The Roots will headline Hopkins's 38th annual Spring Fair with an outdoor concert, April 25 on the Ralph S. O'Connor Recreation Center practice field.
The hip-hop group performed at Hopkins for the first time at the 2002 Spring Fair.
Other bands that were considered for this year's performance were OAR and Ben Folds, both of which did not work out, according to Spring Fair Concert Chair Aaron Noparstak.
"OAR just are not very reliable; they don't make decisions very quickly," he said. "Ben Folds was just a consideration. We decided The Roots would be better."
Last year's concert featured performances by Reel Big Fish and Bone Thugs-N-Harmony. There were between 1,800 and 2,000 tickets sold for that concert. That was the first time the concert was held on the practice field and it was very successful, according to Noparstak.
The HOP and the Student Government Association (SGA) provide funding for Spring Fair. Funding is also raised from grants from the Graduate Representative Organization and Homewood Student Arts.
Noparstak would not comment on the cost of this year's performance.
The Spring Fair committee handles the selection of the performers in complete secrecy.
Even within the committee, only Noparstak and the committee's executive co-chairs are involved in signing the performer.
The committee officially received a bid from The Roots two weeks ago and signed the contract late last week.
A student band chosen by a battle of the bands hosted by the HOP on April 8 will open for The Roots. Several bands have already expressed interest in participating.
Tickets are on sale now ($25 regular, $10 for students and faculty).
