Ty Dolla $ign, Quinn XCII, Princess Nokia, Dutch ReBelle to perform at Spring Fling

Tufts University Social Collective (TUSC) Concert Board announced that the headliner for this year's Spring Fling will be Ty Dolla $ign, with opening acts by Quinn XCII, Princess Nokia and Dutch ReBelle. Concert Board made the announcement at noon today in Hotung Café through a video featuring University President Anthony Monaco reading out the acts. Approximately 50 people were in attendance. The concert will take place on April 28.

Ty Dolla $ign, a rapper, songwriter and producer, is famous for his singles "Paranoid," "Or Nah" and "Blasé." Quinn XCII is a Detroit-based indie pop artist who is currently on tour for his debut album, "The Story of Us," released last September. Princess Nokia is a New York City-based rapper who embraces feminism and her queer identity in her work, and Dutch ReBelle is a Boston-based rapper who was nominated for Hip Hop Artist of the Year at the 2017 Boston Music Awards.

Charlotte Eccles, a sophomore and co-chair of TUSC Concert Board, said she and her co-chair Adam Meyer, also a sophomore, attempted to appeal to as wide of a Tufts student demographic as possible when searching for artists.

For this year’s concert, Tufts University Social Collective (TUSC) will also be implementing changes not seen before, according to Eccles, including placing metal detectors at the entrances to ensure the safety of all attendees.

Additionally, instead of having one entrance for both Tufts students and guests, there will be one entrance for students between Ballou Hall and Goddard Chapel and a separate entrance for guests between Ballou and Barnum Halls. John Wescott, assistant director for campus life, told the Daily in an email that guests will also be required to show a government-issued ID.

Ashley Austin, associate director for campus life, said that for this year’s Spring Fling, no bags will be allowed inside the concert area. This no-bag rule will now include fanny packs and small handbags. She urged students to leave these at home to avoid being turned away.

The last major visible change being made is sectioning off Professors Row and designating it for the participating artists. Instead of having dressing rooms in the Mayer Campus Center, artists will now be in their respective trailers, which will be parked on Professors Row, Eccles said. 

Austin said none of these changes are in response to incidents or attitudes of Tufts students, but rather, they are an attempt to bring Spring Fling in line with similar events elsewhere.

“These changes are being made in accordance with industry standard around event management and open-air shows,” Wescott said.

This year, TUSC Concert volunteers will undergo Green Dot training in sexual misconduct bystander intervention, a program offered by the Center for Awareness, Resources and Education.

“[Green Dot is] a pro-active and reactive Bystander Intervention program that focuses on changing our campus culture and building skills for a safer community,” Wescott said.

CORRECTION: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that Dutch ReBelle won the award for Hip Hop Artist of the Year at the 2017 Boston Music Awards. She was nominated for the award, but did not win. The article has been updated to reflect this change. The Daily regrets this error.