By Stephen Cooney
The first time hip-hop
performers from The C-4 Movement took the stage to open for a major performer in Hofstra USA, they made the sound director uncomfortable. While opening for Lupe Fiasco in November 2007, they stole an extra song and an extra five minutes of stage time for
themselves. On Monday while opening for Estelle, after
winning a contest sponsored by Hofstra Concerts, the sound director was prepared.
“Last time the sound guy was waving at us and threatening to shut us off,” said Giovanni Green, a member of C-4. “We got the same sound guy. It’s Karma, he wasn’t going to give us anything.”
For the Estelle show the band decided to approach their set differently and make sure to leave on better terms with the sound director.
“We were nice this year. We made up. Last year we were like, ‘Just go ahead’ and did our song and this year we were like ‘Okay let’s respect the sound guy,'” Adrian Pearce another member of C-4 said.
Even with the shorter set, C-4 performed a six-song set that included both new and old tracks from their mix tapes. The set also included two a capella songs, one of which was more of a concept verse for Pearce than a song.
“We tried to pick from the most current tracks that we do and pick what we feel the
audience we are going to
perform for will like,” band member Corey Abisdid said. “It’s a brain storming process. We just draft lists and vote on them until we feel we have something that
everyone will like.”
Drafting the lists is easy for the band since the four members, who are seniors at the University, live and record together in an off-campus house. The members include Abisdid (C Write Krills), Green (Alpha), Pearce (A Webber) and Derryl Semple (Googie).
No matter how long or short the band’s stage time is, Hofstra USA is beginning to become some sort of a home for the University based performing group. They have opened two shows for major recording
artists and have also been featured in multiple hip-hop contests and showcase at Hofstra USA.
“Last year we worked with them to do a showcase and we are hoping to do that again this year,” Green said.