about Dillo Day, so rather than just being like, 'This is who’s coming,' we like to do it in a fun way that gets campus involved and interactive."