By Robert Dolen

Arts & Entertainment Editor

It’s that time of year again, and the hype train for Hofstra’s Fall Fest starts back up again with the announcement of this year’s lineup.

This year, Lil’ Wayne will be headlining the Vibe Live concert series for Fall Fest 2017. Also performing this year is the 90s pop group C + C Music Factory, responsible for the smash hit “Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now).” Unforgettable Fire, a U2 tribute band, will be in attendance. New York punk band Bad Mary, comprised of Hofstra alumni and Drama Professor David Henderson will be kicking off the festival.

To say Lil Wayne is a veteran hip hop artist is a bit of an understatement; Lil Wayne’s success since his solo debut at 17-years-old has made him one of the best-selling artists of all time. Although he began performing at an even earlier age of nine-years-old, his solo debut album “Tha Block Is Hot,” was platinum certified in 1999 along with his next two albums, “Lights Out” and “500 Degreez,” being certified gold in the early 2000s.

It wasn’t until “Tha Carter” released under Cash Money Records where his true rise to fame began. Featuring the single “Go DJ,” critics applauded Wayne’s new album as the next big evolution in his career, meanwhile selling over 800,000 copies.

Since then, “Tha Carter II” and especially “Tha Carter III,” have solidified Lil Wayne’s reputation as one of the most successful rappers of our generation. “Tha Carter III” featured hit singles “Lollipop,” “A Milli” and “Got Money,” which as a result won Wayne the Grammy for Best Rap Album in 2009.

Since then, Lil Wayne’s subsequent albums have seen nominal success. Even “Rebirth,” the experimental, rock-infused album that received much disappointment from critics, still certified gold. Wayne even had his eighth album “I Am Not a Human Being” released while he was incarcerated for weapon possession. His last titular album, “Tha Carter IV,” sold almost a million copies in its first week.

Overall, Lil Wayne has sold over 100 million records worldwide. This October he won’t be the only one joining the long list of famous musicians who have performed at Hofstra’s Fall Festival.

C + C Music Factory was originally a musical duo between David Cole and Robert Clivillés formed back in 1989. C + C Music Factory is perhaps most well known for their biggest single, “Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now),” which can be heard at almost every sporting event during timeout or halftime. That single began its more than six month run on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in October of 1990; eventually it won them the 1991 Billboard Award for Best New Pop Artist.

Unfortunately, amidst many controversies and lawsuits, the two stopped recording in 1996 after David Cole passed away. C + C Music Factory reformed in 2010 with Eric Kupper, and the legacy of their original hits still lives on.

These artists join the long list of famous recording artists that have come to Hofstra every year. Without a doubt, these artists are going to make this one of the most memorable Fall Festivals at Hofstra yet.